ago to see the newly born messiah. the gospel tells us about the magai. it doesn t tell us the number that come. while few facts are known about the wise men they play a big part in today s christmas celebration. the three kings isn t an aberration. the only reason we think there are three of them they brought gifts gold, frankincense and myrrh. just as mysterious as the wise men was the ways they followed. they saw an exploding star or come met or maybe the planet jupiter or was the star of bethlehem a miraculous event which no one can explain? it is a great irony because they come to jerusalem and they come to herod and they say where was this kyled born king of the jews. the star was led hem almost far enough bau actually to the wrong king. we often miss that this is much
jerusalem built the palace on top of macada. he built another fortress palace. he is respected as the greatest builder but reviled as a paranoid mad man who killed his wife three of the children and the rabbi of the jewish dynasty. in matthew s gospel when the magi followed their star to jerusalem and asked herod where the king of the jews had been born he commanded soldiers to kill all of the babies in bethlehem. the slaughter of the innocent. would mary and joseph felt o oppre oppressed? is i would have in their position. already it would have been a very intimidating place for
invited to see as not only changing the very meaning of power itself. the whole story of king herod is almost a play on word. every time king herod, but the reader knows who the real king is. the real king is jesus. they bring gospel analysis and archeology nool focus at a place mary and joseph could not avoid on their way to nazareth from bethlehem. herod is concerned about security. it is a palace fortress important politically for places like this. to be not just impressive but intimidateling. this volcano shaped mound is clearly advivisible.
monasteries in bethlehem and commemorated a sitehere where some would say facts, fiction and faith comere together. the grotto,, a site whereed w tradition says the holy family hid when herod sent his soldier to kill all the babies in bethlehem. according to the first christian belief, while o mary was nursing her baby here some drops of her milk cav fell to the ground. tradition says a miracle occurred in this cave a short distance from jesus alls birth site when the drops to of mary s milk turned theopin walls white and people come. here hoping for more miracles.r because mary s milk fellmi here they ask for the powder of this milk. what do they do with this? with the husband they would put a small grain into milk, water or juice and drink it.t. there is a special devotional prayer if they re catholic. not catholic they pray with faith and from the heart to be healed
towards men message of the birth and life of jesus christ. irng because the christmas story has been domesticated into this realm of fairyland and grato. it is very clear in matthew and luke. they may have different accounts of jesus birth dbut their message is the same. in luke you have augustus caesar sitting on his throne. we need to raise more taxes. at the far end of the empire this couple set off and a baby is born who within 100 years will be the talk of the town around the roman empire. for matthew we have to focus on king herod who kills the people in his own family and any one who gets in his way this little weak human baby who we have