Why I Followed the Star
By S. Marie Grace Blum
Would you believe it! On the feast of Epiphany, Friday, January 6, 1950, the Star appeared. It was the day that I entered the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale, Pennsylvania. Mother Nature was not gentle with us young ladies. It rained the entire day, adding a feeling of somberness to the importance and awesomeness of this event. A casual remark from someone about the star not being visible for the Kings caught my attention, and I looked about and within.
I ‘saw’ a twinkle of the star— a brief twinkle of assurance that it’s time to take the next step, this step. The gift of faith momentarily cleared the path of fear of what lay ahead, doubts vying for attention: am I worthy, will I fit in, do I really have a vocation? I have since learned that those noble Kings also needed ‘to keep on keeping on’ when darkness obliterated the comfort of seeing their Star.
‘Why did I follow the Star during these past seventy-five years? Early on, the Lord had offered me a relationship with him. Being young and naive, I missed the persistence of his invitation. The star was hidden in the darkness of my own doing. The Kings studied their maps and terrain. They became ‘wise.’ In glimmers of revelation, my star continued to reappear. I, too, learned the secrets of this terrain. In lessons of
spiritual geography, with the spirit of faith, hope and faithfulness, gifts from God, there was one special, outstanding discovery: the ‘rhythm’ of revelation. The star revealed to me then that it matters not whether that, at this moment, the star’s blazing brightness of his love relationship or the dark clouds of hidden insight, are being lost. Simple words. And yet, was not this revelation the brilliance of Star or Moon or Sun! Such superlative insight, I thought. He, the Gracious God, is always present! It matters not if in good times, thick or thin times or dark times. The Lord God is here. The Star is with me. Always.
I celebrate the manifestation of the Star and the Three Kings’ discovery of Jesus. I celebrate the grace of my vocation, following the Star alongside the Kings. May we all find our places with them, at the holy stable of Love, united in love with one another.
