``Where the
Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be;
even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of
Antioch, 1st c. A.D
Twelfth Night
The day before
the Feast of the Epiphany is the
twelfth
day of Christmas, and its evening is known as"Twelfth Night" (or
"Twelfthnight"). It begins the celebration of Christ's revealing His
Divinity in three ways:
to the Magi who,
guided by the great and mysterious Star of Bethlehem, came to visit Him
when He was a Baby (Matthew 2:1-19)
through His
Baptism by St. John, when "the Spirit of God descending as a dove" came
upon Him and there was heard a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3,
John 1), and all Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were manifest
(Note: the Baptism of Our Lord is also commemorated on the 13th of
January)
through His
first public miracle -- that of the wedding at Cana when Our Lord
turned water into wine at the request of His Mother (John 2). Just as
God's first miracle before the Egyptian pharaoh, through Moses, was
turning the waters of the Nile into blood, Our Lord's first miracle was
turning water into wine.
In many Catholic
homes (especially Italian ones), it's not Christmas Day that is for
giving presents to children, but the Feast of Epiphany, when the gifts
are given in a way related to the Magi. So today will have a "feel" of
Christmas Eve, and because of the Epiphany's association with the
Magis' gift-giving, tomorrow is often referred to colloquially as the
"Little Christmas."
It is today that the Three Kings should reach the creche (heretofore,
they should be kept away from it) and that Baby Jesus should be adorned
with signs of royalty, such as a crown, ermine, and gold or purple
cloth. Set up golden candlesticks around the manger where He lies.
Along with the crowns, scepters, gold, and royal purple,
peacocks are
also a symbol for the day. They are more generally a symbol of
immortality (and therefore a good symbol for Easter, too), but also a symbol of
royalty and of the glory revealed by Christ today. The most profound
symbols of all, though, are light as a symbol of theophany; wine in
memory of the miracle at the wedding in Cana; water and the dove in
memory of Christ's Baptism by St. John; the Three Kings, their gifts,
and the Star of Bethlehem.
The Magi and Their
Gifts
Typified in the
Old Testament by the Queen of Saba (Sheba), who entered Jerusalem "with
a great train, and riches, and camels that carried spices, and an
immense quantity of gold, and precious stones" in order to ascertain
King Solomon's greatness (III Kings 10), the three Magi entered
Jerusalem bearing gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the newborn King.
The Fathers see in their gifts omens of Christ's life:
the gold as a
sign of His Kingship. The gifts of gold and frankincense were both
prophesied by Isaias in the sixth chapter of his book.
the frankincense
-- a gum resin (i.e., dried tree sap) from the Boswellia tree, native
to Somalia and southern coastal Arabia -- as a sign of His Deity. Mixed
with stacte, onycha, and sweet galbanum, it was used by Moses to
set before the tabernacle as an offering to God, and was considered so
"holy to the Lord" that it was forbidden to use profanely (see Numbers
30).
the myrrh -- a
brownish gum resin from the Commiphora abyssinica tree, native to
eastern Africa and Arabia, and used in embalming -- as a sign of His
death. Myrrh, along with cinnamon and cassius, was used by Moses to
"anoint the tabernacle of the testimony, and the ark of the testament"
(Numbers 30). It has analgesic properties, too, and was offered, mixed
with wine, to Christ on the Cross, which He refused (Mark 15:23).
Nicodemus brought myrrh to annoint Our Lord's Body after death (John
19:39).
The Golden
Legend, written in A.D. 1275 by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of
Genoa, describes the gifts thus:
...by these
three be signified three things that be in Jesu Christ: The precious
Deity, the soul full of holiness, and the entire Flesh all pure and
without corruption. And these three things be signified that were in
the ark of Moses. The rod which flourished, that was the Flesh of Jesu
Christ that rose from death to life; the tables wherein the
commandments were written, that is the soul, wherein be all the
treasures of sapience and science of Godhead. The manna signifieth the
Godhead, which hath all sweetness of suavity. By the gold which is most
precious of all metals is understood the Deity; by the incense the soul
right devout, for the incense signifieth devotion and orison; by the
myrrh which preserveth from corruption, is understood the Flesh which
was without corruption.
