This year has seen the birth of a royal baby. If you were given the task of finding a
gift for him, what do you think would be appropriate? Certainly he will need all the things that every baby needs. But if you were to get him something
special what would that be? Most
people would probably think of something very expensive or something highly
unusual. That was certainly the
case when a group of Babylonian philosopher scientists brought gifts to the
infant Jesus.
There is a degree of mystery as to what drove them
on the long journey from their homeland to Israel. It is quite possible that their studies had led them to the
Hebrew Scriptures and the great hope of Israel that one day a King would emerge who would hold the key
to all the mysteries of life. But
how did the Magi connect this hope with the unusual cosmic disturbance that
occurred on a particular night? We
do not know but the ‘star’ spoke to them of the King’s birth and the need for
them to make the journey to honour him.
They brought gifts. There is no explanation why they brought gold, frankincense
and myrrh. Perhaps the gospel
writer believed that no explanation was needed. Gold, highly valued, durable, to wish the infant King a long
reign. Frankincense, used in
religious ceremonies, to wish the King a close walk with his God. Myrrh? This was used to preserve dead bodies. What has this to do with the freshness
and the promise of new life? Were
the Magi given some insight into the nature of this King’s mission? That his death would be in some way
significant?
All we know is that all of the gifts were
appropriate. This King was
destined to reign forever and ever.
Of all human beings he was closest to God, indeed God in the flesh. His death opened the way for
humanity to be renewed in body, mind and spirit. There is a sense in which the gifts told the whole story of
the King. How close are we to that
story?
In T.S. Eliot’s poem Journey Of The Magi they returned to their homeland changed, ‘no
longer at ease here, in the old dispensation/With an alien people clutching
their gods.’ Will there be a
change in us as once again we are brought to the familiar story this
Christmas? The story of a God who
became one of us, who lived our life, who died to open up the way for us to be
at peace with God, who has risen to assure us that our journey of life will
continue beyond death.
