May Jesus Christ be
praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.
One of the last gifts
that my maternal grandfather gave to me was a book. I think that I was about thirteen years
old. It was a book of prayers. It was a book of prayers written specifically
for a teenage boy, and my grandfather said that the book was something he
thought I might need. Normally a book
tells a story. This particular book
foretold my future. The gift was an
indication of the life ahead.
It was the same with
the three gifts that were given to the Lord Jesus by the magi from the east. The gifts that the magi brought to the Lord
Jesus were an indication of the identity of the child and of his mission. In these gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh that were given to the child Jesus, we see who he is and what he has been
sent to do.
Gold is the gift for a
king. It is the sign of royal
dignity. The Lord Jesus was born to be
king of Israel, yet from all eternity he reigned in heaven. Jesus Christ is the king who will establish a
universal kingdom, a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and
grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.
He is the king who conquers sin and he will conquer death forever. Jesus Christ is the king who will take his
place at the right hand of the power and majesty of God the Father. The magi bring him gold, because the child is
a king.
Frankincense is the
gift for a priest. Frankincense is used
as a sign of honor and reverence and it is a symbol of prayer. We use incense in the celebration of the
liturgy to signify and honor the presence of Christ in the altar, the words of
the Gospel, the holy gifts, the priest, and the holy people of God. Christ is the High Priest of our confession
of faith. He is the one who was sent
from the Father and he unites us to heaven’s unceasing song of praise. He is the one who returns to the Father
offering the blood of sacrifice. The
Lord Jesus is the high priest who enters the temple that was not made by human
hands. He is the high priest who lives
forever to make intercession for us. The
magi bring him frankincense because the child is a priest.
The gift of myrrh is
prophetic. Myrrh is very, very expensive. It is possible that the gift of myrrh was
more valuable than the gold or the frankincense. Myrrh is used to prepare a body for
burial. This gift is given because the
Lord Jesus was born to die. The Lord
Jesus is the king of the universe, the high priest of our
confession, and he is the lamb of sacrifice.
He is the victim and the acceptable offering for the sins of the
world. Through him, all of the other
sacrifices of the temple will come to an end.
Through him, and with him, and in him, all of the sacrifices of our
lives of faith will be received in the presence of the Most High God. The magi bring him the gift of myrrh because
the Lord Jesus will die for the sins of the world.
In the early years of
his earthly life, the magi brought the child Jesus the gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts
were an indication of who the child was called to be. We were not brought gold, frankincense and
myrrh, but in the waters of baptism we were given faith, hope and love. These divine gifts were given to each of us
as an indication of who we are called to be.
May our faith, which is more precious than gold, our hope, which does
not disappoint, and our love, which is stronger than sin and death, bring us
closer to the Lord Jesus and prepare us for the eternal life ahead. Amen.
Preached
at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC
