JOURNEYS AND GIFTS - reflex on Matthew 2:1-12
“They saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostratedthemselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered himgifts…”
There are many aspects of this wonderful Solemnity that we can reflect on, but these few words from today’s Gospel give us a glimpse into how this celebration can focus our own search for Christ. The magi – foreigners, non-Jews – have seen a great sign in the heavens, and have come to acknowledge and honor a new king at his birth. They are searching, they are inquiring, they are following a light; this searching and traveling require effort, perseverance, sacrifice, and time, but it is important to them that they reach their destination. And they do: they find the house where this new king is dwelling, and they see him “with Mary his mother.” The first thing they do is bow before him. Then they offer him the gifts they have carried with them.
We can find a parallel in our own spiritual journey. Oursearch for Christ happens in prayer and in the circumstances of our dailylives. Our searching also requires effort, perseverance, sacrifice, and time.We must prioritize our prayer time and our desire to follow the light of Christover other activities and motivations. And like the magi, we can find Jesus “withMary his mother”; the woman through whom God came to dwell with us will always leadus to dwell with Him, as her role is always to bring Christ to the world andthe world to Christ. Our prayer must always begin, like the magi’s, withhumility: we must acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of all, as the King of ourhearts and our lives, and adore Him. Then, the rest of our prayer will flowproperly, including the offerings of our lives and ourselves that we make tohim.
The magi offered gifts that expressed the truth about thissmall child in poor surroundings: this child is King (gold – a sign of royalty),this child is God (frankincense – a sign of our worship), this child came tooffer his life for us (myrrh – for burial). What can we offer to this God-Manwho set aside His glory to dwell with us and save us? How can our offeringsacknowledge Who God is and our place in the Body of Christ? How can we helpothers see the profound gift that has been given to all the nations, making usall “co-heirs, members of the same body, and co-partners in the promise inChrist Jesus through the Gospel” (Eph. 3:6)?
Today, let us rejoice in the revelation of the one true Godto all the nations. Come, let us adore Him!