It is certainly true that night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. We need only to look around at the violence, injustice, and suffering, and greed in our world for evidence. And yet Isaiah is filled with hope, for into this darkness a brilliant light begins to shine and grows ever brighter. This is the light of God, and this light never rests from its task of illuminating hearts and minds. God reaches out to all people, for He desires the happiness and salvation of all. The wonderful mystery that Paul writes of is that all forms of separation between peoples have been abolished. All are now included; never again can a human being be hated, mistreated, or excluded.

The beautiful story of the Magi also has a powerful spiritual lesson to teach us. The Magi did not belong to the nation of Israel - they were priests of a foreign religion, possibly Zoroastrians. But they recognized the hand of God and followed where they were led because they were seekers. Not merely content with the status quo or conventional wisdom, their minds and hearts were open and restless, always seeking God in new ways. They were filled with hope and were able to see the light of God as it began to shine into the darkness. The message is clear: God is for all, and all truth is from God wherever it may be found. In our world, the light is also shining - the light that teaches, inspires, and heals.