GOLD, INCENSE, MYRHH

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY - JANUARY 6^th, 2008

Matthew 2:10 "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child."

One of the things that is different about Christmas for Christians is this day - the feast of the Epiphany. Not for us, the Wise Men at the manger twelve days ago. No - we Episcopalians - we have to wait until today for them to arrive. That also means waiting to sing one of the most popular Christmas carols: "We Three Kings" (though I'm sure it's been sung at Christmas in other Churches!).

It is one of the most popular of all the carols. As a child I remember how marvelous it was to sing a hymn in Church which had a chorus of "Oh oh"! And particularly I rejoiced when I heard it sung with three different singers for the three kings, and everyone join in singing its chorus of "O star of wonder, star of night". It is everyone's favorite. But did you know that this particular hymn was written by an Episcopalian? John Henry Hopkins, Jr, was the son of the Bishop of Vermont and the first music teacher at General Seminary, New York City. What a wonderful legacy this fellow Episcopalian left us - adding a joyful tune to the romance of the three gifts.

The three gifts.

The Gold is the most obvious symbol. It proclaims a king - one worthy of homage. Its meaning is clear.

Incense is what one offers to a god - in Egypt they offered incense to statues of cats and jackets, in Ephesus to Diana, in Athens to Zeus, in Rome to the emperor. But on this day, incense is offered to a child.

These three wizards and astrologers from another culture and wisdom inaugurate a different world order. They came looking for a king. At first they found King Herod - but in his presence their treasure chests remained unopened.

Probably they were then taken to the temple in the heart of Jerusalem. But they offered no incense in that holy place. For the star, and a dream of an angel, led them out of that city and to a town only famous as David's village. Already the journey was unexpected, for everyone thought that both a king and a god were in Jerusalem.

There in the village of Bethlehem they offered these three gifts. It was particularly the myrrh - the most unusual of the three - that showed that this child was the Christ.

The word Christ means "Anointed One". That is why we call Jesus the Christ. But the oil with which the Christ Child is anointed is not the oil which anointed David king of Israel, nor was it the oil of gladness that we read about in the Psalms. This oil is the bitter perfume, which says that the child is the Lamb of God - the sacrifice that takes our sins away. Of all the gifts, this one of myrrh is pregnant with meaning.

Hopkins was not afraid to sing about the myrrh in his wonderful carol:

"Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

Sealed in a stone cold tomb".

We often forget the impact as we sing it - they are not very cheerful words!

The Gold and the Frankincense are nice things - they honor Christ. But the gift of Myrrh is something else - for myrrh was used to preserve dead bodies. It speaks to us of death.

Ironically, the name traditionally given to the third king who presents the myrrh is Balthazar. This name calls to mind the Babylonian king Balthazar of the famous feast. He was a great king who saw a finger writing on the wall - and the writing spoke also of death. Surely not just a coincidence - that both king Balthazars usher in a theme of death.

Perhaps this wise king Balthazar wonders why he gives this gift? Perhaps they all do?

Even as they presented their gifts, what did they think they would really find? Whatever they thought - they found something unexpected, in a place unexpected.

Let me conclude with words from Saint John Chrysostom:

"If the Magi had come in search of an earthly king, they would have been disconcerted at finding that they had taken the trouble to come such a long way for nothing. Consequently they would have neither adored, nor offered gifts. But since they sought a heavenly king - though they found in him no signs of royal pre-eminence - yet content with the testimony of the star alone, they adored. For they saw a man, and they acknowledge God".