To the Band of Brothers: January 7, 2021
Good morning!
In yesterday’s email, I mentioned that on Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany. We did… liturgically. Traditionally though, the feast day of the Epiphany is January 6th. The reason for the split-personality complex is simple. Many of the dioceses around the world choose to push up or back the feast day so it is celebrated on a Sunday, a holy day of obligation. That way, most Catholics (hopefully most) will be at Mass instead of missing out because it is a weekday.
I remember fondly the days as a kid celebrating the mysterious three wise men and their covert operation to visit the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. I’m not going to lie, when I was a child the fondness had little to do with the religious implications of the visit. It had mostly to do with the fact that just a week after Christmas morning’s gift extravaganza, there was another morning of presents.
Mind you, these unearned treats were much more toned down than those under the tree. My mother would have us place one of our shoes somewhere around the house so the Magi would know where to leave the goodies. By the way, it wasn’t anything like gold, frankincense, or myrrh (who would want myrrh anyway). No sir, the heftier gifts were already given. This was usually our favorite chocolates or candy bars and, like my father says, “va que chifla.”
When you think about it, the practice of giving presents makes more sense on this day than it does on Christmas. The three men of the East who traveled far following the star brought Jesus some gifts on the day they visited the manger. There’s obviously great significance to the three gifts. You may have heard about it before. Gold because Jesus was a king. Frankincense because he was God. Myrrh because he would suffer and die.
But another truth about the gifts that cannot be taken lightly is their value. Giving the baby Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh is not like giving him chocolates or candy and “va que chifla.” No sir, they gave him very expensive and sought-after things. The great value of gold is a given, but frankincense and myrrh were not small-time stocking stuffers. They were very rare, imported, and expensive.
The way I see it, the Magi gave Jesus the best of what they had. Not only were the precious gifts a reflection of their recognizing the import of who Jesus is, the Son of God made man, the gifts were also an exercise of giving him everything they were capable of giving. No Visa gift cards or cheap bottles of wine for Jesus. The son of Mary, who is the fulfillment of a promise made long ago of the Messiah who comes to save all of mankind, deserves only the best of the best.
The feast of the Epiphany is an opportunity for us to put our money where our mouth is. Not only should we give ourselves to the Lord, but we should also give him the best of ourselves. Jesus doesn’t deserve the leftovers, the gift cards, or the re-gift, but the most precious, most valuable, most important of what we are and have to offer.
Auspice Maria
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.