Bridget Mary's Blog: Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Celebration of Epiphany with Co-Presiders Roman and Theresa Rodriquez, Janet Blakeley, Music Minister

3 Wise Women

It is joked that if the three wise men had been women, they would have asked directions and thus arrived in time to help with the birth, cleaned the stable, and brought practical gifts.

Left to right: Theresa and Roman Rodriguez

THE RE-GIFT

EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT A RE-GIFT IS. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. IT GIVES YOU SOME PLEASURE THINKING ABOUT THE PERSON THAT GAVE IT TO YOU.

BUT THEN YOU PASS IT ON. YOU WANT TO SHARE THE GIFT WITH OTHERS, TO LET THEM SEE ITS BEAUTY.

WHEN THE THREE WISE MEN FOLLOWED A STAR TO THE STABLE IN BETHLEHEM, THEY WERE ALSO SHARING GIFTS, HOPING TO PLEASE THE NEW BORN KING.

LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THAT THE BABE IN THE STABLE WAS THE GIFT. HE IS THE GIFT THAT CAME INTO THE WORLD TO US: THE GIFT OF FAITH, THE GIFT OF SCRIPTURE, THE GIFT OF THE EUCHARIST. BUT WE MUST NOT KEEP IT TO OURSELVES. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS GIFT. JESUS IS THE RE-GIFT.

IT’S OUR TURN TO PASS ON THE GIFT TO OTHERS, SO THAT OTHERS MAY KNOW THE JOY OF GOD’S GIFT TO US.

SO GO SHARE THE GIFT.

Roman Rodriguez gave homily starter

THE THREE KINGS IN SPAIN

"The best-loved Spanish Christmas tradition among children is Los Tres Reyes Magos (the Three Wise Men). Santa Claus is quite well-known as he delivers toys and presnts, but the real stars in Spain are los Reyes. These Three Kings are the ones who followed a star to meet the new King of Kings (Baby Jesus) and offered him three presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn child in Belén (Bethlehem).

When December comes, all the boys and girls in Spain and Latin America start to write their letters to The Three Kings or to their favorite King: Melchor, Gaspar or Baltasar. They write about the things they’d like to receive on the morning of the 6^th of January, (which is the day the presents get delivered) and also about their behavior during the year. If they’ve been good, they get presents; if they’ve been bad, they get a piece of coal.

Their Majesties travel by camel and due to the fact that they come from the East, they take a long time to arrive to Spain. Once there, they visit all the cities and villages, and listen to the children’s requests. This is followed by a spectacular parade. On the night of the 5^th, the children put their shoes by the door before going to bed so that the Kings will know how many children live there. They also put out something to eat and drink for Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar, and also water and grass for the camels. (true, they can last a month or more without drinking water, but that night they have a lot of work to do, so they need extra water and food).

On the morning of the 6^th, children find their presents inside and outside the shoes (it’s very unusual for their Majesties to bring carbones (coal) because no child really behaves so badly, and many people say it’s not true that naughty girls and boys get only coal and not toys). The food and drink placed in the plates and glasses are now gone . The children excitedlystart playing with their toys, and wait for the next 5^th of January to come around."