Revelation And Gifts

Exsultemus in Domino, fratres carissimi, quod votis nostris nova semper vota succedunt, et gaudiis gaudia cumulantur. Ecce enim vix nostrae sanctissimae reparationis cum gaudio diem celebravimus solemnissimum, cum statim de Redemptoris nostri apud gentes gloriosa laetamur manifestatione. Hac enim festivissima die illius diei celebramus solemnia, qua ipse natus infans in stabulo manifestare se voluit mundo. Ne enim gentes ipsius in carne adventum, qui universum genus humanum, ut a peccati liberaret servitute, e coelo descenderat, ignorarent; stellam in coelo dedit in signum, quam et Judaea ex tunc incredula noscere poterat, et sola gentilitas quae ad ipsius accessit cunabula, cognovit. Venit ergo Bethlehem tunc in tribus magis sola gentilitas; Judaea autem mansit in occasu, atque in trium illorum virorum persona tanto regi sua persolvit munera. Aurum enim, ut audistis, obtulerunt, thus et myrrham. In auro ut nostrae redemptionis initia, quae jam in illo apparebant, ostenderent: in thure ut verae religionis cultus aliquando futurus, atque idolorum significaretur cessatura superstitio: in myrrha quo ipsius, et nostrum a mortuis aliquando futura praenuntiaretur resurrectio. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia XVII, De Epiphania Domini I Source: Migne PL 57.259a-260a

Let us exult, my dearest brothers, with our prayers always being succeeded by new prayers and with joys being heaped on joys. Behold, scarcely have we joyfully celebrated the feast day of our most holy restoration, when swiftly we rejoice in the glorious manifestation of our Redeemer to the nations. For this most festive solemnity of His that we celebrate is because the newly born infant in the stable wished to make himself manifest to the world. For lest the nations be ignorant that He had come in the flesh, He who descended from heaven, so that he might free every type of people from sin, set a star in heaven as a sign, which then unbelieving Judea was not able to grasp, and only the Gentile people approached his crib. For then the Gentiles alone came in the three Magi, while Judea remained in darkness, and in the person of those three men they brought their gifts to such a great king. They brought gold, as you have heard, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is for the showing of the beginning of redemption, which was now appearing in Him. Frankincense for the service of the true religion in the future, which signifies the end of the superstition of idols. Myrrh foretells His and our future resurrection from the dead. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 17, On The Epiphany of the Lord