January 3, 2010

This Sunday we were commemorating the Three Kings that worshiped Jesus in a Manger.

However, the priest in our church wanted to change three Kings to just the coming of Jesus on Earth.

He added that if the three Kings were here today, they will not want us to venerate them, but rather, point us to the baby Jesus.

According the priest, the Manger is where the animals in a barn goes to eat.

The manger symbolizes communion where we take in the body of Christ and we get blessed.

In Filipino, the manger is "sabsaban" and if we interchange letters "s" and "b" it will turn out to be "basbasan" which means when we eat the body, we are then blessed.

As the priest tried to drive a deeper awareness, he opened a real story of a 5 year old kid who noticed that the NATIVITY decorations inside the church and asked who they are.

the priest said, they are the three kings and they have went to travel to bring tidings to the baby Jesus.

Is that so, how come there are no treasures?

The priest looked at the nativity scene and in fact, the treasures were not there. It was rotting at the back of the church and if not for this child, he would not realize that the treasure boxes were missing.

The priest was suppose to come up with an explanation to divert the thoughts of the child from inquiring more about the treasures to center it to Jesus, however the kid left already. It was to his surprise that the child did not leave church just yet but went to the nativity and greeted the baby Jesus a happy birthday. The child found the treasure which is Christ Jesus.

The priest added in his Homily the symbolism of the gifts of the three kings.

Gold - means a ruler with a golden crown

Frankincense - means a person with a priestly vocation as it is in church that incense are being used.

Myrrh - embalming agent - means a prophet by nature - in the past, prophets die early as they were being persecuted.

The priest ended his homily with a message that we can bring gifts as well to the baby Jesus and that is our pure heart. Whether we are rich of poor, we have to offer our hearts to the baby jesus as this is what is important rather than giving something tangible to our Lord and Saviour.


Matthew 2: 1 - 12
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,
2 "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
6 `And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.