by Fr. Tommy Lane
“We have come to do him homage” are the words of the three kings to Herod as they enquired where Jesus was (Matt 2:2). “We have come to do him homage.” What a beautiful attitude the three kings had. They had love in their hearts. They had love for Jesus in their hearts. We see that again when they find the baby Jesus and prostrate themselves before Jesus and worship him (Matt 2:11). Then they expressed that love concretely as they offered Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh: gold because Jesus was king, incense because Jesus was divine and myrrh prefiguring his burial. We never again hear of these three gifts. What is important is what these three gifts symbolized: the love in the hearts of the kings for Jesus. We also see the three kings’ love for Jesus by contrast with the reaction of King Herod. Instead of being full of joy like the kings, Herod was troubled. The wise men showed humility before God as they travelled on their long journey hundreds of miles west to Jerusalem. By contrast Herod showed complete arrogance and hatred for God. He was told that Sacred Scripture foretold the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Mic 5) and nevertheless he set out to have Jesus killed. What was he thinking? How could he be so arrogant that he thought he could destroy God’s plans? Unlike Herod, the three kings had love of God in their hearts.
Like the three kings, we also have love of God in our hearts. That love of God brought us to Mass here today. Interiorly we also prostrate ourselves before Jesus. We do not have gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to offer Jesus, but we do have a gift to give him: the love in our hearts for him. The best gift we can give Jesus is the love in our hearts for him. The love of the three kings for Jesus reminds us to ask ourselves if we always come before Jesus with love. We can ask ourselves if we do everything throughout our day with love for Jesus. If we do everything with love, it can be a gift to Jesus. If we do not do something with love, then it would be difficult to offer it as a gift to Jesus. Doing everything that we have to do throughout the day with love for Jesus would be a beautiful gift to give Jesus. Think of the experiences you have when you meet other people. Some people are a joy to meet. Some people are not always a joy to meet. What would it be like for Jesus to meet us? Hopefully it would be a joy for Jesus to meet us. If we love Jesus and do everything we have to do throughout the day with love for Jesus, then it would indeed be a joy for Jesus to meet us. Loving Jesus by doing everything with love is the best gift we can give him today.
We also love Jesus when we are kind to other people. Our kindness to others and our sacrifices for others are also gifts we can give Jesus today. Kind words to others, consoling others and being compassionate to others, being fair and honest with others, are all ways of loving others which are also ways of loving Jesus. So, we have many opportunities to love Jesus every day. We can love Jesus by doing everything with an attitude of love for him, and when we are kind to others we are loving Jesus.
“We have come to come to do him homage” said the three kings. They expressed their love of Jesus by giving him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Our gift to Jesus is the love in our hearts for him: doing everything for him with love and loving Jesus by being kind to others.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2020
This homily was delivered near Regensburg while on a research sabbatical.
More Homilies for January 6: Epiphany of Our Lord
God will win the battle against evil 2021
The events of the Epiphany played out today 2013
Jesus’ birth revealed to the nations by a star because Jesus is Savior of all 2007
From star reading, horoscopes, and astrology to worshiping Jesus
Baby Jesus, the Wise Men and Herod (also in mp3 meditation reduced quality)
stories for Christmas