CHAPTER XI Of the Epiphany of Jesus, and the devout oblation of the Holy Kings
CHAPTER XI
Of the Epiphany of Jesus, and the devout oblation of the Holy Kings
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of the kings of the earth, for Thy glorious Manifestation of Thyself to the three Kings. For after that Thou hadst been born in Bethlehem of Judaea, Thou wast not slow in revealing Thy Majesty to men who came from afar; and having led them by a heavenly light to Thy humble resting-place, Thou didst manifest to them Thy holy poverty.
O my God, mighty and wonderful, Who alone orderest all things here below, and workest mightily in heaven above, Thou thoughtest it no scorn to be seen in Thy poverty and neglect by so many kings and nobles, if only Thou mightest be to us a pattern of humility. Having for our sakes chosen Thy resting-place, and Thy apparel, Thou didst make no change in them, but didst show Thyself in them, alike to shepherds and to kings.
I praise Thy gracious mercy for these first-fruits of the Gentile world, and for Thy call to these strangers, whom, by a secret inspiration of Thy grace, Thou didst draw from Eastern lands to behold the light of faith. Among the princes of Israel were found none who made ready, with such reverence and trust, to seek the place of Thy Nativity: far more lively was the faith, far more fervent the devotion, of those strangers to the Covenant.
I glorify Thy Holy Name for Thy wondrous enlightenment of Gentiles; for so gloriously didst Thou sent forth Thy light into the hearts of those men of the East, who as yet were sitting in darkness, that without thinking of the length of their journey, they followed with a trust which knew no doubt, the leading of Thy sign from heaven.
I reverently join the Holy Magi in adoring Thee; and following them step by step, I would devoutly offer to Thee their three precious gifts, each containing a deep mystery. For, falling at Thy feet, they offered to Thee gold in token of Thy kingly dignity, frankincense as doing homage to Thy Divine Majesty, myrrh as confessing Thy submission to the law of death.
Wherefore, O my Lord Jesus Christ, most gracious King of Kings, Ruler of Heaven and of earth, accept, I beseech Thee, at the hand of Thy servant, the mystic offering, which I now humbly present to Thee, through the intercession of the Holy Kings.
I offer to Thee in the first place right faith, firm hope, and pure charity, in which I trust that I may continue to the end. I believe that Thou art the King of Heaven and of Earth: I adore Thee as very God, the Only-Begotten of the Father: I confess that, for my salvation, Thou didst take of the Virgin Mary a mortal Body.
Accept further, I beseech Thee, also these other gifts, each having in itself a sweet-smelling savour. Lo, I give to Thee that which also I received from Thee, namely all my worldly goods, which I renounce for love of Thee. I would not in this life have anything of my own. I wish to be content with common food and simple raiment. This is in a moral sense my oblation of pure gold.
I would add also the gift of frankincense, by which I mean the incense of devout prayer; beseeching Thee, with sighs and tears, for the forgiveness of my sins; praising and thanking Thee for the good gifts Thou hast bestowed upon me; and grieving for all who are in trouble or distress. This, surely, is the burning of fragrant incense, acceptable to Thee.
I offer to Thee also, in figure, myrrh, in memory of Thy most bitter Passion, praying that I too may have grace to run in the way of perfection by the austerity of my self-mortification. For, as often as, for love of Thee, I call to mind the bitterness of Thy Passion, I offer to Thee, in figure, the choicest myrrh: and whenever I overcome in myself evil desires, and renounce my own will, I bruise, as best I may, in the mortar of my heart, fragrant myrrh, that so from thence may come forth a sacrifice acceptable to Thee. Oh, how happy should I be, if I could offer to my Jesus a bundle of myrrh, by gathering together into one all the labour, all the sorrow, and all the bitterness of Thy Passion! For it is by such a mingling of myrrh and frankincense that the faithful soul is moved to earnest efforts after amendment, to acts of penance, and to the mortification of corrupt desires.
I give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the high sanctity of this day, which Thou didst adorn with three mighty wonders. For on this day Thou didst lead three kings to the Manger in Bethlehem; on this day Thou wast baptized of John in the river Jordan; on this day Thou didst turn water into wine at the marriage at Cana in Galilee—by all which things Thou didst plainly manifest Thyself to be both God and man.
I pray Thee, therefore, O my meek and gracious Lord, that Thou wouldst never suffer me to be led astray by Herodian wiles, that is to say by worldly honours, and the allurements of the flesh; but that, through the merits of the Holy Kings, and the prayers of Thy most chaste Mother, and under the protection of Thy angelic host, Thou wouldest lead me, together with the Blessed Kings, along the way that leadeth to the Heavenly Country, there to behold Thee in Thy everlasting glory.