Priest. Hermit. Aspie.
It was the late spring of 2005. The diocese had just announced that I was being transferred from a parish assignment that I loved to a new parish. For a priest in parish ministry, this is hardly unusual. For a priest on the autism spectrum (though I did not know it at the time), any change is very trying.
But that wasn’t the only problem with this move. Continue reading “No Wine”
The Magi. The Three Kings. The Wise Men.
These strange visitors, with their exotic dress and lavish gifts, bring a splash of color and a hint of mystery to any Nativity scene. They stand out among the shepherds and animals who are around the Baby Jesus, along with Mary and Joseph. Who are they? Why are they here? Why do they bring the gifts they have brought?
We are not alone in our curiosity. From very early times, Christians have written about the Magi. They were eventually called kings, and given names. Various interpretations were given of the significance of the gifts they brought the Christ Child, and of the star they followed to find Him. Some Biblical scholars dismiss this story as without any historical basis, and the gifts of the Magi as without any significance. They forget, however, that all Scripture is interconnected, like a great web, and that Christ is the ultimate interpreter of it all. Continue reading “The Four Gifts of the Magi”