There is a tradition in the Southwest that I dearly love. When I was a child and we lived in northern New Mexico, it was there I saw the luminarias at Christmas for the first time.
Originally, luminarias were small signal fires of pinyon pine branches which lit the courtyards and the way to the church during the celebration at Christmas. These small fires were replaced with the farolito, small paper bags with sand and candles. This is what I remember.
After Dave and I were married we lived in Las Cruces, NM. The homes there, and in El Paso, were adorned with these flickering lights. It added such a special sense of wonder and reverence to the neighborhoods.
The image above was taken at a mission near our home in Southern Arizona. Each year Tumacacori Mission is illuminated like this. Simplistic and humble lighting lines the path that leads to a place where we worship the King.
Lighting the way for Christ.
God, the Father, did that when He placed the star in the heavens and the wise men’s caravan came from the East with gifts for the Christ child.
” Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him…
7 Then Herod had a private meeting with the wise men from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. Then I can go worship him too.”
9 After the wise men heard the king, they left. They saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. The star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 They were very happy and excited to see the star.
11 The wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened the boxes of gifts they had brought for him. They gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.” Matthew 2:1-12 ERV
The wise men assumed that someone whose birth had been announced with such a majestic star in the heaven’s was royal. Surely, His birth had taken place at the palace in Jerusalem. They stopped there seeking the child. Herod, the king, was threatened by this news. He wanted the child found. Herod instructed the wise men to return to him when they found the child because, he said, that he also wanted to worship Him. This was a lie; Herod wanted to have the child killed. The Lord warned the wise men of Herod’s evil plan so they returned home by another route.
God is still lighting the way for people to come to Christ. We are the ones that He is using. Like the small paper bags that house the candles and line the path, we have the light of God within us.
“The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ. 7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” II Corinthians 4:6-7 CEV
God is wanting to use us to show His light and His glory to the world. Oh Lord, I want your light to shine brightly through me!
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Refrain: O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign
(Refrain)
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high (Refrain)
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
(Refrain)
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies (Refrain)
May our light lead, not just to the baby born in a manger, but also to the empty tomb and the risen Lord!