As we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, we always hear the account of the visit of the Magi to Jesus after His birth in Bethlehem. Guided by the star, they sought to see the “newborn King of the Jews.” (Mt. 2:2) As they set out, they prepared for this encounter, bringing with them “gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Mt 2:11) which they presented to Him when they finally reached their destination.
In a homily on this feast day, the Church Father St. Peter Chrysologus reflected on this scene, emphasizing how these gifts were an expression of the belief in what they encounter:
Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. As they look, they believe and do not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die. (Sermo 160: PL 52, 620-622)
These three gifts invite us to reflect on what we bring to the Lord each time we encounter Him, as they are an expression of what we believe of Him. The gift of gold acknowledges that Christ is a king. He is our King, and yet there are no doubt areas of our lives where we have yet to let Him rule in us. What aspect of our lives are we still clinging to, unwilling to let Him be in control? As we begin this year, let us present to Him our lives, giving Him freedom to reign in us in a way like never before, a reign that takes nothing from us, but gives us the gift of peace, joy, and freedom.
The gift of incense acknowledges that Christ is God. As such, He is worthy of our adoration and prayerful worship. As we begin this year, we can consider the place that prayer and worship to God have in our lives. Are we giving Him our very best when we come to Mass, the place of worship par excellence? Do we prioritize going to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation? Are we mindful of how we prepare for Mass? Are we intentional about trying to be as attentive as possible, with that full, active, conscious participation the Church asks? Perhaps we are not where we desire to be with our worship of Him, and that is okay. Let us ask Him for the grace to love Him more with a love that overflows into a more fruitful expression of our praise, especially at Mass.
The gift of myrrh acknowledges that Christ, while being fully God, is also fully man. As such, He will one day die. The myrrh is used for preparing a body after death. As we begin this year, we might want to consider those places where we are dead or dying and in need of the new life that Jesus offers us. I have in mind here our relationship with the Sacrament of Penance, or Confession. When we go to confession, we present to the Lord those places in our lives which cause us pain, guilt, and shame. We would rather not bring them to Him, but they cannot be healed and brought back to life unless we bring them to Him, whose death alone can destroy sin, and whose Resurrection promises us new life not just after we have confessed, but also for eternal life. Perhaps this year we can make a more firm commitment to frequent the Sacrament of Penance and so experience the more abundant life that comes from experiencing His healing mercy.
As we begin this new year, let us seek to imitate the Magi in our adoration of this newborn King and offer Him the gifts of our obedience, our worship, and our desire to live anew in the life of grace He offers to us.