After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd
of my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12
Meditation
What “stars” have you followed in your life, representative of your deepest desires and most passionate dreams?
Where have they led you?
Where are they leading you right now?
The Magi offered Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What gifts do you want to offer Jesus?
Sit down with Jesus and tell him.
So now we bow before you . . .
Even while we worship you, you sweetly receive your due—and you bless us too . . .
And here, my Jesu joy, I open my treasure box, to give you the best I have, one two three: Gold, which signifies your Kingship over us. Gold—which is all my wealth, my properties, my world possessions—I place into your service, my Lord and King; for my attachment to you is greater than my attachment to things.
Incense, which signifies your divinity. Incense—which is myself, my hands, my skills and all they can accomplish, my energies and purposes in this life—I offer to you as a living sacrifice, a sweet odor in your nostrils, my Lord and my God. For it was you who knew me before I was born, and you who called me by my name.
Myrrh, which signifies your death. With myrrh—which is my love, my pure unsentimental love for you—I will anoint your feet in the Lenten season. With love will I, this year on Good Friday, cover you in your grace; and with love I’ll await your Easter resurrection! Love sent you to me, my Savior. I have no better gift than to love you back with all my heart.
And now I go again . . . It’s almost time to return to the cold, to the gray labors and long January of our lives.
But I have dreamed the dream of your coming again this year! And I know good from evil, love from greed, truth from deceit. Therefore I will not return to Herod, or any other king of power. Not to arrogance or self-righteousness will I go, but only by the route you’ve shown me, Jesus: by the Way that you are.
Walter Wangerin Jr.
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