Tag Archives: Magi

Beneplacitum est Domino in Populo Suo: The Lord Takes Delight in His People.

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Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum.

Where is the Newborn King of the Jews? We Have Come to Do Him Homage. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

Where is the Newborn King of the Jews? We Have Come to Do Him Homage. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

“We have seen His star in the East, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord (Epiphany Mass, Communion Antiphon, Mt 2:2).”

Each one of us has been endowed with extraordinary gifts from Our Creator. We are immeasurably loved, and out of Love Itself, God had deigned to create each and every one of us just the way we are. Each of us possesses a unique collection of talents that God has ordained be directed to achieving the unique purpose for which He has planned our existence from all eternity. To some, God has granted musical ability, to others intellect; some are athletes, or artists, great listeners, or contemplative pray-ers.

Overjoyed They Opened Their Treasures, and Offered Him Gifts. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

Overjoyed They Opened Their Treasures, and Offered Him Gifts. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

This is the time of the year for New Year’s resolutions. Traditionally we take stock of ourselves, examine our flaws and endeavor to change those areas that are defective. While on the whole this process can be beneficial if it is directed to improving our spiritual well-being and embracing a closer relationship with God and those others with whom He has placed us on this earth, it can also be problematic. For if as our process of introspection focuses only upon superficialities – like appearance, weight, wealth, possessions, then instead of deepening our relationship with God, we may actually be tempted to lose sight of the enormous depth of God’s love for us. While concentrating on trivialities, we may ignore the spiritual reality, and inadvertently neglect to take advantage of opportunity for true growth.

Caravans of Camels Shall Fill You, Dromedaries from Midian and Epah; All From Sheba Sahll Come. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

Caravans of Camels Shall Fill You, Dromedaries from Midian and Epah; All From Sheba Shall Come. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

Comprehending that we are immeasurably loved is essential. When we truly take time to consider that God loves us as we are – fat, skinny, bald, toothless, cranky – whatever – a profound change takes place. Superficialities become less important –not only in ourselves, but in others as well. God Loves us! He created us as we are for a reason. Yes, we are expected to strive to make the best use of the gifts we have been given, and ultimately to render the greatest honor and glory to Him through appropriate use of those gifts. We are called, with His grace, to perfect the work He has begun in us. Yet, to do that efficiently, we must gratefully acknowledge the gifts we have been given.

Bearing Gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

Bearing Gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

To some degree that means not only accepting what we have, but also realizing that certain gifts are not part of His plan for us. I have a hard time imagining that Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior squabbled over their gifts. As I contemplate the journey of the Magi, I just don’t hear Melchior saying to himself, “I wanted to present the Christ-Child with the Frankincense, and now I’m just stuck with the Myrrh.” Part of the lesson of the Epiphany lies in accepting the gifts we are given to lay before the crib of the Divine Infant. For like the Magi, each of us is following a Divine Light, and one day that journey will in fact end. When it does, we will be asked to open our coffers and present the gifts with which we have been entrusted from all eternity.

One Day, We Will Each Be Called to Make Account OF The Treasures We Have Been Given. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

One Day, We Will Each Be Called to Make Account Of The Treasures We Have Been Given. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013. EA Photo

As we embark upon this new year, let us resolve to make good use of those gifts in the service of God and our neighbor. In so doing we will adore the King of Kings in the way He has ordained for each of us from the beginning of time, and render unto Him the Glory that He is due.

Give Him the Praise that is Due. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

Give Him the Praise that is Due. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

Adorabunt te, Domine, omnes gentes terrae.

Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Blessed Epiphany,

Ad Jesum Per Mariam,

MA JMJ

Lord, Every Nation on Earth Shall Adore You. . . .

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Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum.

Lord, Every Nation on Earth Shall Adore You. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

Lord, Every Nation on Earth Shall Adore You. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

“We have seen His star in the East, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord (Epiphany Mass, Communion Antiphon, Mt 2:2).”

Today we are invited to follow the Star and adore Our Infant Lord with the Magi. Scripture tells us:

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, saying “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw His star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this he was greatly troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler Who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Magi From the East Arrived in Jerusalem. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

Magi From the East Arrived in Jerusalem. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another route (Gospel, Epiphany Mass, Mt. 2: 1-12).

They Saw the Child with His Mother Mary. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

They Saw the Child with His Mother Mary. . . © SalveMaterDei.com, 2013.

We know from Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition that the Magi were real, and that in supreme humility they visited Our Lord, and offered tokens of their earthly wealth in Adoration of their Creator. We have come to revere the wisdom and courage of these royal visitors. They embarked on a perilous journey, forsaking the comfort of their dwellings in search of the Infant King. Deep and abiding faith fueled their sojourn. They had never seen the Divine Infant, the object of their desire, yet they searched for Him diligently.

We are commanded to “love God with our whole heart, whole mind and whole soul, and to love our neighbor as our selves (Luke 10: 27).” The Magi provide a tangible example of the Great Command in action. These wise men loved God from the depths of their being, and sought Him earnestly with their intellects, hearts, and souls. They were willing to forsake familiarity and comfort. Leaving behind the security of wealth and prestige, they embraced humility and danger while searching for the Infant King. The Magi understood that their great abundance was a product of God’s Divine Providential Love. Their saw their treasure and talents as gifts from God, and sought to express sincere gratitude to Him for such copious blessings. God had given them everything, and in return for His superabundant providence, they offered their health, wealth, and service.

