MEDITATION TIPS (Episode 285)
The Epiphany of the Lord
January 4, 2026

“They prostrated themselves and did homage to the child. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

　There is a famous short story by the American writer O. Henry titled “The Gift of the Magi.” This story is based on the account of the Magi from the East presenting gifts to the infant Jesus.

　There was a young couple, Jim and Della, who loved each other deeply. However, their life was poor, and Jim only earned $20 a month. With Christmas approaching, they had only $1.87 left. They both wondered how they could possibly afford Christmas presents for each other with that money. Eventually, they secretly planned to surprise each other with gifts. Their only possessions were Jim’s pocket watch and Della’s beautiful hair, which reached down to her waist. Jim sold his pocket watch to buy a tortoiseshell comb to style Della’s lovely hair. Meanwhile, Della sold her most treasured possession—her hair—to buy a platinum chain for Jim's pocket watch.

　On Christmas Day, when they tried to exchange gifts, they were stunned. Jim had bought the tortoiseshell comb for Della, but her hair was gone. Della had bought the platinum chain for Jim’s pocket watch, but the pocket watch was gone. At first glance, their actions seemed foolish, a case of missing each other’s intentions. Yet, each had given the other their most precious possession—the visible pocket watch and hair—as a token of their greatest, invisible love. Whether the platinum chain or tortoiseshell comb served an immediate purpose was irrelevant. “The wise person values the love of the giver more than the gift itself” (Thomas à Kempis, medieval mystic). Jim and Della were truly wise.

　The Magi from the East presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant. Gold has been always valuable, frankincense is used in temple worship—these two make sense as gifts. But myrrh is used to anoint the dead; it seems unsuitable and useless as a gift for an infant. Symbolically, gold represents the most precious thing before God: love. Frankincense represents worship: prayer. Then what is myrrh? It is that which seems useless at first glance—namely, our daily burdens and crosses. What we can offer to God is love and prayer, and our daily burdens and crosses.

　“What is immediately useful quickly becomes obsolete in the world. What is not immediately useful is, in fact, useful in the long run” (Shinzo Koizumi, former President of Keio University). This holds true for scholarship, work, and faith alike. In a world that values practicality and immediate effectiveness, as we persist asking, “Why must we do such seemingly useless things?”, the answer reveals itself. Let us begin this year’s journey carrying myrrh. We will discover that what we thought was useless is actually the most useful thing.

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)