The Gifts

The Epiphany of Our Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6 / Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 / Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 / Matthew 2:1-12

The Gifts

I have heard reflections on the Epiphany that point us to see ourselves as the modern day magi, telling us, “The wise still seek him.”  I have heard reflections encouraging us to be like the star that pointed the wise men to Jesus that they might come and worship him; for our contemporaries we are to be the light that leads them to Christ. But I have never heard a reflection encouraging us to identify with the gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. I’d like to suggest we do just that.

If we see ourselves as gold offered to Jesus, the gift for a king, then we can reflect not only on Jesus as our king, but that as baptized believers we are a kingly people, sharing Christ’s authority over creation, and we can extend his sovereignty over all the world by our obedience to his word. Or perhaps we could think of each disciple, including ourselves, as crowns of gold Jesus has won and wears with great joy.

If we see ourselves as frankincense, the gift that reflects his holiness, we can remember that we are called to live holy lives. Every one of us is called to live a life of sanctity, a few of us by leaving the everyday world, most of us by entering it and sanctifying it as he has sanctified us. Alternatively, we could see ourselves as the incense in the thurible, which is used to honor the sacredness of certain symbols of Christ in our liturgies. By our life we could call attention to the Jesus, the Bread of Life who sustains us, or to the Word of God which ought to shed light on the meaning of our everyday life, or even the assembly of the faithful which is his Body, and help us to find him present in every moment of our lives. Or perhaps the incense can represent us coming before God in prayer of praise, thanksgiving and intercession, as incense rises toward the heavens from our sanctuaries.

If we see ourselves as the myrrh, we might want to dig deeper than simply seeing ourselves as helping in the burial and embalming processes for Jesus. Myrrh can also have medicinal properties and be used to salve wounds. Yet as a symbol of suffering it can remind us that we are called to suffer in solidarity with Christ, our priest, and with those who are most vulnerable. Myrrh can represent our own self-mortification through fasting and other sacrifices, or our efforts at self-discipline and the development of the virtues in our lives. Myrrh can also be burnt as incense, and is said to be sweet-smelling; in this form it can act as a repellant to vultures and insects – just as our self-discipline can preserve us from much folly.

·         Pick a gift – gold, frankincense, or myrrh – that you would like to represent you. Reflect on the qualities of this gift and how they are reflected in your life.

·         If you were to journey with the magi and bring a fourth gift to Christ, what would it be? Why have you picked this gift to represent you, and to honor Christ?