We three kings
of Orient are,
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright;
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light!
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King for ever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign. (Refrain)
Frankincense to
offer have I:
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, gladly raising,
worship him, God Most High. (Refrain)
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. (Refrain)
Glorious now behold him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice;
heaven sings, alleluia;
alleluia the earth replies. (Refrain)
Consider, too,
what their gifts teach us about due worship: there are those who don't
mind pared-down church buildings, liturgical vessels made of clay or
glass, sloppy liturgy, etc. "God doesn't care about those things; He
was born in a manger, He grew up poor!" That fact only speaks to
Christ's
humility. The magi expressed their
humility by worshiping Him with the
finest things they had, and that has always been the way of the Church.
We make our churches beautiful, we make our liturgical vessels from
precious metals -- and we do so because we know that we are mere men
while God is God Who is owed the very best, even if offering the best
means we make sacrifices to give it to Him.
The three Magi
-- Caspar (a.k.a., Gaspar, Kaspar or Jaspar), Melchior,
and Balthasar -- are seen as the "first fruits of the Gentiles" --
those outside of Israel who came to faith. They undoubtedly travelled
from Persia (modern Iran, a distance of about a thousand miles from
Bethlehem), and their ancestral origins are probably found in Persia,
Babylon (modern Iraq), Arabia, India, and/or Ethiopia.
Now, if they were Magi -- members of the priestly class -- why are they
called "Kings"? Because of these verses from Sacred Scripture:
Psalm 71:6-11
He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling
gently upon the earth. In his days shall justice spring up, and
abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway. And he shall rule from
sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Before him
the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of
the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts: And all kings of the earth
shall adore him: all nations shall serve him
Isaias 60:1-6
Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the
glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness shall cover
the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee,
and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in
thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes
round about, and see: all these are gathered together, they are come to
thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at
thy side. Then shalt thou see, and abound, and thy heart shall wonder
and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to
thee, the. strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee. The multitude
of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all
they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense: and shewing
forth praise to the Lord.
How
do we know there were three?
We don't know that from Scripture, but tradition relates that were were
three, and that there were three gifts mentioned supports this notion
as well. Tradition says, too, that these three men were representative
of the three ages of man and of the three "racial types" of man, the
three families that descended from Noe's three sons (Sem, Cham, and
Japheth). According to tradition, Caspar was the young, beardless,
ruddy descendant of Ham who brought frankincense. Melchior was an old,
white-haired, bearded descendant of Sem who brought gold. And Balthasar
was a bearded black descendant of Japheth, in the prime of his life,
who brought myrrh (see the works of the Venerable Bede). The three
Magi: symbols of all the races of man, invited to worship the One God
as one, and all equally beloved by Him. As different as the peoples of
the world may be, as different as the cultures and languages that have
arisen, and as prudent or imprudent our living together in one place
may be given differences in various groups' ways of life (not "race"),
we are all
potentially one in Him.
Tradition also has it that the kings were baptized by St.
Thomas, and
they are considered Saints of the Church. Though their feasts aren't
celebrated liturgically, the dates given for them in the martyrology
are as follows: St. Caspar on 1 January; St. Melchior on 6 January; and
St. Balthasar on 11 January.
The cathedral in Cologne, Germany contains the relics of the Magi,
which were discovered in Persia and brought to Constantinople by St.
Helena, transferred to Milan in the fifth century, and then to Cologne
in 1163.
