They saw the child…and paid him homage…they offered him gifts

WEDNESDAY, September 9 (Constance and her Companions)

Matthew 2:1-12. They saw the child…and paid him homage…they offered him gifts.

Those who have been reading the lectionary each day have seen a great shift. Readings from the Gospel of Mark ended with the empty tomb, and now we move to Matthew and the birth of Jesus. The passion, resurrection, and the birth are not scriptures one normally reads in September. And yet they underscore that both endings and beginnings are an ongoing part of life.

Although we live in one of the most advanced nations of the world, in which modern medicine has drastically improved infant survival and prolonged life for the aged, in much of the world people still die daily from disease, malnutrition, and a lack of clean water.

Our baptismal covenant calls us to love our neighbors and respect the dignity of everyone. The Episcopal Church has given us a concrete way to do this through the Millennium Development Goals. When we give to help alleviate the suffering of the world, these modern-day gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh allow us to pay homage to Jesus just as surely as those wise men did long ago.

PRAY for the Diocese of South Western Brazil (Brazil)

Ps 119:49-72 * 49, [53]; 1 Kings 17:1-24; Philippians 2:1-11

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.