Daily Devotion for DECEMBER 9

INTRO

Preparing for the Third Sunday of Advent and using the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis) let us wrestle with Matthew 2 and the gifts of the wise men.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 2: 10 -

10a When they (Magi/wise men/Kings) saw the STAR,

STAR

The wise men were obedient to a star.

10b they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the HOUSE,

HOUSE not stable

Herod will order not infants, but under 2 to be killed.

b they SAW THE CHILD with his mother MARY,

SAW THE CHILD

There eyes perceived a child; their minds perceived a king

MARY

QUESTION: Where’s Joseph?

c and they BOWED DOWN and worshiped him.

BOWED DOWN

Eastern custom of obeisance (signifying homage/submission/worship)

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

GIFTS (several places in OT - the King shall receive gifts from representatives of other countries)

POINT: The king is the king of all the world (gentiles included)

Blessing for all nations and not just Israel

Psalm 72: 10 - 11

May the king of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him...May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.

GOLD and of INCENSE and of MYRRH

I sometimes wonder what I would have brought to the baby Jesus?

QUESTION: What gift would you have brought then and today?

CHRISTMAS HYMN: WE THREE KINGS (traditional symbols)

(V2) GOLD (king)

(V3) (FRANK)INCENSE (deity)

(V4) MYYRPH (suffering)

What is Myrrh?

It is an herb that is used for medicinal purposes as well as for embalming purposes.

This is why the 4th verse says:

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb

QUESTION: What do you think of when you sing this verse?

Myrrh in the 4th verse represents the impending death of Christ and the placement of the body into the tomb.

Interesting baby gift for the Holy Family?

Let me give you a bit of advice, the next time you go to a baby shower and you’re wondering what to get the happy couple for their baby, don’t bring emablimb fluid. Even i know that’s not an approriate gift. Yet, the "wise men" brought myrrh. How wise is that? If they indeed are wise, then why bring it?

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.....