“They offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:11

After the Magi kneel before the child, the Gospel tells us that they open what they have brought and place it before Him. Their response to Christ is not only interior. It becomes an offering.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not casual gifts. They are costly and intentional. They represent what the Magi considered valuable and worth protecting. These gifts were chosen before the journey began and carried with care until the moment of encounter.

The Gospel does not describe Jesus speaking or responding. He receives what is placed before Him. The moment is quiet and reverent. Nothing is explained, yet something real is given.

This scene teaches us that a willing heart naturally moves toward offering. Encounter with Christ leads to placing our lives before Him, not because He demands it, but because grace draws the heart to give what it holds.

Epiphany invites us to reflect on what we place before Christ. Not what we wish we could offer, but what we actually carry. Our time. Our choices. Our desires. Our willingness to entrust them to Him.

This day of prayer asks for the grace to place our lives before Christ honestly, trusting that what is given into His hands is received with love.

Today I ask for the grace to place my life before Christ with trust and sincerity.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
You received the gifts placed before You
with silence and love.

I place before You what I carry this day,
not holding back what is costly
or difficult to entrust.

Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon my heart,
that I may offer myself freely
and without fear.

Receive what I place before You,
and shape my life according to Your will,
that all I give may bear fruit
for the glory of the Father.

Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

© 2026 Discerning Hearts ®. All rights reserved. This reflection may not be reproduced or distributed without permission, except for personal prayer and noncommercial use with attribution.

Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the need for healing mother and father wounds, a topic that resonates with many. With his deep spiritual insight and experience, he reflects on the complex dynamics of family life and the crucial roles of understanding and forgiveness.

Through intricacies of parental relationships and the profound impact of fatherhood, Msgr. Esseff shares personal narratives that illustrate the journey of reconciling with parental figures and the transformative power of forgiveness, and how these familial relationships significantly influence our spiritual and emotional growth.

Central to the reflection is the healing from mother and father wounds, the emotional scars left by strained or absent parental relationships and how the path to healing these deep-seated wounds. We are encouraged to explore forgiveness, not just as a religious act, but as a vital step towards inner peace and spiritual maturity.

1. 1. Understanding Parental Influence: Reflect on how your relationship with your parents has shaped your faith and personal beliefs. What positive lessons have you learned, and what challenges have you faced?
   2. Healing and Forgiveness: Consider any wounds or unresolved issues you may have with your parents. How can you approach these with a spirit of forgiveness and understanding, as guided by Catholic teachings?
   3. Role of Fathers in Faith: How has the role of your father or father figures impacted your spiritual life? Reflect on the importance of fatherhood in the Catholic faith.
   4. Caring for Aging Parents: Reflect on the commandment to honor your father and mother. How does this apply to caring for aging parents in today’s world, and how can you balance this responsibility with other duties?
   5. Embracing Love and Understanding: How can you better incorporate the virtues of love, patience, and understanding in your family relationships, as modeled by the Holy Family?
   6. Personal Transformation through Forgiveness: Share a personal experience where forgiveness led to healing and transformation in your family or community.
   7. Spiritual Growth through Family Dynamics: In what ways have your family experiences contributed to your spiritual growth? How can you use these experiences to deepen your faith?
   8. Impact of Absent Parents: If applicable, reflect on the impact of an absent parent in your life. How has this shaped your understanding of God as a Father?
   9. Prayer and Family Life: How can prayer strengthen your family relationships? Consider developing a prayer routine that includes praying for and with family members.
   10. Role Modeling and Legacy: What legacy do you wish to leave for your children or future generations in terms of faith and family values?

Reading 1 SIR 3:2-6, 12-14

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta and encountered St. Padre Pio, who became a spiritual father to him. Msgr. Esseff has lived in various parts of the world, working in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Pope St. John Paul II to spread the Good News, especially to the poor. Msgr. Esseff continues his service as a retreat leader and director for bishops, priests, sisters, seminarians, and other religious leaders worldwide.

“On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Four Calling Birds …”symbolizing the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which proclaim the good news of God’s reconciliation of the world to Himself through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today we give thanks for the good news! We are blessed to have heard it in our lives and are called to share the news with others. Help us share the news with just one today, Lord. Bless those whose lives are dedicated to the proclamation of the news…the ministers, priests, missionaries, teachers, evangelists and saints of the Church. During these holy days, and everyday, help us to foster Your kingdom on Earth! Amen.

Text gratefully found at
Via Rosa Rosaries, Devotional Chaplets, Rosary Beads, and Catholic Gifts
entitled A Christian meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas
Copyright © 2005-2006

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.”
Matthew 2:3

As Epiphany continues, the Gospel shows that people respond to Christ in different ways. The Magi hear of His birth and rejoice. Others hear the same news and are unsettled. Some are disturbed. Some remain closed.

Herod feels threatened. Jerusalem is troubled. The chief priests and scribes know the Scriptures well enough to identify Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah is to be born, yet they do not go there. Knowledge is present, but the heart does not yield.

The Magi respond differently. They listen. They ask. They consent to the light that has been given to them. Their response is not based on control or certainty, but on willingness. They allow God’s work to continue within them.

This contrast reveals an important truth about the spiritual life. Familiarity with sacred things does not guarantee openness of heart. Christ does not need to draw closer to us. He is already present. The question is how the heart responds to His presence.

Epiphany invites us to look honestly at our interior posture. When Christ is revealed and calls us to respond, do our hearts remain guarded, or do we consent to the work He is already doing within us?

This day of prayer asks for a heart that is willing, attentive, and open to God’s grace at work.

