One last reflection before we put our biblical crib scene away this year! Few characters in the bible grab people’s attention like the Magi. Who were they? Where did they live? What exactly was the star? And those gifts…?
Let’s start by reflecting that the Magi’s gifts of gold, incense and myrrh were all things they used in their magic, so they would have been natural things for the Magi to bring. Although that makes them even more remarkable, when you think about it… As this new year begins, what do they mean for us?
Let’s start with GOLD. There are, of course, lots of ways we can show Jesus is king in our lives – worship is all about that, isn’t it? The word is an abbreviation of ‘worth-ship’ – this person is worthy of honour. Our whole lives are worship. But gold is still a fundamental part of that. What we spend our money on tells us what or who we worship. C.S. Lewis once said: ‘a bank statement is a theological document, it tells us what and who we worship.’ Christmas is always a challenge, financially – but as we look forward to 2026, we still have to ask ourselves the question: will we honour Jesus with our gold this year?
Second, MYRRH – which reminds us that Jesus had a special destiny. Myrrh is the most striking point at which the Easter story intrudes, if you like, into the Christmas story. The 12 days of Christmas might be ending but we are always Easter people. And myrrh reminds us to keep the cross at the centre of our lives. As the evangelist J John is fond of saying: never forget that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. This year, will you keep the main thing the main thing? Will the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection inspire you daily to worship with your lips and your lives?
Finally, FRANKINCENSE – which reminds us that Jesus was an offering to God. Incense was used in the temple for sacrifices and also when prayers were offered. We all know that there is nothing more important than prayer, but we also all know that prayer is the hardest thing. Who finds it easy to pray? Let’s admit that we all find it tough – but it’s good, at the start of the year, to look at ourselves and think: how are we going to grow in prayer this year?
Here’s lots of ideas – see if one jumps out at you: maybe you need a better time. Maybe you need a better place – not necessarily a single location: if you pray better when you walk, go walking. Maybe you need a new method – there are lots of resources available: Lectio 365, Pray as you go, Daily Prayer to name just three – all of them free on the internet. Or maybe you need to meet to pray with people more often. Group prayer is exponentially more effective than individual prayer – if three people pray together it’s not just 3, it’s 3×3 – try it and see….
Three invitations for us, as we begin this year. The Magi teach us ultimately that true worship is active, and costly – but the reward is priceless. May we, too, experience their joy as we offer our lives and our gifts to Jesus this year. Amen.