Gifts Full of Meaning

Homily for the Epiphany of Our Lord, Year C
Isaiah 60.1-6 Psalm 72 Ephesians 3.2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2.1-12

**Note: This weekend and next, we are blessing three new objects in our church, one at each Mass: new doors, an ambry, and a baptismal font. The final paragraph of this weekend’s homily was different for each of the three weekend Masses according to the object being blessed at that Mass.**

Today, I imagine, the gifts would be very different. Not gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but perhaps something a little more practical. Like an iPhone, so the new parents could communicate with their distant relatives and post pictures of their new baby on Facebook. And maybe a gift card to a bookstore, so they could read up on the prophecies that this child is going to fulfill. And, finally, perhaps some blankets and clothes for the newborn, anything that would help him stay warm in the cold of the night. Good gifts, practical gifts, things Mary and Joseph could really use. But, of course, that isn’t what happened – these new parents didn’t even get the first-century equivalent of these twenty-first century practicalities. Instead, they received three very un-useful gifts – what on earth are Mary and Joseph going to do with gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Now, of course, they could use the gold to buy things they need – but every indication that we have in scripture is that the Holy Family remained somewhat poor, or at least only modestly well-off. It seems they didn’t buy extravagant things with their gold, and they didn’t sell the other two gifts for the sums of money that they were worth. But the scene of the Epiphany, the gifts of the magi, are not meant to be practical – and Mary and Joseph know this. The gifts they received are symbolic of who this child will become. Gold – because this child is the King of Kings, the ruler of all the earth. Frankincense – which was used in sacrifices at the Temple – because this child is the High Priest and will offer himself as a sacrifice for all humanity. And myrrh – which was used to anoint the dead – because this child was born to die; his suffering and death would be the most important event of his life, at least until his resurrection. The gifts of the magi were not practical – but they were meaningful. They told in themselves who this child was and the life he was born to live.

(5:30 pm Mass – Blessing of the Doors) At the beginning of Mass this evening, we blessed the new doors of our church. These doors are very practical – they keep the wind and cold outside while keeping the warmth of the heat inside. But they are also meaningful. These doors remind us of Christ, who is the gate and door through whom we enter the church and through whom we encounter God. We enter through these doors to hear the word of God and to celebrate the sacraments – the space inside these doors is set aside as a place to meet God, to be nourished by Christ, and to go forth in the Spirit to spread the gospel in the world. Yes, the doors are practical. But they are also meaningful. Through them, we gather together as members of the Body of Christ.

(9:00 am Mass – Blessing of the Ambry) In just a few moments, we will bless the new ambry in our baptismal font, the place where the Holy Oils are stored. This ambry has a practical purpose – to store the three oils that are used in the sacraments of the church – the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chrism. These oils are used to anoint people as the prepare for baptism, in the sacraments of confirmation, in the anointing of the sick, at the ordination of priests and bishops, and at the dedication of a church. But the ambry also has a deeper meaning. These oils are blessed each year at the Chrism Mass by the bishop. Being able to see the oils each time we gather in this parish church can remind us of our connection to the wider church, through the Archbishop of Indianapolis and all bishops throughout the world. But they also remind us that Christ offers us healing, strengthening, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the sacraments of the Church. Yes, the ambry is practical. But it is also meaningful. Through the Holy Oils kept in this ambry, we are united with the church beyond our doors and to Christ, the source of all our blessings.

(11:00 am Mass – Preparation for Blessing of the Baptismal Font) Next weekend at this Mass, we will bless the new baptismal font in our church. This new font is very practical – it provides a place for the baptism of both infants and adults. But it is also meaningful. The cross shape of the font reminds us that, when we are baptized, we die to our old self and rise as a child of God, a transformation made possible by the cross of Christ. The water in the font is flowing, reminding us of the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptized. The position of the font completes a perfect triangle with the altar and the ambo, and it is made from the same marble as these other items. Those connections are important. It is through the words of Scripture proclaimed at this ambo that we encounter Christ and hear his command to be baptized, then through the waters of the font, we are led to the high point of our Christian life, the Eucharist, which we receive from the altar. Yes, the baptismal font is practical. But it is also meaningful. Through the waters of this font, we join ourselves to the death and resurrection of Christ and are led by the Word of God to the table of the Eucharist.