We have seen His Star in the East © Salve Mater Dei 2013.

We have seen His Star in the East © Salve Mater Dei 2013.

When we contemplate the serenity of the crèche, there is a sense of silent awe. We see the Infant Jesus resting in the arms of His Mother Mary, and the Magi prostrating themselves in hushed Adoration. There is a sense of contentment – the object of their desire has been found! Now that their arduous journey is complete; like Jesus, they too can rest in placid joy.

Today, as we celebrate the Epiphany, we are offered an opportunity to partake in the visit of the Magi. We are asked to forsake the comforts of familiarity, and to truly seek the Christ-child with sincere hearts. We are asked to love God deeply, and enlist our hearts, minds, and souls profoundly in the task searching for His Kingdom among us. We are challenged to be content with the gifts we have been given, and to use our earthly treasures to render to Him the greatest honor and glory possible.

Venimus adorare Dominum - We have Come to Do Him Homage. © Salve Mater Dei 2013

Venimus adorare Dominum – We have Come to Do Him Homage. © Salve Mater Dei 2013

Like the Magi, if we earnestly seek Christ, we too shall see His Light dawn within us in radiant beauty, and rest in silent awe as we contemplate His Divine Majesty.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini: Deus Dominus et illuxit nobis

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: The Lord is God and has given us Light (Psalm 118(117):26-27).”

Every Knee Shall Bend. . . .

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All Nations Shall Come to Adore Him. © SalveMaterDei.com, 2011-2012. EA Photographer

Lord every nation on earth will adore you (Psalm 72: 11)! Joyous Feast of the Epiphany to you and yours! Today we celebrate a royal feast – our Infant Christ is acknowledged Divine and worshiped by kings. Each and every human heart is called to adore Him. Like the Magi of long ago, we are summoned to do likewise. Today’s Liturgy of the Hours directs:

Mighty and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are Your ways, O King of the nations.

Who would dare refuse you honor or the glory due Your Name O Lord?

Since you alone are holy, all nations shall come to worship in Your presence. For your righteous deeds have been revealed.

Since You alone are holy all nations shall come and worship in your presence. Your mighty deeds are clearly seen (Revelations 15: 3-4).

The Feast of the Epiphany is so beautiful! What heart can remain frozen when contemplating the image of the young Virgin shyly unwrapping the newborn Christ child before the adoring Magi, as they offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?  This Feast is an intricate mingling of bitter and sweet. While we rejoice in the triumphant arrival of the kings, a shadow of Herod’s dark threats looms in the background. Even the royal gifts are tinged with hint of impending sorrow. The Epiphany finalizes Christmas-  with their arrival, the Magi bring a sense of completeness. With their arrival, the ancient prophecies are fulfilled:

O God, with Your judgment endow the King and with Your justice the King’s Son; He shall govern Your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment.

Justice shall flower in His days, and profound peace till the moon be no more. May He rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts and the Kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him (Respnsorial Psalm from Epiphany Mass, Psalm 72: 1, 8, 10).

King of Kings! © SalveMaterDei.com, 2011-2012.

Yet, today as we rejoice in the exuberance that is the Feast of the Epiphany, tomorrow we return to Ordinary Time. The figures of porcelain  are packed away for another year, the pines are hauled out of our homes and churches, and we turn from celebration  to the daily duty of living Christmas in our hearts. Like the Magi, we must return to our former lives. This is a challenge. It is easy to glow in the presence of the Christmas Christ-Child, yet far more difficult to bring His presence into the hum of daily life. Even more thorny is the daily preparation to follow Him along the way of the cross to Calvary.

The Magi had embarked upon a long and perilous journey. As we celebrate their Epiphany today, Sacred Scripture in the Gospel Reading relates that they followed an amazing star, a sign from God.

And behold, the star they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the Child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the Child with Mary, His Mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. They opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, Frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2: 9-11).

We can only imagine their delight as they encountered the One for Whom they had so earnestly sought. These well-born and powerful men were not the first to adore the Christ-child;  angels, shepherds, and countless others claimed that honor. Yet, even as among the last, these were the first of many nations to give the glory that is due Him.  A miraculous star had illumined their path, guiding their journey –insuring a safe arrival. Now as they embarked upon their return travel, the real challenge began. Without the brilliance  of the star, they were forced to navigate unknown darkness. Recall, they had been warned in a dream of Herod’s intentions, and were forced to return home by an unchartered route. They had come to know the King of Kings, and now were challenged to accept His Light within themselves. No longer would a beacon of light travel ahead of them, rather it was now to illumine their path by traveling inside of them.

Come Let Us Adore Him! © SalveMaterDei.com, 2011-2012.

Many centuries later, we too must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7). We were not among the shepherds and angels who adored Him face to face on Christmas night, but like the Magi, we may continue to approach, bringing the gift of our very selves. Similarly, we too embark upon a challenging journey. This week, as we begin to set aside the visible images of the Nativity scene, a more enduring image must take root within our hearts. While the plastic and porcelain figures are wrapped and packed away, we are called to render a permanent abode within our hearts for Jesus, our Savior. As the people in darkness who have seen a Great Light (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:14) we must  endeavor to carry this Light within our hearts, and bring it to the very ends of the earth.

Epiphany Blessings!

Ad Jesum per Mariam,

M.A. JMJ

A.M.G.D.