What We Truly Worship

Matthew 2:1-12

Father Mark reflects on the Gospel of the Magi to proclaim that Christ’s birth is truly good news of great joy for all people—across politics, nations, cultures, religions, and identities. The wise men, likely Zoroastrian priests from Persia, encounter God not through Scripture or angels but through creation itself, reminding us that God continually reveals God’s self through the natural world. Their journey shows that outsiders and foreigners often perceive divine truth more clearly than those who assume religious or political privilege.

In contrast, King Herod and the religious leaders respond not with joy but with fear and hostility. The birth of Jesus exposes a clash between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world—between self-giving love and power rooted in control, violence, and fear. The Magi offer not only gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but their very selves, kneeling in devotion before the Christ child, while worldly rulers conspire to destroy him.

Father Mark draws contemporary lessons from this contrast: we are called to listen to foreigners, people of other faiths, and scientists, recognizing the gifts they bring. He challenges listeners to examine what they truly worship—whether God or lesser loyalties such as power, ideology, or security. Like the Magi, we are invited to offer our whole selves to Christ, placing God first so that all other loves may find their proper place.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.