Matthew 2:1-2

The gospel of Matthew reports that when they saw the star, the wise men were filled with a great joy. As they entered, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they knelt down and worshipped him.

Epiphany is a special festival in the church year celebrated on January 6. The word "epiphany" is from the Greek language, and it means "manifestation" or "showing." Epiphany was established as a church festival about two hundred years after the death of Jesus by Greek-speaking Christians living in the area where today on the map we find the countries of Turkey, Syria and Iraq. In this area two hundred years after the time of Jesus, the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) occurred on January 6 in the Alexandrian calendar that was in use. So Epiphany was celebrated on that day, the day that marks the end of darker days and the beginning of brighter days.

A hundred years later in Rome Christmas was first celebrated on December 25, because in the Julian calendar of the Romans this was the winter solstice. When the church in Rome began to celebrate both Christmas and Epiphany, it kept Christmas on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6, the traditional night of New Year festivities for the pagans. January 6 becomes the 12th night of the Christmas season, so we have songs like "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

The story of the three wise men was traditionally read on January 6. These men came from the East following a bright star to bring gifts to the child born to be king of the Jews. The story tells us that they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is a gift fit for a king, and it signifies that Jesus is a king. Frankincense is a kind of incense that was burned in the temple in Jerusalem by the priests. It signifies that Jesus helps us relate to God, which is what the priests were charged with doing in the temple. And myrrh is a spice used in those days in preparing for burial the bodies of those who had died. The gift of myrrh signifies that Jesus will bring us closer to God through his death.

The story of the wise men reminds us that not only the people of Bethlehem or Nazareth or even Jerusalem will be affected by the life of the child born to Mary and Joseph, but people from far away, too. We are among those people. We don't speak the language he spoke, nor do we live in a world like his world. Perhaps this is why we enjoy the story of the wise men.

Grace and peace...Bob