Sunday, January 5, 2025
The Three Kings
The three kings followed the stars to find God made man in Jesus. Today, many seek God, and the Church must read the signs of the times to bring the gospel to all. The kings, representing many races and peoples, were so “overjoyed” that they opened their hearts in generosity. They presented gifts of gold for the newborn king, frankincense to worship God, and myrrh used to embalm the one who would die so that we might live. They returned by another road after their encounter with the newborn child of Mary. Their path could never be the same after accepting salvation. The three kings inspire us to evangelization and stewardship. They seek and find God in Jesus. Full of gratitude, they share. The joy of believing inspires us to identify, develop and share our gifts.
The Christmas season ends next week with the Baptism of the Lord. Now The Work of Christmas begins. This poem was composed by Howard Thurman, a religious leader who influenced Martin Luther King Jr.
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.
In Christ,
Rev. Robert P. Capone
