A custom that Father Larry, Pastor of Ascension Parish, has on Epiphany Sunday is to share about the gifts he received on the Lord's Nativity, and relate them to the significance of the gifts the Magi brought the Christ Child.
The gold was given to acclaim Jesus as King. The frankincense recognizes He is a priest, with the purpose (or vocation) of bringing us to God. The myrrh honors the sacrifice Jesus makes in His humanity for the sins of all people.
I like how Father Larry brings spiritual significance to his gifts. In that spirit, and with his custom as a guide, I here reflect on gifts I gave and received in celebration of Christ's Birth.
Please note: I don't present an exhaustive list of all my gifts here. Rather, I am selecting one specific gift that pertains to each of the Magi's gifts, but certainly many other gifts I gave and received could fit with the categories represented by each of the Magi's gifts, as there were many wonderful gifts exchanged.
Gifts I Gave
Gold: I found a really nice sweater at Kohl's for my Mom, in a style that she really likes. My Mom opened this gift with delight, and is still enjoying this sweater that makes her look good.
Frankincense: My Grandma incorporates Mary strongly into her sense of spirituality and practice of faith in God. So I decided a calendar of Mary paintings from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception would be a wonderful gift for her. She was pleased to receive it, and right away was admiring the beautiful artwork of Mary for each month's page.
Myrrh: My Dad enjoys nuts of all kinds, so I gave him some as a nutritious snack.
Gifts I Received
Gold: Upon this one day, I found myself with a whole collection of bolo ties. Four different people in my family, aware of my desire for bolo ties, each bought me one. Now I have a variety of choices to add to my look.
Frankincense: Once again, like last year, I was touched to receive gifts in recognition of my efforts as RE teacher, from some of my students and from the program leadership, too.
Myrrh: I like wearing cargo jeans, with the side pockets. Mom got a new pair for me. So I have a nice new pair of jeans to wear as part of my daily life heading out into this new year.
As we ponder the gifts we have given and received, let us rejoice and give thanks that all these gifts are given meaning because of Jesus Christ, God's Greatest Gift to us.
20+C+M+B+15
(The above is something that is written above the door to the house on the occasion of Epiphany. The 20 and 15 signify the year 2015. The letters stand for the traditional names for the Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. The four crosses represent the four seasons.)
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