Sermon Cloud

In the north-west corner of Germany, close to the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands, lies the city of Cologne.  The skyline of the city is dominated by the twin spires of the church of Saint Peter and the Virgin Mary.  A magnificent example of gothic architecture which was more than five centuries in the making, the church actually sports three spires, two over the massive main entrances and a third, somewhat smaller spire which is crowned with a star.

'Why a star?', you might ask.  Well, to discover the answer to this question, we must enter the Cathedral of Cologne, where we will discover that not far from the high altar lies the shrine of the Three Kings, a large guilded sarcophagus, dating from the 13th century which is believed to contain the earthly remains of the Three Wise Men.

Like all other places of pilgrimage throughout the world, there is a mystique about this Cathedral.  The seemingly constant stream of humanity that flocks to the church each year to pray before the relics of the Magi is quite fitting since the Wise Men as they are sometimes referred to were themselves travelers (Mt 2:1).

In the time of Herod, people didn't embark on long journeys just for the sake of going on vacation.  In fact, before the age of modern travel, it would have been a major undertaking indeed to set out from Persia (modern-day Iraq) and travel overland to the West Bank.  One glance at the map shows us that the terrain between these two points is entirely landlocked, therefore it would indeed have been a rare thing to see visitors from so far away unless they were indeed seeking a treasure. The journey of the Magi was thus a fulfillment of the prophesy spoken of in the first reading (Is 60:3-6).  From far and near, the treasures of land and sea would be brought to honor the new-born Child.

In their time, the Wise Men came to Jerusalem seeking the Child.  All human beings seek answers to the questions of life, but the motivation for our seeking can be extremely varied.  The Magi sought out the Child in order to worship him.  Herod was curious about this child, not because he wanted to honor him, but because he was afraid that the delicate balance of power he had worked out for himself would be threatened (Mt 2:3-6).

During the celebration of World Youth Day 2005, Pope Benedict encouraged the young people who had gathered on the shores of the Rhine to follow the star like the Magi had, to be seekers of faith who look to God for the answers to questions about life, about love, about purpose, and about the search for true happiness.

We too must follow this invitation by becoming seekers in our own right.  Like the travelers from the East, we too must perhaps seek direction from those we meet on the road, but we should never stop looking for God.

When they found him, the Kings offered Jesus precious gifts.  Gold was a precious possession, usually only affordable to kings and persons of great wealth and influence.  Incense was offered to signify their belief that this was indeed God made man, and myrrh, an ointment used to prepare the body for burial perhaps was a foreshadow of the day when Jesus would die for our sins.  As we in our turn come to adore the Lord, what gifts do we bring?

After their encounter with the Holy Family, the Wise Men returned by a different road (Mt 2:12).  Perhaps they themselves had somehow been changed by this encounter, and spent the journey home pondering the gifts that they themselves had received. 

In the letter to the Ephesians (3:6), Paul reminds us that we too have received gifts: we have become fellow heirs, members of Christ's body, and sharers in the promise made known by Jesus.  As we travel the road of life, should we not also take time to ponder the meanings of these gifts?  Should we not marvel at God's goodness in calling us to share in his riches, in entrusting us with the wealth of being called one of His precious children?