The fifth magi

Their names were: Balthasar, Melchor and Gaspar.” Jamie’s mother read.

“Why are they called magi, Mommy?”

“It also means a wise man, honey.” She gently closed the Bible.
“And after visiting Jesus in the manger, they gave their gifts and just left?”

“Yes, that’s mostly what we read in the Bible, son.”

Jamie’s dad entered bringing some milk and chocolate chip cookies.

“Time for your bedtime snack, dude!” he smiled.

“You’re like the magi bringing baby Jesus gifts,” his wife said.

“That would make me the fourth magi.” He settled the tray of goodies on the night table.

“Isn’t there a story about the fourth magi?” Jamie’s mom asked.

“Oh, I love that story,” her husband said. “I think his name was Artaban. He was delayed on their way to Bethlehem. But this was because he stopped along the way to help people who were in need.”

“Really, Daddy?” Jamie suddenly lost interest in his milk and cookies.

“He never saw the Child Jesus. Instead, he arrived on the day that Jesus was crucified. When Jesus resurrected, He appeared to the magi and thanked him for helping those people!”

“But there’s another story about the fifth magi,” his dad said.

“Tell me! Tell me!” His son almost jumped out of bed.

“Well, let’s save that for another day, won’t we? ’Sides, you have a long day tomorrow, son.” His father and mother kissed him goodnight.

“What was the Fifth Magi’s name, Daddy?” Jaime asked before his dad switched off the lights.

“Huh? I really don’t know, son. I guess, you could give him one.”

“Cool! I’ll call him Lenard!”

“Lenard? Isn’t that your goldfish’s name?”

“Yeah, but it would give Len something to be happy about,” Jaime said.

* * *

No one knows the name of the fifth magi. Perhaps, we might as well call him Lenard as Jaime wished.

“Are you sure about staying?” Gaspar inspected the camels and their load.

“Oh, I don’t think you won’t be out too long, perhaps a month or two can be manageable,” Lenard chuckled.

Lenard had a stocky build and was the shortest among his brethren. But no one could outwit him in his street-smartness, thoughtfulness and good humor. He was one they could always depend on to carry out even the most menial tasks in the palace.

“Lenard, we will miss your sarcastic comments and laughter,” Melchor lamented.

“Hey, Melchs, I made sure to whisper some of them to your camel. Once in a while ask him to tell you what I said,” they all laughed out heartily.

“Your decision to remain doesn’t sound like you, Lenard,” Balthasar remarked.

“Besides, you were the one who saw the star first,” Melchor added.

Indeed, Lenard had the most observant eye among them. He was quick to notice changes in the skies, weather and even in the way animals behaved.

“Don’t worry about me! I’m going to enjoy running the place on my own while you are all gone.” Lenard quipped. “And I bet I’ll find more stars by the time you come back!”

They all swayed their heads and shrugged their shoulders in resignation. They knew Lenard too well. Once he had made a decision, only the gods could make him change his course. They embraced him, said a prayer for a safe and successful journey and said goodbye.

Magi Lenard saw them off. He had been hiding from them his own pent-up emotions. Tears started streaming down his cheeks as he saw his brothers disappear into the horizon. He would have wanted to go but also knew that the estates could not be left to an inexperienced butler. There were things that only the magi could do, such as recording the history scrolls and constantly adjusting the astronomical instruments of their observatories.

The amount of each day’s work quickly settled his sad emotions. He put himself to organizing and paying the household staff, the laborers in the fields and seeing what improvements and repairs were still pending in their other estates.

The evenings were what Lenard looked forward to: he abstained from dinner and stayed in vigil under the mysterious star that they had discovered months ago.

He had made a decision not only to remain but to spend every night in vigil to watch the newborn king’s star until the other magi returned. Thus, he felt like he was also traveling with them.

Night after night he observed a star unlike the others that twinkled. It seemed that its brilliance increased to exploding point. But every night he prayed beneath its bathing light. He imagined how the newborn king would be and what his brother magi would discover.

One night, he noticed that the star seemed to quiver. Its light started to grow brighter and brighter. He kept observing from his vigil room. Then its color started to change from white, to blue, to red and gradually mellowed.

Lenard feared this was a sign. But all he could do was to pray and remain himself the star’s new shifting light.

The next night, he sensed that it became colder than before. The star radiated a piercing blue. Suddenly, it twinkled for the first time and a second. It started growing bigger and bigger. Its light was like no other, and Lenard only stared and prayed. In an instant, the star disappeared from sight.
“The Child is Born!” he muttered to himself.

After some months, the other magi returned. Balthasar was the first to run into the palace to greet Lenard and happily tell him about the newborn king.

The other two entered and were surprised to be greeted by a mysterious silence. They saw Balthasar and Lenard weeping as they silently embraced one another.

As Gaspar and Melchor approached to embrace Lenard, they immediately saw his face and exclaimed, “Brother, what has happened to your eyes?”

“I had no gifts of gold, frankincense or myrrh to give the King. So before the star could disappear, I offered him my sight!”

“You saw the newborn king? How?”

“Before the star disappeared, a Child’s face appeared in the star! After seeing Him, I realized I need not see anything else in this life.”