Their trip to Cologne -- said to have taken place on three separate
ships -- is the genesis of the carol "I Saw Three Ships," the
lyrics of
which were later amended to speak of the Holy Family rather than the
Magi, and of their sailing to Bethlehem (a physical impossibility in
real life) rather than to Cologne. The modern lyrics are:
I saw three
ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
O they sailed
into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the
bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the angels in Heav’n shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the angels in Heav’n shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the
souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Then let us all rejoice again,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Then let us rejoice again,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Cologne
Cathedral and the Magis' reliquary
The three stars
that make up the belt of the constellation
Orion are often called "The Three Kings" or "the Magi" in honor of the
men who travelled so far to honor Our Lord. On a clear night, this
constellation is easily seen in Winter's southern sky, so take your
children outside to see a beautiful symbol, made of stars, of the men
who followed the Star of Bethlehem. If you follow the line of the belt
southward, you will see lovely bluish-white Sirius (the Dog Star), the
brightest star in the night sky. It's as if
"the Magi" are following
the "Star of Bethlehem" forever... 1
The Star of
Bethlehem
The next great
symbol of the day is the glorious Star of Bethlehem. There are so many
theories now as to what, exactly, this "Star of Wonder" was. Some
believe it was a comet or a supernova. Some believe it was actually a
conjunction of planets. 2 The
Fathers, like St. Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 50 - c.100), though,
believed it was completely miraculous, like the pillar of fire of
Numbers 13:21: "And the Lord went before them to shew the way by day in
a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire: that he might be
the guide of their journey at both times." St. Ignatius wrote to the
Ephesians:
A star shone
forth in heaven above all the other stars, the light of Which was
inexpressible, while its novelty struck men with astonishment. And all
the rest of the stars, with the sun and moon, formed a chorus to this
star, and its light was exceedingly great above them all. And there was
agitation felt as to whence this new spectacle came, so unlike to
everything else in the heavens.
St. John
Chrysostom (A.D. 347-407) (and St. Thomas Aquinas after him), also
believed it was a miraculous event. He wrote in his Commentaries on the
Gospel of Matthew:
For if ye can
learn what the star was, and of what kind, and whether it were one of
the common stars, or new and unlike the rest, and whether it was a star
by nature or a star in appearance only, we shall easily know the other
things also. Whence then will these points be manifest? From the very
things that are written. Thus, that this star was not of the common
sort, or rather not a star at all, as it seems at least to me, but some
invisible power transformed into this appearance, is in the first place
evident from its very course. For there is not, there is not any star
that moves by this way, but whether it be the sun you mention, or the
moon, or all the other stars, we see them going from east to west; but
this was wafted from north to south; for so is Palestine situated with
respect to Persia.
We have seen a
star of great size shining among these stars, and obscuring their
light, so that the stars did not appear; and we thus knew that a king
has been born to Israel, and we have come to worship him.
Pope St. Leo the
Great (d. 461) described it like this in his thirty-first sermon:
To three wise
men, therefore, appeared a star of new splendour in the region of the
East, which, being brighter and fairer than the other stars, might
easily attract the eyes and minds of those that looked on it, so that
at once that might be observed not to be meaningless, which had so
unusual an appearance.
But perhaps St.
Ephraem (a.k.a. Ephraim), d. 373, describes it best in his "Hymns for
Epiphany":
In the Height
and the Depth the Son had two heralds. The star of light proclaimed Him
from above; John likewise preached Him from beneath: two heralds, the
earthly and the heavenly. The star of light, contrary to nature, shone
forth of a sudden; less than the sun yet greater than the sun. Less was
it than he in manifest light; and greater than he in secret might
because of its mystery.
Its exact nature
aside, we're not sure about precisely when it appeared or for how long.
Did it appear at the Annunciation, giving the magi more than nine
months to make their way to Bethlehem? Did it appear on Christmas
night? Some time in between? No one knows for certain, but whatever it
was, this great sign was predicted by the wicked Balaam, as recorded in the Books of
Moses:
Numbers 24:15-19
Therefore taking up his parable, again he said: Balaam the son of Beor
hath said: The man whose eye is stopped up, hath said: The hearer of
the words of God hath said, who knoweth the doctrine of the Highest,
and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes
opened: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not near.
A STAR SHALL RISE out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from
Israel: and shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the
children of Seth. And he shall possess Idumea: the inheritance of Seir
shall come to their enemies, but Israel shall do manfully. Out of Jacob
shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the
city.
