Gospel Reflection on Matthew 2:1-12
- Fr. Tim Boyle
- Jan 1
- 3 min read
January 5, 2026
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will govern my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
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What does it mean to follow a star? Events in space like eclipses can be seen better from some locations than others.
That explains the movement of the Magi. They want to see this beautiful star from the best possible position. And that leads them to their destination.
It's striking that they travel with their eyes fixed on heaven. The manifestation of the epiphany is for those who lift their chins and look towards heavens to that which is noble.
But pursuing that which is noble and beautiful is not enough. Like the Magi, we also need help from outsiders. The path of the Magi leads to Jerusalem, a holy city, a city of promises.
For beauty by itself is not enough. That which an individual human being comprehends is only the beginning.
The Magi discover a people of God and a different form of illumination. We're not the first to follow a path that's true, beautiful and good. So many before us have discovered the center of existence. God has spoken to so many people before us through different sacred writings and human experiences.
The Magi discover that there's been a whole previous story revealed through this people.
The next steps of the Wise Men will be to follow the indications of that people. They obey the indications revealed to them and discover that the star and the previous experiences lead to the same place: Bethlehem.
The beauty that stirred their star, their hearts at first, the star, and then the story of other searches coincide at the same ultimate destination: a shed where a woman has given birth to a child.
This newborn life has been signaled by the presence of a star leading to great joy. And so the Magi give the child everything, the gold of their wealth, the incense representing their honor, the myrrh which they have reserved for their deaths, wealth, honor, and all of their future plans are given to the Lord because he has given us so much more.
The child is a gift from heaven and is to be adored. And so the Magi bestow on this child whatever gifts they have. And the gifts they give are not really to be understood of the necessities of the child, but in what they represent.
Finally, that Magi entrust their deaths to the Lord. They can give him everything. They know they will receive so much more in return.
This is the journey of these wise searchers, and it is also our journey: to follow beauty, to listen to the experience of others who have searched and listened, and to arrive finally at the knowledge that God has prepared a future for us. And then to discover that we can give God everything because that future is worth so much more.
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