At
the time that Jesus was born, Herod ruled in Jerusalem as king. Then wise men
from the East came to Jerusalem. They asked: Where is
the new-born King of the Jews? We have seen how his star has risen. Now we
have come to pay homage to him.
When
King Herod heard this he was terrified. The inhabitants of Jerusalem shared his anxiety.
Herod summoned the priests and the teachers who knew the Holy Books. He asked
them: Where will the Messiah, the Saviour be born? They replied: He will be
born in Bethlehem. That is what the
prophet Micah has said: You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are an important city
of princes; for in you will be born the one who is to lead and guide the
people of Israel.
Herod
sent wise men to Bethlehem: Go, look for the
child! When you have found him, let me know, so that I, too, may go and
worship him. As the wise men set off on their journey, the star they had seen
in the East went ahead of them. It stopped over the house where Jesus was.
They rejoiced from the bottom of their hearts. They entered the house, found
Mary and the child, bowed down deeply and worshipped him. Then they gave him their
gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the night, however, God told them not
to return to Herod. So they left for their homeland by another route.