Originally published at Southern Cross
By Ricardo Márquez
The Gospel of Matthew brings us the good news of the visit of the Three Wise Men from the East, known as the Magi, to find Jesus. Over time, the observance of the stars has sparked the creation of myths and beliefs to signal the profound impact “the sky” has on the history of humanity.
We can assume that the Magi were possibly astrologers coming from Persia, Arabia or other remote nations. The catechetical intention of the Gospel of Matthew is to signal that Jesus not only fulfills the promise of salvation for the People of Israel but equally the hope for all peoples on earth, far beyond the borders of Israel.
In the sky, the Magi astrologers could recognize a special conjunction of stars that sparked their curiosity and enticed them to leave their lands and search for “something special” that had occurred: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).
This tradition of the Magi, the source of happy childhood memories, loses its meaning if it remains only a reference to Christmas presents and school presentations.