-- and the Magi
knew it.
Show natural symbols of the Star to your children inside a
cross-sectioned apple, in poinsettias, on one side of a sand dollar, in the flower
called "Star-of-Bethlehem" (Ornithogalum umbellatum), etc.
Another flower associated with the Star
of Bethlehem is the Ox-Eye
Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), also called "Mary's Star."
Legend says that after the Magi followed the Star of Bethlehem to the
right town, they didn't know where exactly to go. St. Melchior looked
down and saw the Ox-Eye Daisy, noticed its resemblance to the Star
they'd been following, so plucked it up. When he did, the door to the
place of Christ's nativity opened, showing the Magi where the King of
Kings lay.
Other Customs for the
Day
After a nice
candlelight feast (try adding some myrrh or frankincense fragrance oil
to your candles tonight!), there is the tradition of drinking a
medieval wassail called "Lamb's Wool," which is said to take its name
from "La Mas Ubhal," which means "the day of the apple fruit" (and was
pronounced like "lamasool"). "Three Kings Cake" is eaten in honor of
the three kings, one slice being set aside "for God." Recipes for the
latter vary from country to country, but they almost always include a
trinket or dried bean hidden inside. The cake should be cut by the
youngest person present, and the person who gets the slice with
the trinket or dried bean is the King or Queen of the Day -- the King
or Queen of Misrule -- and gets to
choose a consort (this is the French method). An old English way of
doing this is to bake two cakes, one for the men baked with a bean for
the King, the other for the women, with a dried pea for the Queen. Yet
a third option is to make a cupcake-sized cake for each person, with a
pea in one and a bean in one, keeping the two separate so you'll know
from which batch to serve the men and the women.
The King and Queen, once chosen, are honored, obeyed, treated and
addressed as royalty. They call for games to be played, and when they
drink, all cry out "The King (or Queen)
drinks!" and take a sip of their own beverages. Some hide a clove in
the cake, too, and whoever receives the piece containing it is the Fool
(if you have a man's cake for choosing the King, and a woman's cake for
choosing the Queen, you could have a clove in each to choose a Fool of
each sex). Why not go all out and provide the "monarchs" with golden
crowns and scepters -- and any "fools" with silly, fool-ish hats?
But getting the piece of the cake with the trinket isn't all fun: in
Mexico, the person who received the trinket has to host a party on Candlemas.
The custom of choosing Twelfthnight "royalty" is described in "Twelfth
Night: Or King and Queen" by the English poet, Robert Herrick (A.D.
1591-1674):
Twelfth
Night: Or King and Queen
Now, now the mirth comes
With the cake full of plums,
Where bean's the king of the sport here;
Beside we must know,
The pea also
Must revel, as queen, in the court here.
Begin then to choose,
This night as ye use,
Who shall for the present delight here,
Be a king by the lot,
And who shall not
Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.
Which known, let us make
Joy-sops with the cake;
And let not a man then be seen here,
Who unurg'd will not drink
To the base from the brink
A health to the king and queen here.
Next crown a bowl full
With gentle lamb's wool:
Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
With store of ale too;
And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger.
Give then to the king
And queen wassailing:
And though with ale ye be whet here,
Yet part from hence
As free from offence
As when ye innocent met here.
Another
custom arose in England and the colonial United States of, in addition
to having three people playing the King, Queen, and Fool, having
everyone else play characters by
drawing character cards out of a hat. These characters -- pre-made and
printed by stationers -- would have silly names and attributes, and
each card would have a little quote or a riddle that each person had to
read out as the character he selected. Everyone had to stay in
character until midnight (you can see a set of early 19th century English
"conundrum cards" here). You can easily come up with character
cards of your own.
