Fr. Bob
Legendary rock star Jim Morrison of the Doors died tragically young in Paris at the age of 27 on July 27, 1971. Interestingly enough two other rock star legends of that era, Jancie Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix also died at the age of 27, and all of them within two years of each other.
Morrison is buried in the Cimitre pere la shaise. Buried there are the great writers, artists and war heroes of the day. D Interestingly enough the grave that gets the most visitors is Morrison’s. You can spot it right away. It’s the one with a pack of cigarettes on the gravestone, which of course only serves to enhance the mystic around Morrisons’ legend. Call him the patron saint of late sixties rock music.
In his search for meaning Morrison is credited for having asked this existentially deep question. “What if that something that we’re all looking for has already found us?” Though not overtly religious Morrison seemed to intuitively know there was a “something” we’re all looking for. Call it God.
The Magi from the east seemed to have been on a similar journey. By road it was a journey that had taken them hundreds and hundreds of miles from home. But the spiritual journey they were on may have taken them even farther.
In the eyes of the established religion of the day they might have been thought of as non-believers, or even pagans. But they were on a spiritual quest. And that “something ” that they were searching for had taken them to the very place where the star had led them, to Bethlehem.
It was in a cave just outside of town where they encountered a mother holding her newborn child wrapped in swaddling clothes. And the moment they entered the cave they knew they had found that “something” they were looking for. Have you ever had a time when you knew you’d found what it is you’re looking for? I have a friend who the first time he laid eyes on his wife he knew that was the woman he wanted to marry.
In his search for meaning Jim Morrison intuitively asked the right question. “What if the something we’re looking for has already found us?” Is this not what Christmas celebrates? That the “something” we’re searching for has already found us. It’s a loving God who became one of us disguised as a newborn child.
The Magi traveled their journey, and we travel ours. Like the Magi, sometimes the journey we travel may take us on a route that is different than the one we had planned on taking. Yet there is nothing to fear for the star we follow is the one that shows us the way home. So, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey, stay with it. For the home, the God you’re looking for may be closer than you think.
