For most of us, Epiphany is just an afterthought of Christmas, the day we observe the arrival of the wise men in Bethlehem. And we know the word Epiphany comes from Greek meaning “showing forth,” because the child Jesus was shown forth to the Magi (who were Gentiles) as the Savior of all people, not only the Messiah of the Jews.
The Magi did not come just to gawk at the baby Jesus. They came because they knew he is someone special. “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” they asked, and although he’s not the sort of king who lives in palaces, “They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” They came to worship, and part of that worship included offering gifts to the newborn Lord.
Jesus welcomes all who come to visit him. When we really meet him, our instinctive response is to worship because we recognize that his character is unlike anyone else we’ve ever met. For most of us our meetings with him take place at Mass or other public services. But meeting Jesus and worshiping him calls forth an additional response, and so we, along with the wise men, open our treasures. And what are they? They are our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure. We can all find symbolic meanings in the Magi’s gifts. Gold, of course, represents Treasure. And because even today, frankincense is the chief ingredient in the incense used at Mass, it can stand for the gift of the Time we offer in worship and prayer. Finally, it takes effort and knowledge to transform the raw gum from tree sap into the forms used in perfumes, myrrh is a fitting symbol for our gift of Talent.
As we begin this New Year, let us take a moment to reflect on our place in the Epiphany narrative. Are you willing to undertake the journey to find the King? What treasures will you offer him in 2013.
The Magi did not come just to gawk at the baby Jesus. They came because they knew he is someone special. “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” they asked, and although he’s not the sort of king who lives in palaces, “They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” They came to worship, and part of that worship included offering gifts to the newborn Lord.Jesus welcomes all who come to visit him. When we really meet him, our instinctive response is to worship because we recognize that his character is unlike anyone else we’ve ever met. For most of us our meetings with him take place at Mass or other public services. But meeting Jesus and worshiping him calls forth an additional response, and so we, along with the wise men, open our treasures. And what are they? They are our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure. We can all find symbolic meanings in the Magi’s gifts. Gold, of course, represents Treasure. And because even today, frankincense is the chief ingredient in the incense used at Mass, it can stand for the gift of the Time we offer in worship and prayer. Finally, it takes effort and knowledge to transform the raw gum from tree sap into the forms used in perfumes, myrrh is a fitting symbol for our gift of Talent.
As we begin this New Year, let us take a moment to reflect on our place in the Epiphany narrative. Are you willing to undertake the journey to find the King? What treasures will you offer him in 2013.
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