At any rate, here are recipes for a French "Galette des
Rois" ("Cake of the Kings"), and
for
the "Lamb's Wool" mentioned in the poem above -- a drink made of
roasted apples, cider, and nutmeg:
Galette des
Rois
1/4 cup almond paste
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 dry kidney bean or pea or nut or trinket made of china (a "feve")
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting
Place the almond paste into a food processor or blender with about half
of the sugar, and process until well blended. Add the butter and
remaining sugar using and process until smooth, then blend in 1 egg,
vanilla extract, almond extract, flour and salt. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Butter a baking
sheet or line with parchment paper, and set aside.
Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry into an 11 inch square. Keep the
pastry cool, do not knead or stretch. Use a large pie plate, cake pan
or frying pan to trace an 11 inch circle onto the dough using the tip
of a small knife. Place the circle of pastry onto the prepared baking
sheet. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry. Refrigerate both sheets.
Mound the almond filling onto the center of the pastry that is on the
baking sheet. Leave about 1 1/2 inch margin at the edges. Press the
bean or feve down into the filling. Place the second sheet of pastry on
top, and press down the edges to seal. Beat the remaining egg with a
fork, and lightly brush onto the top of the gallette. Use a knife to
make a criss cross pattern in the egg wash, and then prick several
small slits in the top to vent steam while baking.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not open the oven until
the time is up, as the pastry will not fully puff. Remove from the
oven, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Return to the oven, and cook
for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden
brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Lay a golden paper crown gently on top of the cake. This will be used
to crown the person who finds the bean or feve. Serve warm or cold.
Make sure to tell everyone that something is hidden inside the cake
lest they eat it if it's inedible!
The French method of serving this cake is for the youngest person in
the room to hide under the table and shout out who gets which piece.
The person who gets the piece with the hidden object chooses his Queen
(or her King). One piece is always set aside "for God" (it's known as
"le part du Bon Dieu"). This cake is said to serve 16.
Lamb's Wool
6 baking apples, cored
2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup brown sugar, depending on sweetness of
cider/ale
2 quarts cider, hard cider, ale, or a mixture of cider and ale
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Roast the apples in a baking pan at 450 degrees F. for around an hour,
until they are very soft and bursting open. In a large saucepan,
dissolve the sugar a few tablespoons at a time in the liquid of choice,
tasting for sweetness. Add the spices. Bring to a boil, then
lower heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the liquid over the
apples (left whole or smashed up) in a large punch bowl. Serve with
nuts.
Another
Twelfthnight custom is the singing of the song "The Twelve Days of
Christmas" as a "memory and forfeit" game; whoever forgets one of the
gifts is out. Click here for the
real lyrics to and information about this song.
Children from
Spanish cultures go to bed on this night in anticipation of a visit
from the Three Kings (the Magi, or Wise Men). They prepare snacks for
the
Kings' camels (hay or grass), which some leave in boxes underneath
their
beds and others leave in their shoes near the fireplace. They awaken
to find that the snacks are gone and
presents are left in their place. Italian children anticipate a visit
from
La Befana, an old woman who was invited by the Magi to accompany them
in their search for the newborn King. The old woman, whose name comes
from the Italian word for Epiphany ("Epifania"), was too busy sweeping
her house at the time, but soon realized her error and went out after
the Magi, who were far, far ahead of her. She continues her search to
this day, riding her broomstick all over the world in search of Jesus.
She visits the children of each house and leaves toys and candy in
stockings for the
good ones, and lumps of coal for the bad ones. Children leave out a
glass of wine and an orange to sustain her on her way. A children's
song about the old woman:
Chorus:
La Befana vien
di notte,
con le scarpe tutte rotte
il vestito (or "il cappello") alla romana
viva, viva, la Befana!
Tutta notte sola, sola, sulla scopa vola, vola
Tutta notte sola, sola, sulla scopa vola, vola
Quando dormirai nel letto lei ti volerà sul tetto
Quando dormirai nel letto lei ti volerà sul tetto
Se tu appendi il tuo calzino lei ci mette un regalino
Se tu appendi il tuo calzino lei ci mette un regalino
Ai bambini molto buoni porterà dolcetti e doni
Ai bambini molto buoni porterà dolcetti e doni
Se non ti comporti bene lei ti porterà carbone
Se non ti comporti bene lei ti porterà carbone
Chorus:
La Befana comes
at night
In tattered shoes
Dressed in (or "her hat in") the Roman style
Long live la Befana!
