A Place to Be BornExemplo

### WE HAVE COME TO WORSHIP HIM “After listening to the king, the magicians departed; and behold, the star which they saw in the east went ahead of them, until, arriving, it stopped over where the boy was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great and intense joy. Entering the house, they saw the boy with Mary, his mother. Falling down, they worshiped him; and opening their treasures, they delivered their offerings to him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”  (Matthew 2:9-11) The birth of Jesus brought cosmic impacts. A special, prophesied and long-awaited star appeared in the sky and was interpreted by astronomer kings. They knew the Jewish prophecy: “And you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, who are too small to appear as a group of thousands of Judah, from you shall come to me he who shall reign in Israel, and whose origins are from ancient times, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5.2). The certainty of the fulfillment of the prophecy was so great that it compelled them to make a long journey from the east in order to present and worship the born king. It is interesting that, supposing that such a birth was being received by the people with celebration and joy, the kings went to find Herod (a representative of the Roman empire in Judea) and, in his palace, they asked about the child, but it was all in vain. He was not there. Realizing the mistake, they soon went on their way chasing the star and, when they found Jesus in the most unlikely place in the world for a king, they worshiped him. The worship of the wise men of the east was a symbol of the effect of the coming of Jesus on mankind, because, even though they were not Jews, they believed and worshiped him. This is what John guaranteed would happen to every human being who recognized Jesus as the awaited Messiah, son of God: “The Word was in the world, the world was made through him, but the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, he gave power to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name.” (John 1.10-12) “To all who received him…”. You and I sometimes forget the impact of those words. Like the wise men of the east, you and I are probably not of Jewish lineage, yet we believe in him and worship him. We decided to give him our lives and, like those men, we were received and accepted. He gave us the power to be called "sons of God." Yes, God is our Father, and anyone who believes in Jesus can call him that, from anywhere in the world. This Christmas, celebrate with your family the divine grace and mercy bestowed on your life. Your salvation is your greatest gift. Worship Jesus, the one who made all of this a reality for you and for many.