Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, in his homily for the Feast of the Epiphany, explained the meaning of the three gifts brought by the Wise Men to the child Jesus.
The gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—he said, symbolize Jesus’ identity and mission as king, priest, and prophet.
The prelate began by referencing a feminist cartoon strip that reimagined the visit of the Wise Men.
“What if, instead of men, the three Wise Visitors to the Holy Family in Bethlehem were women?” he recounted, noting the cartoon’s suggestions that women might have “arrived earlier,” “cleaned a corner of the stable,” and “brought more practical gifts like diapers, alcohol, and soap.”
Turning to the traditional narrative, Cardinal David explained, “Gold symbolizes kingship. Frankincense symbolizes priesthood.
Myrrh (used for embalming the dead) symbolizes prophecy, as most prophets were killed for standing up for what is right and true.”
He said the gifts reveal Jesus’ mission: “The mission of this child would be ‘Three in One’: simultaneously king, priest, and prophet in a single person.”
The cardinal connected the Gospel account to other cultural and religious traditions, including the Tibetan search for a new Dalai Lama and the biblical story of the prophet Samuel finding David to succeed Saul as king.
“It seems that legends about the search for a new leader are a familiar genre in Oriental literature,” he said.
Cardinal David emphasized the broader message of the Epiphany, saying, “To him, all nations, peoples, and races of the world would come together. He would embody the true and highest form of humanity.”
He added that Jesus’ mission invites humanity to “discover the true meaning and essence of being human.”
“Because they originate from one parent, they are siblings, members of one family. This is the essence of the feast we celebrate today, the Epiphany,” he said.
The Feast of the Epiphany, also called the Manifestation of the Lord, marks the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus and his revelation to the nations.
