The light of a comet ever seen, guided the Magi from the Child and they worshiped him and recognized him as the Man, King and God offered him three gifts: gold (symbol of royal), incense (which is offered to the deity) and myrrh (used for embalming because it preserves the human body from corruption). Thus was revealed the triple nature of the Messiah and the whole world knew that the miracle of birth. The magi were subsequently referred to as 'king', their names are Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar
; 
Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12)
1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod. Some Magi from the East came to Jerusalem, saying 2 "Where is the king of the Jews that is born? We have seen his star, and are come to worship. " 3 heard this, King Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. 4 together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
art not the least among the clans of Judah from you shall come a Governor,
that shall rule my people Israel. "
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men, he did say their accuracy by the time the star had appeared 8 and sent them to Bethlehem, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found, let me know, because I may go and worship him. "
9 had heard the king, they departed. And the star they had seen in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the child was. 10 saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him . Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 warned in a dream not to return to Herod, another way they returned to their country.
From the earliest times Church, the Magi have aroused keen interest among the faithful. They were a favorite theme from the early Christian artists: paintings appear on the sarcophagi and more often of the same scene of the Nativity.
Christians were not satisfied with the limited information can be found in the Gospel.
There are too many details: where they came from? How many were there? What were the names? What kind of transport they used? What they did after they returned to their countries? Where were they buried?
To answer these questions, many legends were born. He said they were kings, who were three, who were one from Africa, one from Asia and one from Europe and were one black, one yellow and one white. Guided by the star, they were met at the same point and then they walked together on the last stretch of the road to Bethlehem, they were called Gaspar (the beardless youth and color), Melchior (the old white-haired bearded), Balthazar (l 'older man with beard). They were clearly symbols of the three stages of life. For the trip they had made use of camels and dromedaries. After returning home, when they had already reached the ripe old age of 120 years, one day met again the star, they departed and found themselves together again in a city in to celebrate the Christmas Mass, the same day, happy, died. The spoils went round the world: first to Constantinople, then to Milan until 1162 when they were transferred to the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.
It's nice and touching stories, but must be kept carefully separate from the Gospel story as not to compromise the message we want to communicate the sacred text.
then begin to clarify some details in our minds that are closely linked to the figure of the Magi, but which have nothing to do with what Matthew said.
Firstly, it is said that they were three and were "wizards", not re . They had to belong to the category of diviners, astrologers, people well known and appreciated in the past for wisdom, the ability to interpret dreams, foresee the future and read the will of God through ordinary or extraordinary events of life.
No wonder that Matthew has put the Wizards in his story and has chosen them as a symbol of all the Gentiles who, before the Jews themselves, have opened our eyes to the light of Christ.
About the star: it was widely that the birth of a great man was accompanied by the appearance of its star in the sky - great for the rich, the poor little, fuzzy for the weak. The appearance of a comet was thought to be the sign of the advent of a new emperor.
But really the wise men have seen a comet?
Many astronomers have devoted time and energy to see if two thousand years ago, appeared in heaven a very bright star in conjunction with the birth of Jesus that have occurred in 12 - 11. C. Halley's Comet has passed, then in year 7. C. occurred three times in the conjunction of Jupiter (the star of royalty) and Saturn (the star of the Jews - according to Tacitus).
admirable for their commitment, but continued in this way, the search for the comet of Bethlehem reminds me sull'Ararat expeditions to find Noah's ark.
reading the text of Matthew, astronomers should easily realize that the evangelist does not allude to an astronomical phenomenon: the Magi saw the star front of them as they go from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and a Star running ... from north to south. Really singular! All celestial bodies are moving from east to west.
The star referred to by Matthew not to be found in heaven, but in the Bible .
The evangelist writes for readers who are familiar with the AT for centuries and are waiting to see the star appear in about a mysterious prophecy in the book of Numbers.
In Nm 22-24 tells the curious story of Balaam and his talking donkey. Balaam was a diviner, a wizard of the East, just like those spoken of in the Gospel today. One day he unwittingly makes a prophecy: "I see it, but it is not an event that will happen soon, I feel it, but not near: a star shall come forth from the house of Jacob, a kingdom born of Israel, stands ... One of Jacob shall rule over his enemies "(Num 24,17.19).
So he spoke, about 1200 years before the birth of Jesus, Balaam, "the man penetrating the eye" (Nm 24.3), and since then the Israelites began to look forward to the tick of this star was none other than the Messiah.
presenting the Magi who saw the star, the evangelist wants to tell his readers: the seed of Jacob checked the expected deliverer is Jesus He is the star .
We will remove from our crib then the comet? No! Even contemplate that star indichiamola and also to our children, but tell them that the star is not a star in the sky, but it is Jesus, he is the light that enlightens every man (Jn 1:9), he is the bright morning star (Rev 22:16).
Matthew writes in the 80 AD and what to check? It notes that the Gentiles have come into mass in the Church, recognized and adored the star, while the Jews who were waiting for so many centuries, have declined.
The story of the Magi is therefore a "parable" of what is happening in the Christian communities at the end of the century. The pagans who sought the truth with honesty and consistency have received from God the light to find it.
Matthew press A to highlight another detail: the Magi (the symbol of the pagan people) would never come to Christ when the Jews, with their scriptures, had not given them the path. Israel, despite not having followed the star , has completed its mission: was the mediator of salvation for all peoples.
Now try to connect the Gospel today with the first reading . The prophet said that when Jerusalem was shined in the light of the Lord, all nations would have made their way to this holy city, carrying their gifts. With the story of the Magi, Matthew is telling us that this prophecy was fulfilled: guided by the light of the Messiah, the Gentiles (represented by the Magi) make their way to Jerusalem, to bring gold, frankincense and myrrh. Popular piety has applied to each of these gifts of a symbolic meaning: gold indicates the recognition of Jesus as king, incense represents worship in front of his divinity, his humanity draws myrrh - aromatic resin that will be remembered during the passion (Mk 15.23; Jn 19:39).
The history of the horses was not invented from nothing is still the first reading today we speak of "a multitude of camels and dromedaries" coming from the East (Is. 60.6).
Unlike the pastors who have been to consider and rejoice in the face of their salvation that the Lord had revealed the Magi have paid homage (v. 11). Their gesture recalls the ceremonial of the court - the prostration and kiss the feet of the King - or the kiss the ground before the image of divinity. The pagans have thus recognized as their king and their God, the child of Bethlehem and offered him their gifts.
They have become the symbol of men around the world who are led by the light of Christ. They are the image of the Church, composed of people of every race, tribe, language and nation. Entering the church does not mean giving up his identity, does not mean submitting to an unjust and false uniformity. Every person and every people maintain their cultural characteristics. Enrich them with the universal church. None is so rich that he does not need anything and not so poor that they have nothing to offer.
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar) 
0 comments:
Post a Comment