The Epiphany of the Lord

“gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

These symbolic gifts from the Magi to the baby Jesus, representing his divine identity: Gold for his kingship, Frankincense (incense) for his divinity/priestly role, and Myrrh (embalming oil) for his humanity and foreshadowing his death and burial.

An epiphany isa moment of sudden, profound realization or insight, often about the true nature or meaning of something, stemming from the Greek for "manifestation".

These valuable items honoured Jesus as King, God, and Man, while also having potential practical uses for the Holy Family.

This feast reminds me to identify the gifts that I can offer Jesus and The Blessed Trinity.

Every day I offer God my gratitude, my time and energies to help God improve the world within the reach of my abilities.

In the global context, it’s not much. However, for me, these gifts are vital. They give my life purpose; hope and identity. I know who I am – a son of God and friend of Yesh. They get me out of bed in the morning and keep me motivated throughout each day.

My journey to eternity is not just a pass-time, a holiday. It has purpose. That purpose keeps me young at heart – and slows down my ageing. Starting the day with what I was taught to call a ’morning offering’  helps keep me focused.

You may find ‘morning Offering prayer cards’ on line or in a shop – like St Paul’s by Westminster Cathedral.

My own version is very simple: “Beloved Yesh, I offer you the whole of my day as TAPS: thanking God for the past, asking God for the future, praising God for the present and as a way of saying sorry for my many short-comings.