The wise men were overjoyed at seeing the star. Then, entering the
house, they found the child Jesus with Mary his mother. They knelt
before him and presented him with gifts…. Matthew 2:1-15
REFLECTION
When the Magi first came upon the scene, they were simply following
tradition. Their long-standing custom told them not to go empty-handed when meeting royalty. A king deserved a gracious presentation of some kind. But when the time came to perform this ritual, they were astonished by their feelings. They realized how important and how warmly personal were these gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A flood of joy immediately uplifted them. They
were made richer by the gifts they gave. Gift-giving does have that
blessed boomerang effect!
THE MAGI SPEAK TO YOU
“Happy are you—and a full measure of joy will return to you—when you give gifts to those you love this Christmas. You might consider it routine, or boring, or forced on you. You may grumble about the high prices, the frenzy of traffic, the thoughtlessness of shoppers . . . never mind. The delight you can give others is worth it. Make each present a kind of sacrament. That’s really what gifts are, signs of love for others, and a hint of the greatest gift that has already been given: Jesus, son of Mary, son of God, the Savior of us all.”
PRAYER
Please, Jesus, let me dedicate my Christmas preparations to love and to the delight they will bring. Let my gift-giving be unselfish so that I can more thoroughly experience the giving presence that you are . . . and always will be .. . world without end. Amen.