As I mentioned in an earlier post this week, we’re looking at the Advent vignettes created by Steve Case. What I enjoy about these lessons is that bring the Christmas story closer for young people. By pretending that these Biblical and fictional characters are communicating via email, it allows today’s youth to connect with something they understand. And by experiencing the Christmas story through each character’s point of view, children can consider what these people might have been thinking while they awaited the birth of the Messiah and their God-given roles in it.

Case’s third vignette is a message from the Wise Man, Melchoir, to his wife. It is a mixture of longing, humor, and hope. He opens his message by stating that he misses his wife more than he can say. For a moment, he doubts they will ever find the star, even while acknowledging how amazing it is that they were chosen by God for this task.

After such a powerful opening, the letter turns humorous. First, Melchoir thanks his wife for packing mint leaves to help in the camels’ digestion. They might do Balthazar some good, too, he says.

Then the seriousness is back. Melchoir discusses the stars that Balthazar and he have been studying for years and how they have never seen such a unique pattern. He also comments on how learned Gaspar is about the prophesies, while taking a moment to question the appropriateness of his gift of myrrh. And he considers what kind of girl Mary must be.

Finally, he shares his feelings of hope with his wife before concluding his letter from, “Your loving  Melchoir.”

I find such power in this touching letter from a man chosen for a special journey by God, to his wife far away. Perhaps part of that power comes from the longing I feel when my own husband is away on business. But I believe children can experience that type of longing, too, when separated from someone they love. Case has drafted such a beautiful vignette for the Third Sunday of Advent. I hope it has blessed you as it has me.