Every year I fight the commercialization of Christmas, and then I buy into it like everybody else by spending at least to eat a good meal on that day (if nothing else).
I wonder if the Church, our wise Mother, knew it might be like this when she made January 6 a celebration of Christ’s Epiphany – “manifestation.” The Epiphany was celebrated this past Sunday.
At the Epiphany we need to capture what we missed in all the holiday excitement. So let us take a cue from the Magi and make our way to Jesus. If we are expecting to receive, we have missed the point. What can we give Him?
We must “open our treasures” and find something to offer:
Gold: Not only money, our possessions. All that we have, the things we so often keep to ourselves.
Frankincense: This represents worship. All of our praise, adoration, admiration, respect.
Myrrh: A spice used in burial. Preparation for death. All of our lives, which we so want to control and use to our own ends.
In thinking of things to give, we realize we are finding the Christ child. He is made manifest in this world when we give of our treasures. He is made manifest in this world when we worship and offer Him praise. He is made manifest in this world when we give our lives. He who was made manifest one day long ago in a small town called Bethlehem is made manifest daily as we do these things now.