Today I ask for the grace to stand before Christ with a willing and responsive heart.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
You are present and at work within me by Your grace.

Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon my heart,
that I may freely consent to the work You have begun within me.

Free me from fear, self-reliance, and resistance,
and form within me a heart
that is open, receptive, and obedient.

May I stand before You
with humility and trust,
allowing Your grace to bear fruit in my life,
according to the will of the Father.

Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

© 2026 Discerning Hearts ®. All rights reserved. This reflection may not be reproduced or distributed without permission, except for personal prayer and noncommercial use with attribution.

Kris McGregor discusses with Dr. Peter Kreeft about his book Probes: Deep Sea Diving into St. John’s Gospel. Inviting readers to actively engage with scripture as a dialogue with God, it blends study and prayer in a manner akin to Lectio Divina. Dr. Kreeft describes it as a deep-sea dive into the Gospel of John, requiring readers to immerse themselves, ask questions, and ponder deeply, trusting God to guide their understanding. Designed for both personal reflection and communal study, it interprets scripture as a living, transformative encounter with God rather than a passive academic exercise.

The Gospel of John is a profound exploration of Christ’s divinity and humanity, particularly in passages like John 17, which offers a glimpse into the life of the Trinity. Scripture “reads” us as much as we read it, creating a dynamic relationship with the living

Suitable for all Christians and even inquirers, Probes bridges study and devotion, encouraging readers to see scripture as a window to encounter God’s truth and love.

1. How Do I Engage With Scripture? Reflect on whether you approach the Bible as a living dialogue with God or merely as a study tool.
2. Am I Open to God’s Questions? Consider if you allow scripture to “read” and challenge your heart as much as you seek to understand its meaning.
3. Do I Ponder or Rush Through Prayer? Ask yourself if your spiritual practices include time for deep pondering and slow reflection, as Mary modeled in the Gospel.
4. Is My Faith Both Personal and Communal? Evaluate how your engagement with scripture fosters personal transformation and enriches group faith experiences.
5. How Does the Gospel Reveal Christ to Me? Reflect on how the Gospel of John helps you encounter the person of Christ, especially through passages like John 17.
6. Do I Trust God’s Guidance in My Search? Consider whether you trust God to lead you through the depths of scripture, even when answers aren’t immediately clear.
7. How Do I Share Scripture with Others? Contemplate how you can introduce others to a more profound engagement with the Word of God through shared study and prayer.
8. Do I Connect Scripture and Sacraments? Reflect on how your encounter with the Word deepens your appreciation of Christ’s presence in the sacraments.

“This is no ordinary book. It is a set of probing questions (1,450 in fact) designed to help individuals or groups, especially groups, to dive deeply into Saint John’s Gospel. No answers are provided, but the questions are phrased in such a way as to set a person in a reliable direction for finding the answers.

The questions correspond to the verses of the Gospel and require active and personal interaction. Some of the questions are easy, some difficult, and they are marked accordingly. Some questions include background information or hints that help the reader along. Some were written with a fair bit of humor. Any person or group using these questions to explore John will find themselves entertained as well as informed and inspired.”

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, is one of the most respected and prolific Christian authors of our time. His books cover a vast array of topics in spirituality, theology, and philosophy. They include Doors in the Walls of the World, The Greatest Philosopher Who Ever Lived, How to Be Holy, Because God Is Real, You Can Understand the Bible, and Summa of the Summa.

“On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Three French Hens …” symbolic of the gifts of the Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts symbolize the three theological values of faith, hope, and charity or sacrificial love and foretells of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Father, we give thanks for family and the sacrificial love that is the glue that holds families together. We give thanks regardless of the situation and know You will bless us in our rejoicing. Jesus, we give thanks for Your exquisite, exemplary life and the model that it provides for our family and all others. We pray we can share faith, hope, and love this holiday season. Holy Spirit, we thank You for your presence in our life at all times. Amen.

Text gratefully found at
Via Rosa Rosaries, Devotional Chaplets, Rosary Beads, and Catholic Gifts
entitled A Christian meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas
Copyright © 2005-2006

“When they saw the child with Mary his mother,
they fell down and worshiped him.”
Matthew 2:11

Epiphany now shows us not only that Christ is revealed, but how He chooses to be revealed. The Magi have followed the light given to them, and their journey leads them to Bethlehem.

They do not find a palace or a throne. They find a child with His mother.

Nothing in this scene resembles power as the world expects it. There is no display of authority or strength. The Magi do not find a king on a throne. They find a child. Yet they do not turn away. They kneel.

This moment teaches us something essential about how God makes Himself known. Christ does not overwhelm the heart. He comes quietly. He allows Himself to be received in humility. Recognition is not forced. It is invited.

The Magi worship not because everything is clear, but because they accept the manner of Christ’s coming. They receive Him as He is revealed, not as they might have expected Him to be.

This day of prayer invites us to consider our own readiness to receive Christ in this same way. God often comes without display or certainty. Epiphany teaches us to remain attentive when Christ is present in simplicity, asking for a heart willing to bow before what God reveals.

Today I ask for the grace to receive Christ as He comes to me, in humility and simplicity.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
You chose to make Yourself known
in humility and quietness of heart.

As the Magi knelt before You,
grant me the grace to receive You
without resistance or expectation.

Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon my heart,
that I may welcome Your presence
with reverence and trust.

Free me from pride and false images of power,
and teach me to worship You
as You reveal Yourself,
according to the will of the Father.

Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

© 2026 Discerning Hearts ®. All rights reserved. This reflection may not be reproduced or distributed without permission, except for personal prayer and noncommercial use with attribution.