Mass Reading: Sunday - 29th January 2023

First reading
Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13
In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people

Seek the Lord,
all you, the humble of the earth,
who obey his commands.
Seek integrity,
seek humility:
you may perhaps find shelter
on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave
a humble and lowly people,
and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
They will do no wrong,
will tell no lies;
and the perjured tongue will no longer
be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest
with no one to disturb them.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):6-10(Lord6)

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
    and upholds the widow and orphan.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It is the Lord who loves the just
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, to shame the wise

Take yourselves for instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt5:12a

Alleluia, alleluia!

Rejoice and be glad:
your reward will be great in heaven.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12a
How happy are the poor in spirit

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
    theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
    they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
    they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
    they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
    they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
    they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
    they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
    theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 29th January 2023

Zep 2:3 – 3: 12-13; Ps 146: 6-10; 1 Cor 1: 26-31; Mt 5: 1-12A 

Today’s Gospel Reading from Matthew recounts what we know as Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. This entire reflection could be devoted to that, of course, but as always, there are also messages that are important in the other readings. The Sermon on the Mount is the first of five teachings Jesus gives us in the Gospel of Matthew. The Lord gives this relatively early in His Ministry, not long after He has been baptized. In the entire New Testament this is the longest continuous section of Jesus speaking, and it is perhaps the most widely quoted of part of the four Canonical Gospels. It contains, after all, the central rules of discipleship.

 
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (# 1716) this idea is supported in the following passage  that states, “The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven.”
 
Probably every Catholic theologian and cleric has addressed the Beatitudes. On a Sunday with this same reading in his homily Pope Francis said in 2014, “These are our new commandments. However, if we do not have a heart open to the Holy Spirit, they will seem silly. The thought of being poor, being meek, being merciful does not seem to lead to what we consider to be modern success. But if we do not have an open heart and if we have not experienced the consolation of the Holy Spirit, which is salvation, we cannot understand this. This is the law of the free, with the freedom of the Holy Spirit.”
 
The First Reading is drawn from the Old Testament Book of Zephaniah. It was written at about the same time as Isaiah. We do not often hear readings from Zephaniah as it only contains about 1,400 words (compare that to our other two readings sources, 1 Corinthians with almost 7,000 words, and Matthew with more than 18,000 words.). The First Reading touches on traits on which we will be judged. It emphasizes the importance of humility, justice, and being lowly. Just as Pope Francis indicated in his homily on the Beatitudes, these are not traits many people in our world seek. Yet, these are exactly the kinds of attributes that follow lives of stewardship. That is why it is not easy.
 
In Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians (our Second Reading) the Apostle Paul also describes what it means to be a Christian and a steward, paralleling the First Reading and the Gospel. He reminds the Corinthians that they, too, need to be humble. It is possible that they, like many who felt they were “chosen,” had an inflated opinion of themselves, thinking that God favored them. In this reading Paul gently reminds them that God does not work that way. We need to keep that in mind ourselves; it is very easy when we feel that we have completely captured the secret of living, which may be true; however, we must take caution not to be self-righteous. Paul tells the Corinthians that they are not chosen because they are great, but because God is great.
 
Paul knows this firsthand; he was an educated man, but he also understood that the Lord selected fishermen and farmers first, and people like him second; the shepherds came first, then the wise men. Paul uses three words to emphasize his meaning — righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Righteousness on our part is trying to live as Jesus told us; sanctification implies how we live, how we recognize that it is only through Christ that we are sanctified; and redemption reminds us of the sacrifice the Lord made in our behalf so we could be free, and God would forgive our sins.
 
As indicated in the opening of this reflection, today’s Gospel provides us with instructions from Jesus as to what kind of people His disciples should be. There are more than enough key words on which to reflect and pray: poor, mourn, meek, hunger, mercy, peacemakers, clean, and persecuted to name a few. We could concentrate on each one, but it is worth pointing out that these are traits the Lord calls us to, and what He may mean by them. 
 
For example, when Jesus says that to be blessed, we need to “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” He is reminding us of what our focus in life should be. In our world people hunger for many things that may not be that important — things like power and success and wealth and possessions and comfort. The idea of being righteous in His eyes is more important than any of those. When He calls us to be peacemakers, He probably does not mean that we do not just live in peace, but that we need to bring peace to others.
 
Finally, He reminds us that the reward for living in these ways may well be persecution. Why? Quite simply because the world has a differing view of these character traits and values. The question we are called to answer through our lives is, “Are these Beatitudes reflective of our lives?” Indeed, they need to be.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 22nd January 2023

First reading
Isaiah 8:23-9:3
In Galilee of the nations the people has seen a great light

In days past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor –
these you break as on the day of Midian.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14

The Lord is my light and my help.

