presence
in the deepest sentiments of praise, thanksgiving, and a total sacrifice
of themselves. So far from being shocked at the poverty of the place,
and at his unkingly appearance, their faith rises and gathers strength
on the sight of obstacles which, humanly speaking, should extinguish it.
It captivates their understanding; it penetrates these curtains of
poverty, infancy, weakness, and abjection; it casts them on their faces,
as unworthy to look up to this star, this God of Jacob: they confess him
under this disguise to be the only and eternal God: they own the excess
of his goodness in becoming man, and the excess of human misery, which
requires for its relief so great a humiliation of the Lord of glory. St.
Leo thus extols their faith and devotion: "When a star had conducted
them to adore Jesus, they did not find him commanding devils, or raising
the dead, {099} or restoring sight to the blind, or speech to the dumb,
or employed in any divine actions; but a silent babe, under the care of
a solicitous mother, giving no sign of power, but exhibiting a miracle
of humility."[21] Where shall we find such a faith in Israel? I mean
among the Christians of our days. The wise men knew by the light of
faith that he came not to bestow on us earthly riches, but to banish our
love and fondness for them, and to subdue our pride. They had already
learned the maxims of Christ, and had imbibed his spirit: whereas
Christians are for the greatest part such strangers to it, and so
devoted to the world, and its corrupt maxims, that they blush at poverty
and humiliation, and will give no admittance in their hearts to the
humility and the cross of Jesus Christ. Such by their actions cry out
with those men in the gospel: _We will not have this man to reign over
us_.[22] This their opposite conduct shows what they would have thought
of Christ and his humble appearance at Bethlehem.

The Magi, pursuant to the custom of the eastern nations, where the
persons of great princes are not to be approached without presents,
present to Jesus, as a token of homage, the richest produce their
countries afforded, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold, as an
acknowledgment of his regal power: incense, as a confession of his
Godhead: and myrrh, as a testimony that he was become man for the
redemption of the world. But their far more acceptable presents were the
holy sentiments and affections of their souls; their fervent charity,
signified by gold; their