On January 6, the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord, the day when the Child born in a stable to two humble parents is recognized by the Magi as the divine King who will bring salvation through the gift of himself.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar set out on a journey carrying precious gifts to bring to Jesus. Let us discover together what these gifts are and whether we too can offer them to the divine Child.
Gold
The gift of gold is brought to Jesus by Melchior, usually depicted as an elderly man with a long beard. Gold symbolizes royalty and divinity. In addition to these meanings, gold can also be associated with purity, honesty, integrity, and fullness.
Incense
The gift of incense is brought to Jesus by Balthazar, usually depicted as a middle-aged man. Incense is a sign of devotion and offering, prayer and religious faith. Giving it to the infant Jesus means recognizing him as God and the definitive high priest.
Myrrh
The gift of myrrh is brought to Jesus by Gaspar, usually depicted with dark skin. Myrrh is perhaps the least familiar element. It is an aromatic oil that, in ancient times, was used to prepare bodies for burial. Unlike the other gifts, which attest to Jesus' status as King, God, and priest, this gift has a prophetic significance: it symbolizes that the Son of God, who came in the flesh, would experience suffering and death for the salvation of all humanity.
Let us go to the manger
The infant God also awaits each of us at the manger.
Let us begin the new year by visiting Jesus and bringing him the gold of our honesty, our desire for goodness, our love, and our commitment to always become better people.
Let us sit beside his humble cradle and light the incense of our prayer, our humble thanksgiving, and our praise for the One who fills our lives with hope and profound joy every day.
Let us look into his eyes and offer him the myrrh of our doubts, our crosses, our hidden tears, and our suffering.
It is certain that the infant Jesus will welcome our gifts and, through his Sacred Heart, bring them to the Father so that they may become a seed planted in the field and bear fruit in due time.
Let us begin this new year beside the manger, catching our breath and allowing ourselves to be loved by a God who became human to walk with us and never let us feel alone again.
