As One of the Magi         Michael & Delana Clements

-When Herod was king, I was one of the Magi who traveled from the East to Jerusalem because my friends and I had heard stories of a King being born.  We asked “where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay homage.”  When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him.  He called all of the chief priests and scribes of the people together and inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.  They told him that it was written by the prophet that he would be born in Bethlehem of Judea.  The prophet has written this:

“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out      of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people, Israel.”

Then, Herod secretly called us together and found out from us when the exact time the star had appeared and sent us to Bethlehem saying, “Go and search diligently for the child.  When you find him, bring me word so that I may also go and worship him.”  After we heard from the king, we made our way to Bethlehem and the star we had seen in the east went ahead of us until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When we saw that the star had stopped, we were overwhelmed with joy.  On coming to the house, we saw the child with his mother, Mary and we knelt down and paid him homage.  Then, we opened our treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, we left for our own country by another route.  We brought gifts that were important to us, but were worthy of the king.