The offerings of the wise men: the flight into Egypt: the massacre of the Innocents.
The Lord leads us to become better people as we draw closer to Him.
“Therefore after He has brought them, leading them by the hand, and has set them by the manger; it is no longer by a star, but by an angel that He now discourses unto them. Thus did they little by little become better men.”(4) -St. John Chrysostom
God exalts the smallest, the humblest.
“Thou, Bethlehem, of the land of Judah, or Ephrata, (which is added to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in Galilee,) though thou art a small village among the thousand cities of Judah, yet out of thee shall be born Christ, who shall be the Ruler of Israel, who according to the flesh is of the seed of David, but was born of Me before the worlds; and therefore it is written, ‘His goings forth are of old. In the beginning was the Word.’”(4) -St. Jerome
God allows all people to come to the Truth.
“The expression, ‘art not the least,’ is a further proof, for none but Christ could make the town where He was born illustrious. ‘Who shall rule My people Israel,’ is said mystically, for those of the Jews who believed; for if Christ ruled not all the Jews, theirs is the blame. Meanwhile he is silent respecting the Gentiles, that the Jews might not be scandalized. Mark this wonderful ordinance; Jews and Magi mutually instruct each other; the Jews learn of the Magi that a star had proclaimed Christ in the east, the Magi from the Jews that the Prophets had spoken of Him of old. Thus confirmed by a twofold testimony, they would look with more ardent faith for One whom the brightness of the star and the voice of the Prophets equally proclaimed.”(4) -St. John Chrysostom
The gifts of the three Kings were most fitting to Christ.
“Gold, as paid to a mighty King; frankincense, as offered to God; myrrh, as to one who is to die for the sins of all.”(4) -St. Augustine
Our knowledge of God grows as we seek Him.
“That which wrought upon them to set out from home and to come so long a journey; and this was both the star, and the illumination wrought of God in their mind, guiding them little by little to the more perfect knowledge.”(4) -St. John Chrysostom
Knowledge, obedience and love is offered to God through the Catholic Church.
“Coming near to the self-devotion of the Church; for it was knowledge and obedience and love that they offered unto Him.”(4) -St. John Chrysostom
Mourning and sorrow continues in this world until we are joined in Heaven.
“The voice of the poor entereth into the heavens.” The ‘weeping ‘means the cries of the children; ‘lamentation,’ refers to the mothers. In the infants themselves their death ends their cries, in the mothers it is continually renewed by the remembrance of their loss.”(4) -St. John Chrysotom
Women's Prayer Group In Christ 