¹ Dearest brothers, we have celebrated with faith the solemnity of the birth of our Lord, through whom God was born as a man. Let us now venerate this day with the same devotion, for on it, God was revealed in human form. In His birth, He was hidden in weakness; today, He is made manifest in power. For today, the Magi came from the East, guided by a star that led them to the place where the Saviour was born. Behold the sacred nativity in a humble dwelling: He who shines among the stars is worshiped while wrapped in swaddling clothes. He is worshiped in swaddling clothes—that is, the majesty of the incorruptible God is veiled beneath the frailty of human nature.

² The greatness of divine mercy is revealed in the mystery of this day: the first to come to Christ are the Ethiopians, that is, the Gentiles. The firstfruits of the nations are consecrated in the knowledge of the truth. The Church of the Gentiles, cleansed of the darkness of sin and clothed in the brightness of faith, goes before the synagogue of the Jews. Thus, salvation calls out to us from the manger.

³ What does it mean that salvation calls to us from the manger? It means that the once-wild multitude of unbelieving nations has been received into the stable of the Church and made gentle. The Jews, for their part, boast that they alone possess divine worship, yet it is the Gentiles—the first messengers—who see Christ. Why are they first? Because the healthy eye of the Christian follows the light, whereas the corrupted vision of the Jews is blinded by that very light. Their sickly sight grows darker when exposed to the brightness that should illuminate them.

⁴ Meanwhile, the blessed delegation marvels as it is led to the sacred cradle, guided by the radiant beam from above. The farthest nation is the first to enjoy the universal blessing. With what astounding condescension is He enclosed in His mother’s embrace—He who encompasses both heaven and earth! He lies hidden in His mother’s arms, yet He surpasses the kingdom of the Father.

⁵ Through a simple act of homage, a profound mystery is revealed: His humanity is seen, and His divinity is worshiped. They offer gold, frankincense, and myrrh, presenting gifts that hold greater significance in their mystery than in their material worth. In the gift of gold, His royal dignity is proclaimed; in the rising smoke of incense, His divine majesty is acknowledged; in the myrrh, His future burial and human mortality are foreshadowed. Thus, the threefold offering speaks of the Trinity, while the unity of their devotion testifies to the oneness of God.

⁶ Therefore, with ever-watchful hearts, let us strive to lift our gaze toward heaven if we truly desire to reach Christ. May the star of righteousness guide us along the path of a perfected life. To Him who has said, “You shall not appear before me empty-handed”, let us offer the gold of faith, the incense of devotion, and the holocaust of chastity.

⁷ Let us keep within us the spiritual myrrh that preserves our souls, seasoning them so that they remain untouched by the corruption of sin. Let us change our way if we wish to reach our homeland—the heavenly homeland. Let this be our exchange: that by using the goods of this world rightly, we may gain possession of the eternal. Just as eternal life is the reward for this present life, so let us labour now in such a way that this life may be made worthy of that one. And as the Gospel tells us, the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod but to return to their own country by another way. This, then, is a spiritual command for us: that we, too, must return to our homeland by another way—that is, by a changed way of life.

⁸ Someone might ask how this is possible. Whoever wishes to understand this should listen to the prophet saying: “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it”. For in this way, by a different path, we return to our homeland. Since we fell into the world through pride, we must return to paradise through humility. Through greed, we became enslaved to the devil; through mercy, we must return to Christ the Lord. Through pleasure and indulgence, we bore the devil’s most burdensome yoke; through love and righteousness, let us hasten to take up Christ’s light yoke. Thus, having unhappily departed from the company of angels by serving the devil through paths of faithlessness and wickedness, let us strive to return to our true homeland by walking the paths of goodness and faith.

⁹ If, by following this path—abandoning the ways of death—we desire to walk the road of eternal life, then, having been transferred from the left to the right, we may faithfully and joyfully imitate the journey of the Magi.

¹⁰ Does it not seem to you that someone is already returning to his homeland by another way when he who once stole the goods of others now eagerly gives away his own in mercy? Does it not seem that one walks a different path when he who was once an adulterer is now chaste, he who was a drunkard is now sober, he who used to curse now blesses, and he who was envious is now kind? For if, with God’s help, we strive through both prayer and good works to transform the course of our lives for the better, we will be able to attain eternal blessedness through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.