My favorite Christmas story is “The Other Wise Man” by Henry Van Dyke, an American clergyman and educator.
Written in 1896, “The Other Wise Man” is also known as the Fourth Wise Man, the one who failed to join The Three Wise Men- Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar – to witness the birth of Jesus Christ.
In Van Dyke’s story, the Fourth Wise Man was Artaban who lived in the city of Ecbatana, in the mountains of Persia (now Iran).
On the day that Jesus was to be born, Artaban, who was a physician and astrologer as wise men were in ancient times, saw the signs of the coming of the King of Kings. He had earlier agreed with his three other colleagues from other places that when the signs start manifesting, they were to meet at the Temple of Seven Spheres in Babylon (in Mesopotamia, now Iraq). To reach their meeting place, Artaban would have to pass through deserts, mountains, marshes.
His other friends declined to go with him giving various excuses. Abragus, the oldest of them and who dotes on Artaban as a son, advised him, “It is better to follow even the shadow of the best than to remain content with the worst.”
Artaban sold everything he had to buy gifts for the King of Kings. He bought three precious gems – a sapphire, a ruby and a pearl. One blue as a fragment of the night sky, one redder than a ray of sunrise, and one as pure as the peak of a snow-mountain at twilight.
With his loyal horse, Vasda, he set out for the long and perilous journey.
On his way, he came upon a sick, dying man by the wayside.Torn between the desire to help a person in great need and his meeting with his three friends, he decided to stop and took care of the man.
When man regained consciousness, and learning about the purpose of Artaban’s journey, he said, “ I have nothing to give thee in return–only this: that I can tell thee where the Messiah must be sought. For our prophets have said that he should be born not in Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem of Judah. May the Lord bring thee in safety to that place, because thou hast had pity upon the sick.”
Not surprisingly, Artaban missed his three friends. At their meeting place, he only found a piece of papyrus with a message, “We have waited past the midnight, and can delay no longer. We go to find the King. Follow us across the desert.”
Since he was going to make the journey alone, he needed more supplies. He sold the sapphire to buy his needs.
He passed by a deserted village and he heard a woman singing a lullaby as she was putting her baby boy to sleep. He entered the house and the woman welcomed him and served him food.
Suddenly there was a commotion as soldiers swooped down the town following the orders of King Herod to kill all male babies. When they tried to enter the house Artaban posted himself on the doorway and told the captain“”I am all alone in this place, and I am waiting to give this jewel to the prudent captain who will leave me in peace.”
He showed the ruby,glistening in the hollow of his hand like a great drop of blood.The captain took the stone and shouted to his men, “”March on!” he cried to his men, “there is no child here. The house is empty.”
Artaban felt guilty for having lied, he prayed,”God of truth, forgive my sin! I have said the thing that is not, to save the life of a child. And two of my gifts are gone. I have spent for man that which was meant for God. Shall I ever be worthy to see the face of the King?”
The grateful mother, weeping with joy told him gently, “Because thou hast saved the life of my little one, may the Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.”
Artaban went on to his journey. Three-and-thirty years of the life of Artaban had passed away, and he was still a pilgrim and a seeker after light.
Old and weary, Artaban came to Jerusalem for the last time. He felt a heavy sense of gloom. He saw people rushing to a certain direction and he asked what was happening. One replied, “We are going to the place called Golgotha, outside the city walls, where there is to be an execution. Have you not heard what has happened? Two famous robbers are to be crucified, and with them another, called Jesus of Nazareth, a man who has done many wonderful works among the people, so that they love him greatly. But the priests and elders have said that he must die, because he gave himself out to be the Son of God. And Pilate has sent him to the cross because he said that he was the `King of the Jews.’”
Artaban’s heart beat unsteadily with that troubled, doubtful apprehension which is the excitement of old age. But he said within himself: “The ways of God are stranger than the thoughts of men, and it may be that I shall find the King, at last, in the hands of his enemies, and shall come in time to offer my pearl for his ransom before he dies.”
He followed the multitude to the gate of Damascus. There he saw a young woman screaming for help as he was being dragged by Macedonian soldiers. The girl’s father died and she was being sold to slavery.
He brought out the pearl he had intended to ransom Jesus from his tormentors and offered it to the soldiers to free the girl.
As he handed the pearl to the soldier, the sky darkened and the earth trembled. The soldiers scampered away. Artaban and girl crouched beside the Praetorium. The girl was surprised to hear Artaban speaking to someone she could not see “Three-and–thirty years have I looked for thee; but I have never seen thy face, nor ministered to thee, my King.”
Then she heard a compassionate voice telling Artaban, “”Verily I say unto thee, Inasmuch as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.”
A calm radiance of wonder and joy lighted the pale face of Artaban like the first ray of dawn, on a snowy mountain-peak. A long breath of relief exhaled gently from his lips.