The Lord is my light and my help;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    before whom shall I shrink?

The Lord is my light and my help.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
    for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
    all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
    to behold his temple.

The Lord is my light and my help.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
    in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
    Hope in the Lord!

The Lord is my light and my help.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17
Make up the differences between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves

    I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe’s people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’, ‘I am for Christ.’ Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?

    For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Mt4:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 4:12-23
He went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled

    Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.’

    From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’

    As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

    He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 22nd January 2023

 IS 8:23-9:3; PS 27:1,4, 13-14; 1 COR 1:10-13, 17; MT 4:12-23 or 4:12-17

Today’s readings remind us that stewardship is not just a thing we do — rather, stewardship is at the core of who we are as disciples of Christ.
 
Our first reading, from Isaiah, contains this prophecy of Christ and what His saving message would mean to all who embrace it. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” We are among those blessed people on whom the light of Christ has shone. By virtue of our Baptism, we, who were once in the darkness and gloom of original sin, have been born again into the great light that is God’s grace in us. We have become cherished members of God’s family. 
 
What a privilege!
 
Yet, with this privilege comes the responsibility to actually live for God and to bring His Good News to all those we meet at work, at school, in our community and right in our own home.
 
In our second reading, from the First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul urges us to keep the responsibility of sharing the Gospel our foremost priority. In this passage he addresses the divisions and rivalries that have cropped up in the Christian community in Corinth. He urges the Christians there to “be united in the same mind and the same purpose,” reminding them that it was Christ and only Christ Who was crucified for us. We owe everything to Him. Our lives our therefore not about us, our egos, our personal ambitions and loyalties. Those things cannot satisfy us, anyway. Our loyalty must be to Christ above all else and our priority must be to bring His light to everyone He puts in our path.
 
And there is a certain urgency that comes with the call to a stewardship way of life. We see this in our Gospel passage from Matthew, where we find Jesus on the move. He has left Nazareth and goes to live in Capernaum, fulfilling what was said of Him through the prophet Isaiah, as we recall from today’s first reading. “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" In other words, turn away from selfishness, turn towards God and live as His disciple now — don’t wait!
 
Later in this same passage, the very first disciples give us examples of a good steward’s prompt “yes” when the Lord called to them. Our Lord sees Simon and his brother, Andrew, living an ordinary day as fishermen when He said to them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” The two did not hesitate. They didn’t think about themselves or how this might disrupt their business. Rather, "at once they left their nets and followed him.” Then, Jesus called two more brothers, James and John. They, too, were living an ordinary day as fishermen, working alongside their father mending nets in their boat. Jesus called them and “immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” They did not worry about their personal lives and how their father might react. They put our Lord and His will first and responded without hesitation. 
 
This is the essence of a stewardship way of life — to be always ready for the ways that our Lord is calling us to bring His light to others. It’s more than something we do — it’s who we are.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 15th January 2023

 

IS 49:3, 5-6; PS 40:2, 4, 7-10;1 COR 1:1-3; JN 1:29-34

Today’s readings provide clear and inspiring reminders of the most fundamental aspect of our identity — that of servants of our most high and holy God, His modern-day disciples and stewards.
 
In the first reading, from Isaiah, we hear the voice of the “Suffering Servant” — prophetic words of Jesus Christ. “Now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb.” How beautiful! Even from the first moment of his conception in the womb of our Blessed Mother, Jesus’ saving mission had begun. This is true for each one of us. The Father has called each of us from the moment of our conception for a unique mission to further His kingdom on the earth. Each one of us can truly say the Father has “formed me as his servant from the womb.” 
 
To be his servant is all that truly matters in this life, for ourselves and for our children. Career paths, athletic accomplishments, the school we attend or the city in which we live — all are secondary to the thing that matters most — that we have been called from the womb for the privilege of being God’s servants. Do our daily lives reflect this high calling? Do we use the gifts of our time, talents and treasure in service of God’s kingdom, and do we guide our children to do the same, for that is why God has entrusted these things to us?
 
Our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, gives us another reminder of our true identity as God’s servants and the high calling we have as Christian stewards. St. Paul greets the Corinthians, and us as well, with this description: “To you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy…” We are called to nothing less than holiness. After all, only the holy can enter heaven.
 
John the Baptist recognized the holiness of Jesus and the response due to  Him when he encountered Christ in person on the day they met at the Jordan River. His response, which we read in our Gospel passage from St. John was,  “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world… He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” 
 
What a powerful description of our Lord and the place He should rightfully have in each of our lives. He is truly our Savior, the only one who can free us from our sinfulness. We are utterly and completely dependent on His power, love and mercy. Therefore, He truly does “rank ahead” of us; he deserves to be first, above all other priorities and plans in our lives. Again, let us examine our daily lives, and encourage our children to do the same. 
 
