“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.’”
The words of Herod in today’s Gospel are worthy of our attention. Yes, he wants to find the Child to wipe out what he thought was his competition; yes, he had ulterior motives that were evil; yes, he wanted to seek and destroy the Child Jesus. His words, however, are in and of themselves valuable. He gives the Magi a worthwhile task; namely, “Go and search diligently for the Child.” Is this not what each of us should be doing? Yet, unlike Herod, we search for this Child out of love. Upon finding the Child, the Magi gave the only response that is commendable: “They prostrated themselves and paid Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Their actions should cause us to pause and reflect.
On the night of Christ’s birth, the shepherds came in from the field and presumably did not come empty handed. They would have carried gifts of milk, eggs, cheese, a small lamb, or some other small animal. These were simple, humble gifts, yet greatly received. I am confident that the townsfolk who came to see the Christ Child would have also brought something for Him. Today, the Three Wise Men come from the east with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their response when they encountered the Child was one of homage, which begs the question, what gifts are we ready to offer to the Child in the Manger? Remember, that in the eyes of Christ every gift is of great value. So, before we make New Year resolutions that we have no intention of keeping, let us resolve that we will bring a gift to the Child Jesus before the Christmas Season ends next Sunday. Perhaps it may be the gift of spending a few moments in the Adoration Chapel, or praying with your family before meals, or even a decade of the Rosary with your friends. Whatever the gift, offer it and see the Child smile. Christmas shopping, I guess is not finished, we all have one more gift to get!
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Fr. Wayne