His journey was ended. His treasures were accepted. The Other Wise Man had found the King.
Ellen, that is a very poignant story, especially coming from Persia. There is a documentay in the History Channel about the Persian Empire, bigger than the Roman Empire. The christmas story as you narrated was basically a ‘comma’ between the Persian and the Roman Empires. Anyways … here’s another “Christmas Story” …
http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/sc-xmas.php
(please turn up your speakers)
beautiful and inspiring story, ellen! thanks for sharing it with us.
the journey of artaban is like the journey of many filipinos, including you ms. ellen. for haven’t we given away the jewels of our youth which was intended for other purpose, to save lives and make the lives of others better?
iyon ang hinihingi ng pagkakataon, sa oras na iyon, sa lugar ding iyon. how can we hold back for something that is abstract while the reality is facing us right there and then.
hindi pa tapos ang paglalakbay ng marami sa atin. marami pa tayong isasakripisyo at iaaalay sa dambana ng kalayaan.
hindi nga ba’t ang kaharian ng diyos ay iyong kung saan ang umiiral ay pag-ibig at pagmamahal sa kapwa, katarungan at pagkapantay-pantay.
think about it, 30 years na rin akong naglalakbay. at wala akong pinagsisihan anuman. hindi ang mga nawalang oportunidad para magkamal ng yaman, hindi ang pagkakulong ko sa panahon ng batas militar. kung ano ako ngayon, bunga iyon ng aking pakikipamuhay kasama ang naghihirap na sambayanan. kung bibigyan ako ng another 30 years ng panginoon, at kahit nasaan man ako, gugugulin ko pa rin ito sa paghahanap ng kanyang kaharian dito sa lupa.
a meaningful christmas to you, ms. ellen and to all our fellow travellers and friends.
Alitaptap, thanks for reading my story about the Star that became Rats. And my other story, which has connection to the Three Wise Men, I’ll re-post it on April 1, if…..
Bata ka pa, Isabel. Tiyak maganda ang landas na iyong tatahakin kung patuloy ang iyong magandang layunin sa buhay.
Maganda ang kwento ni Artaban. Katulad ni Ate Ellen, mayroon din akong paboritong Christmas story. Nabasa ko lang din ito kamakailan at ito’y tungkol sa:
THREE WISE FIREMEN
In a small southern town there was a “Nativity Scene” that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered me.
The three wise men were wearing firemen’s helmets.
Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left. At a Coffee Shop on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets. She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, “You stupid immigrant never do read the Bible!” I assured her that I did, but simply couldn’t recall anything about firemen in the Bible.
She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in my face she said “See, it says right here, the three wise man came from AFAR.”
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joeseg,
salamat ha, akala mo lang bata pa ako. kung babalikan mo yong entry ko, binanggit ko duon na nakulong na ako nuong martial law. pero siguro nga, bata pa rin ako sa puso at diwa.
joeseg,
yung sinasabi kong 30 taon na paglalakbay ay nuong ako ay mamulat sa katotohanan na kaya may naghihirap dahil sa may nagpapahirap. yung sitwasyon 30 years ago ay ganun pa rin naman, yung mga naghihirap ay yung mga dati pa rin at ang mga nagpapahirap ay nag-iba lang ng pangalan.
at naaaliw ako sa mga kuwento mo, joeseg. yung “star” na naging “rats”, natawa ako duon.
merry christmas!
Many times, in the process of achieving our goal, just like Artaban we are distracted, blocked, and delayed by circumstances not our own making. We do not understand that those are part of the process of reaching that goal.
Just like what we are doing to restore honesty and justice in our political life. We get so many distractions. Maybe that’s part of a cleansing process, to separate the unworthy from the worthy.
I like what the old man Abragus told Artaban, “It is better to follow even the shadow of the best than to remain content with the worst.”
Among the fencesitting elite and middle class, their lame excuse for not joining the fight against Gloria Arroyo’s cheating and stealing is, “who and what’s the alternative?”
We do not know but as Abragus said, “It is better to follow even the shadow of the best than to remain content with the worst.”
Maganda iyong Band Aid ni Peter Blake
Maligayang Pasko sa inyon lahat!
Mrivera Says:
joeseg, ‘yun bang kuwento mo ay katulad nung sa mukhang dagang babaeng baliw sa malakanyang na may pusong bato?
Ala eh ang lasa ko, kabayan Mrivera, ay ganun na nga. Nakuha mo ga! Walang pinag-iba.
Nice comments, Ms. Ellen.
…and I must thank you, Ms. Ellen, for sharing such a BEAUTIFUL story. It adds to the spirit of Christmas.
You also mentioned that “Among the fencesitting elite and middle class, their lame excuse for not joining the fight against Gloria Arroyo’s cheating and stealing is, “who and what’s the alternative?””