All night alone, alone, on the broom she flies, she flies
All night alone, alone, on the broom she flies, she flies
When you sleep in bed she will fly you to the roof
When you sleep in bed she will fly you to the roof
If you hang up your sock she puts a little gift in it
If you hang up your sock she puts a little gift in it
She will bring sweets and gifts to very good children...
She will bring sweets and gifts to very good children
If you don't behave she will bring you coal
If you don't behave she will bring you coal
Consider making
a Befana "Apple
Doll" with your children. She should be dressed in a dress covered
by an apron and shawl, with a scarf on her head, and old, broken shoes
on her feet. She should have a broom and a sack of candies and coal.
A book English-speaking Italians and Italian Americans might want to
read to their children is Tomie De Paola's "The Legend of Old Befana: An Italian Christmas Story"
(link is offsite and will open in a new browser window).
Readings
Hymn XV for
the Epiphany written by St. Ephraem
Hymn XV for the
Epiphany written by St. Ephraem (d. 373) can be downloaded in pdf format (4 pages).
It can also be read as a sort of
dramatic play for three to 5 actors; download as a play in pdf format here (4
pages):
1. In the Birth of the Son light dawned, and darkness fled from the
world, and the earth was enlightened; then let it give glory to the
brightness of the Father Who has enlightened it!
2. He dawned from the womb of the Virgin, and the shadows passed away
when He was seen, and the darkness of error was strangled by Him, and
the ends of the earth were enlightened that they should give glory.
3. Among the peoples there was great tumult, and in the darkness the
light dawned, and the nations rejoiced to give glory to Him in Whose
Birth they all were enlightened.
4. His light shone out over the east; Persia was enlightened by the
star: His Epiphany gave good tidings to her and invited her, " He is
come for the sacrifice that brings joy to all."
5. The star of light hasted and came and dawned through the darkness,
and summoned them that the peoples should come and exult in the great
Light that has come down to earth.
6. One envoy from among the stars the firmament sent to proclaim to
them, to the sons of Persia, that they might make ready to meet the
King and to worship Him.
7. Great Assyria when she perceived it called to the Magi and said to
them, "Take gifts and go, honour Him the great King Who in Judea has
dawned."
8. The princes of Persia, exulting, carried gifts from their region;
and they brought to the Son of the Virgin gold and myrrh and
frankincense.
9. They entered and found Him as a child as He dwelt in the house of
the lowly woman; and they drew near and worshipped with gladness, and
brought near before Him their treasures.
10. Mary said, "For whom are these? and for what purpose? and what is
the cause that has called you to come from your country to the Child
with your treasures?"
11. They said, "Thy Son is a King, and He binds crowns and is King of
all; and great is His power over the world, and to His Kingdom shall
all be obedient."
12. "At what time did this come to pass, that a lowly woman should
bring forth a King? I who am in need and in want, how then could a king
come forth from me?"
13. "In thee alone has this come to pass that a mighty King from thee
should appear; thee in whom poverty shall be magnified, and to thy Son
shall crowns be made subject."
14. "Treasures of Kings I have not; riches have never fallen to my lot.
My house is lowly and my dwelling needy; why then proclaim ye that my
Son is King?"
15. "Great treasure is in thy Son, and wealth that suffices to make all
rich; for the treasures of kings are impoverished, but He fails not nor
can be measured."
16. "Whether haply some other be for you the King that is born, enquire
ye concerning Him. This is the son of a lowly woman, of one who is not
meet to look on a King."
17. "Can it be that light should ever miss the way whereon it has been
sent? It was not darkness that summoned and led us; in light we walked,
and thy Son is King."
18. "Lo! ye see a babe without speech, and the house of His mother
empty and needy, and of that which pertains to a king nought is in it:
how then in it is a king to be seen?"
19. "Lo! we see that without speech and at rest is the King, and lowly
as thou hast said: but again we see that the stars in the highest He
bids haste to proclaim Him."
20. "It were meet, O men, that ye should enquire who is the King, and
then adore him; lest haply your way has been mistaken, and another is
the King that is born."
21. "It were meet, O maiden, that thou shouldst receive it, that we
have learned that thy Son is King, from the star of light that errs
not, and plain is the way, and he has led us."
22 "The Child is a little one, and lo! he has not the diadem of a king
and of a throne; and what have ye seen that ye should pay honour to
Him, as to a king, with your treasures?"
23. "A little one, because He willed it for quietness' sake, and meek
now until He be revealed. A time shall be for Him when all diadems
shall bow down and worship Him."
24. "Armies he has none; nor has my Son legions and troops: in the
poverty of His mother He dwells; why then King is He called by you?"
25. "The armies of thy Son are above; they ride on high, and they
flame, and one of them it was that came and summoned us, and all our
country was dismayed."
26. "The Child is a babe, and how is it possible He should be King,
unknown to the world? And they that are mighty and of renown, how can a
babe be their ruler?"
27. "Thy babe is aged, O Virgin, and Ancient of Days and exalted above
all and Adam beside Him is very babe, and in Him all created things are
made new."
28. "It is very seemly that ye should expound all the mystery and
explain who it is that reveals to you the mystery of my Son, that He is
a King in your region."
29. "It is likewise seemly for thee to accept this, that unless the
truth had led us we had not wandered hither from the ends of the earth,
nor come for the sake of thy Son."
30. "All the mystery as it was wrought among you there in your country,
reveal ye to me now as friends. Who was He that called you to come to
me?"
31. "A mighty Star appeared to us that was glorious exceedingly above
the stars, and our land by its fire was kindled; that this King had
appeared it bore tidings to us."
32. "Do not, I beseech you, speak of these things in our land lest they
rage, and the kings of the earth join together against the Child in
their envy."
33. "Be not thou dismayed, O Virgin! Thy Son shall bring to nought all
diadems, and set them underneath his heel; and they shall not subdue
Him Whom they envy."
34. "Because of Herod I am afraid, that unclean wolf, lest he assail
me, and draw his sword and with it cut off the sweet cluster before it
be ripe."
35. "Because of Herod fear thou not; for in the hands of thy Son is his
throne placed: and as soon as He shall reign it shall be laid low, and
his diadem shall fall on the earth beneath."
36. "A torrent of blood is Jerusalem, wherein the excellent ones are
slain; and if she perceives Him she will assail Him. In mystery speak
ye, and noise it not abroad."
37. "All torrents, and likewise swords, by the hands of thy Son shall
be appeased; and the sword of Jerusalem shall be blunted, and shall not
desire at all to kill."
38. "The scribes of the priests of Jerusalem pour forth blood and heed
not. They will arouse murderous strife against me and against the
Child; O Magi, be silent!"
39. "The scribes and the priests will be unable to hurt thy son in
their envy; for by Him their priesthood shall be dissolved, and their
festivals brought to nought."
40. "A Watcher revealed to me, when I received conception of the Babe,
that my Son is a King; that His diadem is from on high and is not
dissolved, he declared to me even as ye do."
41. "The Watcher, therefore, of whom thou hast spoken is he who came as
a star, and was shown to us and brought us good tidings that He is
great and glorious above the stars."
42. "That Angel declared to me in his good tidings, when he appeared to
me, that to His Kingdom no end shall be and the mystery is kept and
shall not be revealed."
43. "The Star also declared again to us that thy Son is He that shall
keep the diadem. His aspect was something changed, and he was the Angel
and made it not known to us."
44. "Before me when the Watcher showed himself, he called Him his Lord
before He was conceived; and as the Son of the Highest announced Him to
me: but where His Father is he made not known to me."
45. "Before us he proclaimed in the form of a star that the Lord of the
Highest is He Who is born; and over the stars of light thy Son is
ruler, and unless He commands they rise not."