Does the way I spend my time reflect that God comes first? Do prayer and weekly Mass, regular confession and time with my family “rank ahead” of everything else on my calendar? Do I use my talents, skills and energy to serve my family, parish and community in thanksgiving and recognition that God’s kingdom ranks ahead of any other goals or ambitions? Do I spend my money and use my material possessions so as to glorify God? 
 
Challenge questions, to be sure. But questions worthy of our high calling as Christian stewards offered a glorious mission in service of our Lord and His kingdom. What will our response be?

Mass Reading: Sunday - 15th January 2023

First reading
Isaiah 49:3,5-6
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth

The Lord said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel,
in whom I shall be glorified’;
I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord,
my God was my strength.

And now the Lord has spoken,
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him:

‘It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 39(40):2,4,7-10

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

I waited, I waited for the Lord
    and he stooped down to me;
    he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
    praise of our God.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
    but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
    Instead, here am I.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

In the scroll of the book it stands written
    that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
    in the depth of my heart.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

Your justice I have proclaimed
    in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
    you know it, O Lord.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace

I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Lk19:38,2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens!

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:
to all who did accept him 
he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 1:29-34
'Look: there is the Lamb of God'

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 8th January 2023

First reading
Isaiah 60:1-6
Above you the glory of the Lord appears

Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come,
the glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though night still covers the earth
and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises
and above you his glory appears.
The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:
all are assembling and coming towards you,
your sons from far away
and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,
your heart throbbing and full;
since the riches of the sea will flow to you,
the wealth of the nations come to you;

camels in throngs will cover you,
and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,10-13

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

O God, give your judgement to the king,
    to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
    and your poor in right judgement.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

In his days justice shall flourish
    and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
    from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts
    shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
    shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
    all nations shall serve him.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

For he shall save the poor when they cry
    and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
    and save the lives of the poor.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
It has now been revealed that pagans share the same inheritance

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt2:2

Alleluia, alleluia!

We saw his star as it rose
and have come to do the Lord homage.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
The visit of the Magi

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,

for out of you will come a leader

who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 8th January 2023

 

As our celebration of Christmas continues, today we observe the great feast of The Epiphany of the Lord. The word “epiphany” comes from Greek and means manifestation or appearance. The stewardship way of life is one in which we live in grateful response to God’s countless manifestations in our lives. 
 
And, as Christian stewards we are all called to manifest God’s love to each other in the sharing of our gifts. St. Paul describes this beautifully in our second reading in his letter to the Ephesians, saying, “You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit.” We have all been given unique and wonderful gifts from our good and generous God. He wants us to share these gifts to benefit others and so to give Him glory. 
 
Our Gospel passage, from Matthew, also has much to teach us about stewardship — through the actions of the magi. These three kings from ancient days display many aspects of stewardship spirituality which we can apply as modern-day stewards right now.
 
First, we observe that their overriding priority is on honoring the long-awaited King. The magi travel a great distance in search of him. Upon arrival in Jerusalem they immediately begin to ask others where this King may be found, unashamedly declaring that they “have come to do him homage.” Is honor and worship of God our highest priority? Do we order our lives so that Sunday Mass is the most important act of the week for ourselves and our families no matter what else is going on?
 
Second, we observe that the magi, as good stewards, were watching for  manifestations of God’s presence in their lives. “We have seen the star at its rising,” they say.  Good stewards are keenly aware of the “star” of God’s presence and His gifts in their lives. It is this awareness that fills them with gratitude and the desire to both worship God and share His gifts with others.
 
Third, we observe in the magi that a stewardship journey is not without its difficulties, its twists and turns. Herod tried to take advantage of their goodness, feigning a desire to join them in worshipping the newborn Jesus, in order to hide his deadly intentions. Yet God protected and guided them along their way, and through their cooperation with God’s plan, He accomplished great things through them.
 
Fourth, we observe that the magi, upon seeing the manifestation of God’s presence in their lives, “were overjoyed.” Good stewards, who live with the awareness of God’s presence and gifts to them, simply can’t help but be filled with joy — not necessarily the fleeting and superficial kind of joy that the world promises if we just obtain enough wealth or power or comfort — but rather, the deep, unalterable joy that only God can give.
 
Finally, we observe that the magi were so filled with awe upon encountering the newborn Jesus, that they prostrated themselves before him. To prostrate oneself is to make a total offering of oneself in humility, recognizing the greatness of the One before them; it is an act of worship. And as a further act of worship, they “opened their treasures and offered him gifts.” This is precisely why good stewards generously share their material gifts — as a loving act of worship to an extravagantly loving God.
 
Let us rejoice in God’s manifestations in our lives and be watchful for the new ways He is calling us to share ourselves and our gifts in gratitude to our King in the year ahead.