These fencesitters are merely, in my opinion, those who prefer the status quo, those who have raped our system; those who, like the Roman Empire-as exemplified by Pontius Pilate-are afraid of losing their power and thus, compromise themselves to the rotten system. But, in God’s time, the Philippines will find an Artaban. And also in His time, those who continue the fight “to restore honesty and justice in our political life…” will be told: “”Verily I say unto thee, Inasmuch as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.””
The Real Celebration of Christmas
Editorial
The Toronto Sun
torontosun.com
Dec. 24, 2006
Almost every year there’s a story about some misguided public official, who, suffering from a bad case of political correctness run amok, bans a Christmas symbol.
This year, the “honour” went to a Toronto judge who banned a small Christmas tree from the public area of a court house, where it had been placed every year for decades.
The judge, anticipating the tree might offend non-Christians, ordered it exiled to an out-of-the-way spot.
After the story was broken by Toronto Sun reporter Brodie Fenlon, it was as if everyone simultaneously decided they’d had enough of this nonsense once and for all.
Jewish and Muslim organizations were among the prominent critics of the judge’s decision, saying it was silly and counterproductive to the goal of creating an inclusive and welcoming society in which all faith traditions are respected.
To us, it was also a healthy sign that average Canadians understand what living in a diverse society means, even if too many politicians and befuddled bureaucrats don’t.
That said, while we thought the decision to “exile” the Christmas tree was absurd, we also think this episode teaches us a valuable lesson.
That is, that people who expect representatives of the secular liberal state — which is the type of society we live in — to preserve their religious traditions for them, are always going to be disappointed.
We understand why people get angry when public officials ban Christmas trees and similar symbols at this time of year for which many of us — including non-Christians — have nostalgic feelings going back to our childhoods.
But let’s not kid ourselves.
A Christmas tree in a court house, or a shopping mall, has today become mainly a secular symbol, often associated with the increasing commercialization of Christmas.
The true meaning of Christmas lies in marking and celebrating the birth of the Christ child tomorrow.
We do that through prayers and worship, both privately and in church. We do it by sharing the joy of the season with family and friends. By comforting the afflicted and, if we can afford it, donating to worthy charities such as the Salvation Army.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with giving presents to those we love, as long as they are genuine expressions of love and affection intended to make them happy, not put pressure on them to reciprocate. And as long as we can afford to give what we’re getting them.
The problem is that those who regard Christmas as only about gifts, trees and decorations miss the point. Which is that the real way to celebrate Christmas is through our generosity toward others, measured not by the thickness of our wallets, but by the size of our hearts.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Yes, Ellen, Artaban has always been with me since childhood and perhaps shaped my mind and soul. It was re-written for the church stage by my father and dramatized in such heart-wrending way that I was inspired by it.
Thank you so much for reliving it for me today. Yes, the voice of Jesus said:”As you have done it to the least of these..” What an inspiring way to say serve, care, and love your fellow men. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
joeseg, huli na kasi nang mabasa ko ang anekdot na sinulat mo. tapos inggles pa! hirap na hirap akong intindihin bikos ay du nat no haw tu rid en rayt ingglis dat mats.
eniwey, kip on rayting sam dyoks dat ken meyk as lap tu porget da holokost dan bay glorya en her demons. t
enk yu beri mats en kip da tseynds bat du nat ask mi por interes bikos ay heb no kapital. he he heh!
ay kaya kung kata ey magkikita ay huwag mag-iinggles para hindi tayo mahalatang batanggenyo, ey.
okey baga, kabayan? ay wer ar yu naw ga?
ayown, nagdibors na ang tenk yu ko! ala, ay inaapi ako ey.
ngyaaaaaahhhh! ang lungkot naman ng ganito! nagtatrabaho kahit pasko! hu! hu! hu! hu! malapit na siguro ako masiraan ng brip, este bait pala! ha ha ha hah! hi hi hi hiih!
napakaginaw dito sa gitna ng disyerto! brrrrr!
meri krismas uli sa inyong lahat!
I guess, the moral of the story of The Other Wise Man is, it doesn’t matter how long it would take, but never to give up.
>ngyaaaaaahhhh! ang lungkot naman ng ganito! nagtatrabaho
>kahit pasko! hu! hu! hu! hu!
kabayan,
pagpasensyahan mo na itong handa ko ngayong pasko. labong na sinahugan ng ginisang manok at biko naman na gawa ng nanay ko.
natatandaan ko pa na sampung taon na ang nakakaraan (Christmas duty ’96), nasa harap din ako ng makina ng kompyuter at nakikipagsagutan/kwentuhan sa peydyer(tungkol sa konsyerto ni Michael Jackson).
Dalawampung taon na rin ang nakaraan(Dec 25,1986) 4th year high school, nasa Cubao area ako at namamasyal sa mga paboritong lugar sa nasabing lugar na kasama ang mga tropa ko.
