Star of the East, Oh Bethlehem Star

For
as long as I can remember, I have wondered about the nature of the star studied
by the Magi of the east; you know, the one they used to find their way to Jesus.
There are many theories. Could the “star” be a comet, a planetary conjunction,
a supernova, or some other celestial event of miraculous or natural origin? It
had never occurred to me that the biblical narrative in the Gospel of Matthew might
describe the miraculous appearance of an angel that guided these men of wisdom.
This is exactly how the Eastern Orthodox Church understands this event. Perhaps
the Wise Men first noticed a light far off in the sky that they assumed was a new star.
Later, they might have found this star growing in intensity as it began to
reveal itself as an angel on its way to visit them. The angel may have even
spoken to them and given them further guidance or simply moved ahead of them
like the ancient pillar of fire that Moses and the people of Israel followed.
This treatment of “the star” leaves more room for the miraculous nature of the
events surrounding the birth of Jesus. It is an important perspective to keep
in the forefront. We all need to leave room for miracles in our lives.