The Gift of the three Kings

One night, a comet appeared in the sky. All who saw is were surprised and afraid. King Caspar consulted with two other kings who were, like himself, amongst the wisest men in the world, and asked them if they knew the meaning of this strange star. King Balthasaar, while studying old books, discovered an ancient prophecy: the comet was to announce the coming of the Messiah and showed the place where he was to be born. He invited the others to accompany him to pay tribute to the Messiah, and asked them to think of the most suitable gifts to take.

Melchior, who knew that it Messiah was going to be a man, decided to take a jar of myrrh as his offering, because with this he would be able to perfume his body. Caspar, on the other hand, said that the Messiah was Lord of heaven and earth, and he searched far and wide for a gift precious enough for such a powerful king. At last he chose a casket full of gold. Balthasaar believed that the Messiah ought to be worshipped as the Son of God, and he therefore decided to take him frankin­cense as his gift, the substance that people have always burnt to their gods as a sign of their devotion.

And in the staole at Bethlehem, the gifts of the three kings lay alongside

those of the shepherds, whose riches lay in the love they showed.

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