30 years ago, tandang-tanda ko pa b-day naman ng nanay ko, isang linggo bago ang pasko, pasan ako ng tatay ko sa batok nya, nandyan kami sa harap ng C.O.D. at nanunuod ng palabas ng diwa ng pasko(na may eksena pa ng naghaharana at akyat ng palo sebo).
ngayon oras na lang ang hinihintay at matatapos na ulit ang araw ng pasko.
hindi ko talaga malilimutan ang kapaskuhan noong nakaraang sampung taon, dahil nasaksihan ko mismo ang ika-100 taon pagkadakila ni Rizal.
Sa nasabing araw na iyon, nakadaupang palad ko ang isang kaibigan, na kapangalan mo pa(Rivera), na isang mag-aaral ng Foreign Service.(tandang tanda ko pa ang hitsura nya).
Nang matapos ang palatuntunan sa Quirino Grandstand ay nagmano pa ako sa isa sa pinakamatandang kaanak ni Rizal – bilang simbolo ng pagrespeto sa mga ginawa nya.
sige na… Mrivera(ano nga pala ang Maiden name mo?) sana ay naaliw kita sa mga nakatala na sa aking memorya.
Bilang pahabol, nais ko na pag-aralan mo ang pintor na si Diego Rivera at ang kanyang La Hamaca na nakita ko naman noong Biyernes a-bente dos(6:30pm) sa isang sikat na gusali sa Kamaynilaan.
Malipayon nga paskwa kinyong tanan!
nelbar, kung puwedeng malaman ko ang e-mail address mo, doon mo ako makikilala. huwag dito. alam mo na for security reasons, pero hindi para sa sarili ko, kundi para sa seguridad ng pamilya ko.
For me, the best Christmas story is the birth of the Saviour itself.
A week ago, I went to our temple in Oakland and saw a special presentation on Christmas afterward. There was the movie done by our church on the nativity that I actually ave bought a copy to show during our family home evenings at home but I could not help a tear or two watching it there and being made to think of how Christ, the Son of God and supposed “King of Kings” was born in a manger, not even in some humble abode of some good Samaritan.
It was a humbling experience and I thought of the arrogance and hypocrisy of a lot many people, especially in the Philippines where majority of the people lived/live below poverty line and those, who were/are in a position to uplift them would not even try to provide them the means to get out of their miseries except pimp them overseas.
One cannot help thinking of these frauds for instance who even brag about owning a whole province in the Philippines and being rich even when everybody knows how they have fraudulently acquired their riches even by gambling and stealing!
Watching that movie on the birth of the Saviour indeed can be a very humbling experience, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
Lamentably, a lot many of those who profess faith in Christ in fact do not even know Him. They just pretend to know Him as a matter of fact as in “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Matt. 23: 28) “For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.” (Isa 3:6) “For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.” (Isa 32:6)
In the same Book of Matthew, it’s stated that not everyone who calls Lord, Lord will enter His Kingdom. This verse tells us that not everyone who worships, serves, prays to Him shall be accepted. Wala nang iba pang tao o sino man ang nagpakita ng kababaang loob maliban sa Panginoon Hesus na ating Dakilang Tagapagligtas. Subali’t nakakalungkot isipin at makita na imbes na ang kaarawan Niya ang ipagdiwang, ang nasa isip ng sanglibutan ay material na bagay. What people think are the material things, gifts and all the hypocricies that go with the celebration. Nawala na ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko. Sa Pilipinas na lang na may pinakamahabang pagdiriwang ng Pasko sa buong mundo, makikita natin ang malaking agwat ng mayayaman at mahihirap. Christmas season is when we witness especially the wide gap between the rich and the poor. Ang mga mayayaman ay kumakain ng masasarap na pagkain samantalang ang mga kapus palad ay tinutulugan na lang ang Pasko. Pagdating ng Bagong Taon ay ganito din ang nakikita natin. The rich spend so much money buying firecrackers while the poor cannot even buy and wear new clothes. Mantakin ninyo kung magkano ngayon ang paputok. Bawa’t putok ay umaabot ng isang daan piso. Kung sana’y ibigay na lang ito sa mahihirap para makabili ng pagkain. That’s also is true with all the fiestas throughout the year. They go as far as borrowing money just to observe the many fiesta traditions handed down by the Spaniards. Panahon na upang putulin ang ganitong magastos na ugali at tradition. Hindi man agad ay unti-unti man lang. But it has to start from each one of us.
nelbar says: “sige na… Mrivera(ano nga pala ang Maiden name mo?) sana ay naaliw kita sa mga nakatala na sa aking memorya.”
mawalang galang na, lalaki po ako.
Masyadong security conscious naman itong si Mang Rivera. Bakit at sino ka ba at takot kang lumantad? Baka si Kuya Gringo ka ano?