This homily is copied out in a codex of the abbey once of St. Dalmatius, in which codex it bears this title: Likewise concerning the Epiphany of the Lord, and concerning the Magi. It is read no differently in the Turin codex. In the first of these codices it is number 9, in the other number 30. And from this latter it is clear that we lack five of Maximus's homilies beyond this number. There is added in the title, and concerning the Magi; because concerning the coming of those three men to the cradle of the Lord the holy bishop treats in a particular way in this oration. Coming together, brethren, to the venerable feasts of the Lord and the most sacred mysteries of our Savior, just as we rejoiced at his nativity, so also ought we to rejoice at his manifestation.
The only-begotten Son of God, coeternal with God the Father, when he had been born in time of an inviolate virgin, on this day, as the tradition of the Fathers teaches us, willed to manifest himself to the Gentiles. And while he himself wailed in his cradle, while he was praised by the angels, and while the shepherds visited him, a new star manifested him from heaven to all the Gentiles. For to the Jews, in whose land, and of the royal seed of David according to the flesh, he had been born, that multitude of the angelic host had already made him sufficiently manifest at the outset of his nativity, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (Luke 2):
but to the Gentiles, to whom it had been promised from the prophecy of Balaam that the Redeemer of the age would one day come from the seed of Jacob, since they were ignorant of those wondrous things that were then happening in Judea, he gave a new star as a sign, by which they might understand that what had been foretold by that soothsayer had been fulfilled, and that that star had arisen out of Jacob, and a man had come from Israel. And in truth, since he himself had come from heaven to redeem not only the Jewish people, but that he might give a sign in a star, which both Judea could see and the whole world recognize, for all the nations which from the beginning of the age he had created together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Jew indeed saw it, but did not recognize it;
the Gentiles marveled at it, but only three men out of the Chaldeans understood what it signified. By that visible sign he was calling all to himself, promising to all the gifts of his grace. He announced that the author of the age had come, who would break the yoke of the ancient servitude; he promised at last eternal life to all. Yet that star shone only to the eyes of the Magi, and those who had the newborn Savior in their own land chose to be ignorant of him; and the Gentile world ran to venerate him. The Magi therefore come from Chaldea: following the course of the star that went before them, they enter the royal city of the Hebrews, where the mad Herod reigned: they seek out the newborn king of the Jews. Herod trembles, and fears the coming of the new king.
Why, impious and wretched man, dost thou fear? For he does not come to snatch thy kingdom who is about to give the heavenly kingdoms. The Hebrews search the Scriptures, and then they learned that the Lord was to be born in Bethlehem, and they say that at that time he had already been born. Then was that prophetic saying fulfilled: They to whom it was not announced concerning him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand (Isa. 52:15; Rom. 15:21). Nothing had been announced to the Chaldean concerning Christ, he had heard nothing; and seeing the star, he understood that Christ was present in the star. The Magi see the Redeemer of the world in the stable; they behold the child at his mother's breast sucking, they adore him and offer him gifts.
O wondrous faith, to adore as God a child lying in the bosom of his nursing mother, surrounded by no royal majesty, and to present gifts to him as to a king, as to God! Then, as the appointed reading testifies, they returned into their own country by another way; and those who had come as unbelievers to adore the cradle of Christ, illumined by the rays of that eternal Sun whom they had adored, laying aside superstition, returned to their own homes by another way. Therefore, brethren, since we too have come from among the Gentiles to the knowledge of the true light, let us imitate the Magi. They, having seen the Lord, venerated him as God; let us also do this, and, having cast away the false idols of the Gentiles, let us venerate him alone, and serve him.
Now it was not a star that led us to the knowledge of him, but the preaching of the true faith, which like a star has shone in our hearts through the grace of God. Let us therefore exhort our brethren, that, laying aside that sacrilegious worship of idols, they may draw near to the new light of faith which has shone forth even to them. The Magi offered their gifts to the newborn Lord; let us too load him with our own. Let us feed widows, nourish strangers, show mercy to all, that from the present distress of the approaching foreigners the most merciful one may deign to deliver us. For he is able to do this: let us beseech him with our whole heart that he may deign to grant it to us in his mercy. The end.