7 December 2023 12:00 am Views - 551
To encourage Christians to mark Christmas in an austere manner and in the spirit of the Sinhala word “Alpechchathawa” (“w,afmaÉP;dj”) or a simple and humble lifestyle, we would like our readers to contemplate on what we call the Parable of the Fourth Wise Man.
The Parable of the Fourth Wise Man goes like this:
Shall we name the fourth wise man as Navaratne? From his studies and readings, he learned about the new bright star that was to appear in the sky. Then, one night he saw the star.
Joyfully, Navaratne set out on horseback to join the other three. He carried three gems for the King of Kings — the ruby, the sapphire and the pearl. He had almost reached his destination when his horse came to a sudden halt. There was a man lying on the road. If he stopped to help him he would be late, and his friends might go without him. He stopped, helped the man on the road, and saw to his needs by taking him to the nearest facility to get him treated.
And so he arrived in Bethlehem three days after the other three. He inquired from a woman with a child in her arms. Yes, she had seen his companions, she had heard of the new born King, but everything had taken place very quickly; the baby and its parents had left in the middle of the night as had his companions. Navaratne groaned in anguish. Then came the sound of the approaching soldiers on horseback.
Herod’s soldiers!
And they were snatching children from their mothers’ arms. “Quick hide”, said Navaratne. And then he faced the captain of the soldiers in the doorway of the house: “as you can see here for yourself there is no sound of a crying baby. If you leave me in peace this jewel is yours”. He gave the captain the splendid ruby - the second of the jewels he was going to give the King of Kings. So, this little baby boy was saved, the only one in the town of Bethlehem.
After about 30 years, Navaratne was told that the man who called himself the ‘King’ was being led to be crucified in Golgotha, just outside the city.
However, before he could start making his way towards Golgotha his attention was caught by the sight of three soldiers who were dragging a young woman along the street.
This young woman at his feet was even closer in proximity to him than the King, and her need was great, very great. Navaratne took a decision: he placed the pearl in her hands saying:
“Here is your ransom: it was the last of the jewels I had kept for the King.”
Then suddenly the sky grew dark almost as it were night, and shuddering tremors ran through the Earth, stones were loosened and crashed into the street. This was the darkness at noon and the earthquake at the time of the Crucifixion of the King of Kings. The soldiers fled in terror, Navaratne and the girl looked on helplessly. Navaratne thought to himself “the quest is over and it has failed”. But he felt a great sense of peace.
And then a heavy tile shaken from the roof fell and struck the old man on the head. As the girl bent over him fearing that he was dead, there came a voice through the darkness, sweet, encouraging and immensely comforting. She could not hear the words, but then the old man’s lips moved as if in answer, and she heard him saying:
“My Lord, when did I see you hungry and feed you? And thirsty and give you drink? When did I see you as a stranger and make you welcome? Naked and clothe you? Sick or in prison and come to see you? For thirty-three years I have looked for you; but I have never seen your face or ministered to my King”.
And then the sweet voice came again, and now the girl could just hear the words very faintly, very far away and yet very close: “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to Me”.
A calm radiance of wonder, joy and peace shone from the face of Navaratne. He gave one long last breath of relief; his journey was ended. His treasures had been accepted: the Fourth Wise Man had at long last met THE KING.