Mt 2:1-12
1When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
6‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,/ are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;/ since from you shall come a ruler,/ who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
7Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Then they offered him gifts: The real gift of the Magi is that, after giving their presents, they fade away quietly. They do not make a big fuss of their good deed and their generosity. Their real courage is to do a good deed and then disappear. They know that the focus is on the recipient and not on themselves as donors.
The challenge in life is sometimes about how to do good things and exit, how to live and let go, how to do our part and bow. That is how we will be remembered more fondly. That is how God will notice our star when it has faded into the night.
We can do this only by remembering that Jesus is the center, the reason, and the intention of all our being and doing. Never ourselves! Like the Magi, let us continue searching for Jesus in the land of our lives; finding him, we humbly offer our efforts and gifts, and then go quietly and gently—but proudly—into the night.