Gold- A rare earth element, deep yellow in color, used in jewelry and coins. Man places great value on this element.

Frankincense- A gum resin from a tree called Boswellia. Frankincense is tapped from the Boswellia tree by slashing the bark and allowing the exuded resins to bleed out and harden. These hardened resins are called tears. This gum has a beautiful smell.

Myrrh- Like frankincense, it is produced by a tree as a reaction to the wound through the bark and causing sap to bleed out. Myrrh is a yellowish brown to reddish brown aromatic gum resin with a bitter and slightly painful taste and when burned has an earthy, bitter odor. Myrrh has been used medicinally for centuries, for treating conditions ranging from battle wounds to skin inflammations. Myrrh was used in the wine (To cause bitternes.) given to Jesus on the Cross and used on His Body at burial.

The following explanation about these three gifts are found in Mary of Agreda.

572. This evil greed is common among the children of Adam; and therefore voluntary poverty is so excellent and safe a remedy. By it, making man willing to give joyfully with his possessions for the sake of the poor, thus a great sacrifice is offered to the Lord. You also can make such an offering by giving what little you have for living, giving a part of it to the poor and desiring, if it were possible by your labor and sweat, to help all of them. 

1) Gold- Your ceaseless offering, however, must be love.
2) frankincense - Constant prayer. 
3) Myrrh- Patient acceptance of labors and to deny the bodies pleasures.

Your ceaseless offering, however, must be love, which is the gold; continual prayer, which is the incense; and the patient acceptance of labors and to deny the bodies pleasures, which is the myrrh. All that you do for the Lord, you should offer up to Him with complete focus of your emotions and readiness, without fear of punishment; because partial acts of charity, and those performed without love of Jesus, are not an acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of God. In order to make constant offerings, it is necessary that grace continually inflame your heart, having before your eyes the great object of your praise and joy Jesus. Thus should you continue without stop in this sweet exercise of love, so proper to the spouses of Christ; for the name of spouse implies such a continual payment of the debt you owe of the love and affection from our Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Which of the three gifts would represent fasting?

2) Loving others in the way Jesus loved us would be which gift?

3) By persevering in our prayers by offering the sorrows of Jesus to the Father for the salvation of souls is represented by which gift?



Gold, Franchise, and Myrrh.


Gold
Frankincense
Myrrh
Email
mercermark@att.net