Sunday Gospel Reflection: January 8th, 2012

Happy Feast of the Epiphany! 

Sunday Gospel Reflection (Matthew 2:1-12)

Did you know?

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the official end of the Christmas Season.

Gospel Reflection

In today’s Gospel we recount the journey of the three wise men (magi) who set out to follow the star and find this newborn King of the Jews, Jesus. Each of the three magi brought gifts with them to give to Jesus which are meant to tell us about who Jesus is:

-Gold is a gift given to honor a King. The fact that non-Jewish wise men brought gold to Jesus represents that Jesus is not only the King of the Jews but is the King of all people.

-Frankincense was used in religious rituals by priests to remind the people of God’s presence. This gift represents that Jesus is the Divine Priest who sacrifices himself for us.

-Myrrh is used to anoint the dead and represents that Jesus is fully human and that he was born to die.

We too are called to bring Jesus gifts, not of gold or myrrh, but spiritual gifts. What can we offer? The same thing that Jesus offered to us: the gift of our lives loving God and neighbor.

We too can learn more about Jesus through the gifts that we give to God since we are made in the image and likeness of God. Each of us makes God present in a unique way when we live our lives like Jesus.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

-What gifts can you give to God?

-How can you make Jesus present in your heart by praying more?

-How can you make Jesus’ radical love present by being kind and loving to someone you don’t like?

-How can you make Jesus’ forgiveness present by forgiving someone?

-How else can you make Jesus present in your life?

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