The Visit of the Magi . a.k.a. the Three Kings

 Today is the Sunday of the Epiphany … which also marks the official end of the Christmas Season and today’s Gospel comes from Matt.2:1-12, which is about the Visit of the Magi, a.k.a. the Three Kings. Come of think of it, why would three kings come to visit a child by merely following a rising star? This leaves us with no doubt that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was foretold, not just by the prophets or in the scripture or the Jewish Torah, but by many astrologers, which includes the Magi who are also known by another name … The Three Wise Men.

 “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, 3 Saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

 6 And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,/ are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;/ since from you shall come a ruler,/ who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.”

 There was no question that the spies of King Herod heard about the arrival of the Magi who then summoned them to the king’s court. King Herod wanted to know more about this newborn King of the Jews, which he probably knew already as many prophets prophesied it. But this newborn King came in King Herod’s reign, thus thinking that the Messiah would take over his place, he then plotted to have Him killed. Of course he told the Magi that if they found the newborn babe, he too would do Him homage.

 The Magi left Jerusalem and the Star led them to Bethlehem, but not into a gilded palace, but a lowly cave where animals are kept. There they found the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes held by his Mother Mary surrounded by sheep and cattle. The Magi could have hesitated or even gone into a debate that this babe could not be of royal stock after all; they were staying in a cave, and not in a palace. But we all know that the Holy Spirit of God guided them from the East where they had come from.

 So they prostrated before the newborn King and offered them their gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold. If you didn’t know, when the three kings left their respective kingdoms to follow the Star of David, they did not travel alone. They usually travel by caravans. So you could just imagine what kind of impact did the Magi bring to the little town of Bethlehem? But an angel appeared before the Magi for them not to return to King Herod, but to travel via another route, which they did.

 But we know too well that King Herod was smart enough to send spies to accompany the Magi, so when they left via another route, the spies returned to King Herod who then sent his troops to massacre all the boys under two years of age living in Bethlehem. You can read this in Matt.2:13-18.

 “When the Magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

 16 When Herod realized that the Magi had deceived him, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the Magi. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” In these times, Jeremiah’s prophesies still holds true, as there is much sobbing and lamentation over the killing of innocent children 2,000 years later it just goes by another name, Reproductive Health.

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