The holiday season is still echoing all around us, and I find myself reflecting on the complicated relationship so many of us hold this time of year.
The ancient stories we return to have been reshaped across generations, adapted by communities, governments, and religions to meet the needs of their moment. Yet perhaps their magic is in how they continue to resonate with us. Each year, if we approach them with openness, another layer of meaning reveals something new, something needed, something waiting for this moment in our lives.
Our theme this month is Practicing Resistance, and the nativity story which continues until Epiphany on January 6th is a powerful message of resistance. This year, I am drawn to the story of the Magi: the scholars, seekers, and spiritual travelers who dared to follow a star into an unfamiliar place. Their courage to pursue wisdom and truth beyond the boundaries of what was known or safe feels deeply resonant right now.
Epiphany marks the moment these three seekers arrive after a long journey, and encounter a new life, a child, a symbol of peace to lead the world forward. Their ancient pilgrimage is dangerous, uncertain, and fueled by persistent hope for the next generation. This speaks clearly to me in this moment, reminding me that resistance is risky, long, and rooted in the belief that something better is possible, even when the path ahead is not yet clear.
Sami Awad, Co-Director of Nonviolence International calls the Magi the “Nonviolent Heroes of the Nativity Story.” He states: “Their journey, actions, and choices provide us with a profound model of nonviolent resistance and solidarity. Reflecting on their role in light of my own journey of nonviolent activism, I see the Magi as embodying two critical principles of the work we must do in the face of tyranny and injustice: seeking truth through courageous acts of solidarity and engagement and refusing to cooperate with systems of oppression. In their journey, the Magi demonstrated what I see as the essence of nonviolent activism: a willingness to cross boundaries, confront danger, and stand in solidarity with those who are oppressed.”
This month, on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King weekend, we have a remarkable opportunity to prepare ourselves to be non-violent activists of our time. On Saturday, January 17th, we will come together to learn the strategy of non-violent civil disobedience with faith communities of Milwaukee.
Our journey echoes that ancient story of the wise ones, who carry the hope of the holidays forward into the new year. We practice resistance by defending human rights, justice, and democracy. This is our Unitarian Universalist faith in action, grounded in our values, and strengthened by community we seek to create a better way.
May we be seekers of wisdom, listening and for what courage, compassion, and truth might be asking of us today.