STRANGE GIFTS

Epiphany means manifestation, or a showing forth or a revealing to the world, and at Epiphany we remember how the glory of Jesus was shown forth - in his mighty signs (especially water being turned into wine); in his baptism (as the voice declared his divinity) and today in the visit of the foreign officials.

The story of the Magi was important for Matthew because as a good Jew he was keen to show Jesus fulfilling OT prophecy. The passage from Isaiah set for today talks of kings coming to the dawning brightness of Israel as the Day of the Lord draws near - and it’s from that passage that we sometimes call them the Kings

The gospel also doesn’t tell us that there were three of them (it mentions three gifts); and it doesn’t say whether they were all men... But by the sixth century they have become such concrete figures that they have the names Gaspar; Melchior and Balthasar... The Magi were - and still are - the priestly clan of the Zoroastrian religion, which was the biggest religion in Persia at the time.

* The Magi represent the first Gentiles who come to Christ, who worship at his feet. They demonstrate that the gospel, the Good News is for all, Jew and Gentile. Note that the first people to visit the Christ child were shepherds (outcasts from Jewish society); and foreigners from a different religion.

* The gifts in particular are very evocative and strange to offer to a new born baby, son of a homeless couple who are about to become asylum seekers, political refugees fleeing to a foreign country for fear of their lives...

GOLD - traditionally the gift for kings. No doubt very useful as Egypt beckoned. Gold transforms; gold lasts for ever; it has become associated with love (wedding rings, jewellery etc.); it is the best and most precious thing earth can offer (or it was then). Jesus the king is honoured with gold.

FRANKINCENSE - traditionally associated with priests, and traditionally representing prayer, drifting upwards to the throne of God making a pleasing odour to God (ie God loves to hear our prayers) - both in the OT and the NT. Prayers are not just our shopping lists for God, but our deepest longings and our truest desires: the good stuff as well as what we might think is less acceptable. Jesus our High Priest intercedes for us to God.

MYRRH - traditionally what you use to anoint a dead body. Very strange to give a new born baby. But the shadow of the cross begins to fall, even over the manger. The child has been born with a purpose: his death will achieve our peace with God. His identification with our sufferings is not only possible, but inevitable because of the Incarnation....

God of gold, we seek your glory:
the richness that transforms our drabness into colour

God of incense, we offer you our prayer:
our spoken and unspeakable longings, our questioning of truth
our search for your mystery deep within

God of myrrh, we cry out to you in our suffering:
the pain of our rejections and bereavements
our baffled despair at undeserved suffering
our rage at continuing injustice;

and we embrace you, God-with-us
in our wealth, in our yearning, in our anger and loss.
(Jan Berry)
 

Fr Andrew Perry

Rector, St John the Evangelist, Pevensey Rd, St Leonards on Sea