“THREE KINGS IN ONE, ONE KING IN THREE”
Saint Matthew 2. 1-12
The Epiphany of our Lord: 6 January Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
J.H. Hopkins' much loved folk carol "We Three Kings" has delighted singers ever since 1857; mis-singing it has delighted grade-school boys probably as long, but that's another matter.
The Holy Trinity delights all of you; you have your only real delight in God, Father, Son + and Holy Spirit. This true Lord takes such delight in you that He manifested Himself to gentile converts almost 30 years before He would begin to preach and teach other Gentiles in Galilee, Tyre & Sidon, and Samaria.
The historicity is true. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Whether His delivery was in a barn, stable, out-building, lean-to, or cave doesn't matter. He and His Mother, the Blessed Virgin, and His Guardian, Saint Joseph lived in Bethlehem for some finite period of time before their flight to Egypt. Whether it was a few weeks, a few months, or even two years, it doesn't matter. They were there, this Holy Family of Three, when they were visited by "wise men from the East." Saint Matthew tells us they were "uayoi" (Magi) which is a plural noun. Whether there were twenty or twelve or seven Magi, it doesn't matter. Tradition tells us there were three. This is a salutary tradition. The Lord and two of His angels once visited Abraham under the Trees of Mamre. The pre-incamate Son accompanied by two of His flaming ministers beautifully portrayed the Blessed Trinity. Now the symbolism was repeated as three men from the East come to visit the same Lord, only now Incarnate. Whether these astronomers came from what had once been Babylon, or Persia, or some now forgotten Kingdom, it doesn't matter; they traveled quite a distance to be in the presence of the real King. They followed a great light in the night sky to be in the presence of The Light of the World; The Light of all men---even Gentiles; even you.
The "wise men" followed the star "till it came and stood over where the young Child was." Even as all seraphim and cherubim reflect the glory of the Lord, and bow down and do obeisance to His un-created majesty, so too all stars, suns and moons, all lights, "stand over" this young Child, and by their rays of brilliance sing in waves & particles of atoms: Here is He, Who is: Holy, Holy, Holy.
The Gospel of Saint Matthew doesn't tell us all the details, but it does give us part of the Divine Service, still encountered and repeated to this very day. They came into the house of God, (like you have) and saw the young Child with Mary His Mother. You too have come to this humble parish ("But you Bethlehem [house of bread]...are you not among the least...") and you see God in His Word of Forgiveness, In His Good News of Reconciliation and in His Mystery of Fortifying Faith. You also see "His Mother" if you will, in His Church. The Church is not some platonic phantasm; some imaginary, invisible, ideal, Gnostic shadow. The Church, your "Mother," is His Bride; His Lady (the real "Notre Dame") is the gathering of His real brothers and sisters around His Word and Sacred Acts.
Christ's very presence was such an infinite gift of love and nourishment to the Magi that they fell on their knees and worshipped Him. His acts upon you, His creation of faith in you, will always elicit your joyful and pious response of worship, prayer, confession and gift giving. No He doesn't need your gifts, your treasure. He is The GIFT, The Treasure! He desires not burnt sacrifice but faith. He wishes not for you to give Him gold but for you to crave His giving you His Blood.
And you can not be silent and inactive. The Holy Ghost Himself constrains you to worship and "do."
The "wise men" gave Him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Three gifts mentioned, three magi, a good tradition. Legend names them Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.
Dear Saint Caspar bowed his knee and presented his gift of gold. Glory be to the Father. Glory be to the Lord Who created all; Who gives us our daily bread, our gold to purchase and secure the things we need. Glory be to the beautiful world of stuff, of the nature which God has made. Glory be to the beauty of precious metals and jewels with which we can adorn the sacred vessels and scriptures which contain our giving God's gifts. With King Caspar you thank God for all your First Article gifts: wife, child, house, home, fields, cattle, eyes, ears, reason and all senses.
Dear Saint Melchior genuflected to the presence of the Savior (the same way you are cordially invited to do during the Creed) and delivered up his gift of myrrh. Glory be to the Son who would one day be anointed with tears from the forgiven yet anonymous woman; who would one day during the Week Called Holy be anointed with spikenard from an alabaster flask by Mary of Bethany, and who would be again brought myrrh and spices by the Magdalene early on the morn of Resurrection. Glory be to the Christ Who by His life of perfect obedience anoints all of you with His perfect righteousness. Glory be to the "Suffering Servant" Who anoints you with His precious blood shed from the wood and poured into you at the baptismal font. Glory be for the redemption purchased with His body given and His blood shed. With King Melchior you thank God for all your Second Article gifts: absolution from trespasses and eternal life.
Dear Saint Balthazar prostrated Himself before the Child Messiah and gave his container of aromatic incense. As a noted Lutheran theologian tells his seminary catechumens: "men, get used to incense now, cause there will be a lot of it in heaven." Incense itself is a "type" of the total sacrifice, pointing to Jesus' work on the cross. The sweet smelling savor of God is burned, so that after the fragrance fades, there is nothing left. Sin is gone because Jesus gave up everything, but He is left. He is everlasting. Glory be to the Holy Ghost who daily stands beside you in prayer and remembrance. The thick clouds of incense rising from the altars of your hearts and from our parish altars, represent all the prayers of the faithful ascending to His throne of Grace. Glory be to the Holy Ghost Who has called you through the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. With King Balthazar you thank God for all your Third Article Gifts: true faith, daily sanctification, rich forgiveness and the guarantee of the resurrection from the dead."We three Kings of Orient are bearing gifts, we traverse afar."
They were not kings, not of themselves. They were "wise men," and even that not of themselves. Wisdom comes with the fear of the Lord. Through faith they were wise unto salvation. By the Lord Jesus' love and gifts, they were Kings and co-heirs of all heavens' glories.
The Three Kings in One, that is, the Three Persons in One God-head loves you.
The One King in Three, that is, the One God loves you enough that the Father sent His Only-begotten Son, the One God/Man into the flesh, even the flesh of young boy sitting on His Virgin Mother's lap in a little house in Bethlehem; or on a little altar in a small chapel.
"In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." [Col. 2.9] Jesus your King comes from the Orient, the East, to you this day, bearing gifts. You are forgiven. Strengthen yourself in His Sacrament. Your King has traversed afar to be in your midst, to be in you, and for you.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost