The Magi
The Rev. Solomon J. Keal
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“We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:2)
his year the General Church Journey Program was called Living Gratefully.
It explored the five “laws” or “gifts” of Divine Providence, and the ways
that we can express and feel gratitude for these gifts of providence from the
Lord. After having explored the grateful ways that we receive gifts from the
Lord, now at Christmas time we turn our minds and hearts to the ways that we
can give gifts. What are the gifts that we can bring to the Lord? The story of the
“magi” describes this part of our spiritual journey.
The magi in this story were a group of people who possessed some remnant
knowledge of correspondences and symbols from the Ancient Church. (See
Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 102; Secrets of Heaven 9293.3) These magi also
represent the part of us that can possess spiritual knowledge. (See Secrets of
Heaven 1171, 3762:3, 5223)
Wisdom resides in our intellect or understanding. And just as these magi
would look into the starry heavens for inspiration, our intellect can look into
the spiritual heavens and be enlightened. In fact the Latin word which is often
used in the Writings to describe the magi (“sapientes” or “wise people”) is the
same word used in the Latin term for the human race: “homo sapiens.” (See
Apocalypse Explained 324.10)
These magi were from the East, which represents a place of charity and
love: “The good of faith which is signified by the ‘land of the east,’ is no other
than that which in the Word is called charity toward the neighbor.” (Secrets of
Heaven 3249) But these magi were at a great distance from the Lord at first,
and so it represents the times when we have good intentions, but we are not
yet truly living the life of love.
We might want to make some changes in our lives. Maybe we intend to
make some New Year’s resolutions. Maybe we have some bad habits we want
to get rid of, but we haven’t done so yet. We might find ourselves stuck in
negativity, criticism or resentment, but wanting to move closer to the light and
warmth of love, compassion and forgiveness. This is like the magi wanting to
come to see the Lord, but with a great journey still ahead of them.
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