Day 23

Matthew 2: 11-12

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.

Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

For everyone

It seems strange to think of the wise men before Christmas when they hover at the back of church waiting to be added to the crib in early January.   But look at the religious Christmas cards you receive,  and the wise men (usually splendidly attired like kings) appear on at least half of them.  Their names, origins, appearances, and exact number are unmentioned in the Bible and derive from later traditions. However, they are usually assumed to have been three in number, corresponding with each gift.  I was thrilled to see this lighting tableau in Woodthorpe, as we rarely see any outdoor biblical decorations.

Though aesthetically we might favour the wise men, their inclusion following on from the shepherds shows us that Jesus has come for everyone, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, locals or foreigners. And as the carol reminds us, referring to the gifts of the shepherds and  wise men: “What I can I give him – give my heart “

Gill