At the turning of the year, many of us choose to make resolutions. The magi in this weekend’s gospel can provide inspiration for our spiritual pursuits.

The wise men present gifts to the newborn Jesus that represent aspects of His identity. Gold is for royalty, frankincense represents His divinity, and myrrh points to His humanity (St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3, 9, 2). These gifts represent gifts we are meant to present to God in our daily lives. Gold is Christ’s wisdom, frankincense is prayer and adoration, and myrrh is our daily sacrifices (Pope St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, 10).

As we enter the new year, let’s think about ways to grow closer to the Lord in these areas. Maybe that is praying more prayers of trust to allow Christ’s wisdom to shine (Click here to read the Litany of Trust). Maybe we attend daily Mass or Eucharistic Adoration once a month. Or maybe we begin to see our daily struggles as offerings to God rather than things to complain about.  

May God bless you in 2025! We at St. Pius X are looking forward to growing in holiness with you this year.