Tag Archive for ‘Magi’
The Epiphany in Stained Glass
While Mary and Joseph were still in Bethlehem, the three men variously described as ‘wise,’ ‘kings’ or ‘the Magi’ found their way following a star to the stable and knelt before the baby Jesus, worshipped him and declared that Jesus was the Saviour to all. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The whole […]
The Magi — The Three Wise Kings
Die Drei Koenige When I came to New Zealand and started to go to church here, I felt immediately at home. There are differences in some details, but, all in all, the Mass is the same. It was not until Christmas and New Year that I realised how different Catholicism was in New Zealand compared […]
The Legend of the Fourth Wise Man
Adapted by the Editor Artaban lived in the mountains of ancient Persia. On the basis of his study of the planets and stars, he predicted the birth of a great King. He sold all his possessions in order to buy gifts for the King – a radiant blue sapphire, a perfect ruby and a spectacular […]
Fulfillment Quotations in Matthew’s Gospel
Some forty years ago, Scripture scholar Peter Ellis wrote of the first gospel, ‘Reading Matthew, one gets the feeling the author put together his gospel with the precision of a Swiss watch.’ One sign of this precision is that Matthew includes in his Gospel ‘fulfillment quotations,’ Old Testament statements in something other than their historical […]
Mary and the Reformation
While in the UK I have tried to visit as many churches as I can. Most of the beautiful old churches are now Anglican, having been through the English Reformation which was a traumatic and destructive time. The lovely Adoration of the Magi illustrating this page is witness to this. It resides in the Anglican […]
Sunday 8 January
Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ps 72, Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6; Matthew 2:1-12 Gift of self like gold According to Matthew’s Gospel, the Magi found Jesus “by following a star”. The three gifts they gave him – frankincense, myrrh and gold – are interesting because of the properties they suggest: frankincense (which comes from the […]
The Gospel of Matthew (Part I)
Introduction Antioch in Syria [modern Antakya in Turkey], third largest city in the ancient Roman Empire, was a Greek-speaking city with a large Jewish community. Around AD 85, a Jewish Christian evangelist composed a Gospel there for a Church that was originally Jewish-Christian, that is, Jews who accepted Jesus as Messiah while continuing to follow […]
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