46. "In your presence, lo! there are revealed other mysteries, that ye
may learn the truth; how in virginity I bare my Son, and He is Son of
God; go ye, proclaim Him!"
47. "In our presence the Star taught us that His Birth is exalted above
the world and above all beings is thy Son, and is Son of God according
to thy saying."
48. "The world on high and the world below bear witness to Him, all the
Watchers and the stars, that He is Son of God and Lord. Bear ye His
fame to your lands!"
49. "All the world on high, in one star, has stirred up Persia and she
has learnt the truth, that thy Son is Son of God, and to Him shall all
peoples be subject."
50. "Peace bear ye to your lands: peace be multiplied in your borders
apostles of truth may ye be believed in all the way that ye shall pass
through."
51. "The peace of thy Son, it shall bear us in tranquility to our land,
as it has led us hither; and when His power shall have grasped the
worlds, may He visit our land and bless it!
52. "May Persia rejoice in your glad tidings! may Assyria exult in your
coming, And when my Son's Kingdom shall arise, may He plant His
standard in your country!"
53. Let the Church sing with rejoicing," Glory in the Birth of the
Highest, by Whom the world above and the world below are illumined!"
Blessed be He in Whose Birth all are made glad!
The Journey of the Magi
by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
'A cold coming
we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For the journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins,
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
From Orion's
belt hangs his dagger, made of what appear to be three stars, but which
are actually two stars with the Orion Nebula in the center. Betelgeuse
makes up Orion's right shoulder (to the left from our perspective), and
Rigel makes up his left foot. Sirius -- which is 8.6 light years away
-- makes up part of Canis Major, Orion's hunting dog. Between 3 July
and 11 August, it rises and sets with the Sun. This synchronous rising
and setting with the Sun makes the star invisible to us, but the
combination was believed to lead to the great heat during that time --
a period known as "Dog Days" in honor of Sirius. A skychart showing
Orion relative to Sirius:
2
St. Augustine (b. 354), in his Contra Faustum, Book II, had this to say
to those who believe the Star of Bethlehem was a natural occurence, or
that it was detected by means of illicit forms of astrology:
We, too, deny
the influence of the stars upon the birth of any man; for we maintain
that, by the just law of God, the free-will of man, which chooses good
or evil, is under no constraint of necessity. How much less do we
subject to any constellation the incarnation of the eternal Creator and
Lord of all! When Christ was born after the flesh, the star which the
Magi saw had no power as governing, but attended as a witness. Instead
of assuming control over Him, it acknowledged Him by the homage it did.
Besides, this star was not one of those which from the beginning of the
world continue in the course ordained by the Creator. Along with the
new birth from the Virgin appeared a new star, which served as a guide
to the Magi who were themselves seeking for Christ; for it went before
them till they reached the place where they found the Word of God in
the form of a child. But what astrologer ever thought of making a star
leave its course, and come down to the child that is born, as they
imagine, under it? They think that the stars affect the birth, not that
the birth changes the course of the stars; so, if the star in the
Gospel was one of those heavenly bodies, how could it determine
Christ's action, when it was compelled to change its own action at
Christ's birth? But if, as is more likely, a star which did not exist
before appeared to point out Christ, it was the effect of Christ's
birth, and not the cause of it. Christ was not born because the star
was there; but the star was there because Christ was born. If there was
any fate, it was in the birth, and not in the star. The word fate is
derived from a word which means to speak; and since Christ is the Word
of God by which all things were spoken before they were, the
conjunction of stars is not the fate of Christ, but Christ is the fate
of the stars. The same will that made the heavens took our earthly
nature. The same power that ruled the stars laid down His life and took
it again.
St. Augustine's take on astrology wasn't quite as against the
idea as it seems. Augustine, like Aquinas, taught against any sort of
fatalism, any idea that the stars can override free will, but the idea
of the heavenly bodies influencing bodies on earth, including
ours, is a different matter. You can read more about that in the Zodiac sub-section of the "Being Catholic" area
of this website.
