The following is a long-standing tradition which does not purport to be actual history but captures so much about this marvelous event.

In the year 2015 BCE from the birth of Abraham, in the year 1510 BCE from the exodus of the people of Israel out of Egypt, in the year 1032 BCE from the enthronement of David the Prophet and King, in the sixtieth week of the prophecy of Daniel, in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Augustus, in the thirty-third year of the reign of Herod, when the staff had gone from Juda as had been prophesied by Jacob the Patriarch, at a time when the whole world was a peace, it pleased God to send his only-begotten Son and eternal Word to the world to become Man and to teach us God’s love, to suffer and die and rise from the dead for our salvation.

At that time, the Lord Jesus was born in a humble cave in Bethlehem of Juda, and no one knew of it but the Virgin Mary his Mother and Joseph her spouse. No one heard of this miracle surpassing all miracles but a few humble shepherds who had been told by angels in the sky that sang this hymn: Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will towards men.” Then the Magi came from the East, led by a star in heaven: they found their way to where the Divine Infant rested, and they adored Him, and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts of gold, incense and Myrrh.

To God Incarnate, to the suckling Infant who humbled Himself and took our form, becoming one of us in order to make us divine; to the One who later walked among us to teach us the way of salvation and who loved us so much as to give his life for it; to Him glory, honor and adoration for ever and ever. Amen.

Why did the evangelists have the Magi give the gifts they did?

• Goldsignifies the royal majesty of Jesus, revealing Him as King.
• Frankincenseis an incense used for worship, revealing Him as God.
• Myrrhis used to prepare a body for burial, thus foreshadowing His Death.

The story of God’s incarnation in the Person of Jesus is OUR STORY – the story of a people who believe in Jesus Christ as God Himself. It is the story that should inform our way of thinking, behaving and living. This story confirms our belief that God so loves us that He came Himself to help us understand the meaning and purpose of life. He created us in His image and planted in us the potential to grow in His likeness. We are called to cooperate with life and work to grow in His likeness so that we might truly be His children.