The Three Kings' gifts part I

Last Saturday, we attended a meeting in which Mom had to go in front of everyone and talk about Blessings & Eucharistic Adoration. About how God blesses us, especially when we are obedient. She did pretty well, since she's non really a public speaker. In fact, after her speech, everyone congratulated her. Well done Mom!

After her speech, another speaker, Father Mark, spoke about The Call to Holiness. Since it was Epiphany, he taught us these stories about the three wise men's gifts and how they could help us lead better lives. Can you figure out their meanings?

Gold
Long ago, three wise men set out to follow the star that would lead them to the Child Jesus. However, there was a fourth. He too, set out to give the Child the gift of thousands of priceless jewels. He had ventured some while after the other three, and was constantly trying to catch up.

At last, he came to a town. He searched for his companions, only to find that he had missed them. On his way out of the town, he heard a cry. It was a woman, who had been abused by her master for many years. The wise man thought to himself, "Surely I can spare a jewel to pay for her freedom. I have plenty to spare"
So he freed her, bought her new clothes, and helped her start a better life, then continued with his journey contented with himself for doing a good deed.

He then came to another town, only to find once again he had missed the other three. One way or another, he had found another being in need. Once again, he gave one of his many jewels to help the poor one, convinced that he had more than one to spare.

The same events continued for thirty years. Tired, frustrated, discouraged, and with only one precious jewel left, he entered Jerusalem. He looked at his last jewel in despair. "What am I to do now?" he wondered desperately, "The Child surely ought to be an adult by now" he decided to make the journey home. He had heared about a man, convicted for no reason, who was to die. Looking at his last jewel, he made up his mind to help the poor man. Yet, he hesitated. He had traveled so long to give it to the Child, he had been saving it all those years. In his heart, however, he knew what to do.

Purposefully, he marched to where the man was being held. He stopped in his tracks, horrified that he was too late, for there was the man already making his way to Calvary. The man looked up, and the wise man met his eyes. What he realized was amazing. In the man he saw each and every being in need that he had ever helped, and realized that the man before him was the one he had been searching for all those years.
"Whatever you do unto the least of My kin, you do unto Me"

I'll help on this one. Father Mark said the story had two meanings. Whenever we give, we shouldn't give whatever excess of wealth we have. we should give as much as we can, and it will come back to us tenfold. The second meaning is "Whatever you do for the least of My kin, you do unto Me."


Frankincense
There was once a young prince who lived a perfect life. He was good wealthy, handsome, and about to marry the most beautiful maiden in all the land. Until a fatal hunting accident marred him for life. His father prohibited him from being seen in public. His brothers, who had been intimidated by him, were laughing at him, taunting him until he could bear it no more. Worst of all, his fiance refused to marry such a hideous man. One night he could take it no more, so he left.

From the person everyone wanted to be, he had gone to the person everyone abhorred. He lived in the streets, begging, sleeping wherever he could, a he was frequently chased away. As he ate scraps from tables, he thought of the most delicious food he was used to, served steaming hot, mouth watering and rich in flavor. As he slept in doorways, he dreamed of soft warm beds, made of the softest feathers. Only to wake up cold, stiff, and hungrier than before.

Soon, he became bitter, ill-tempered, resentful of others, and gravely sick.

Yikes, it's dinner time already!

Sorry, I'll have to post the rest later.