Before these days, that is, on the eighth day before the Kalends of this month, on which the day began to grow because the true Day shone forth, that the Lord Christ Jesus was born in the flesh, as it is written in the Gospel (Luke 2), those readily recall who have read it, or who have lent an ear to those reading. The Israelite shepherds, keeping watch over their flock, came to know it by the announcement of angels: today the Gentile Magi, following their inquiries, found Him made manifest in that same flesh by the indications of signs. To the shepherds the voice of the spiritual ministers spoke, announcing the rising of the Lord's nativity; to the Magi a star, as it were the tongue of the heavens. Those to whom the prophets had so often been sent say: 'Let us pass over as far as Bethlehem, and see this word which is come to pass to us';
these others say, to whom none of the prophets had ever spoken, and asking they inquire: 'Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him' (Matt. 2). So the former approach from nearby, the latter come from afar, yet both, in pious devotion, meet at one and the same place of faith: and there they behold, they marvel at, they acknowledge Christ the King set before those two prophetic beasts of burden, which bear the type and figure of the two peoples. 'For the ox knew his owner, and the ass his master's crib' (Isa. 1).
For the ox—the Jew—knew Him, when the yoke of the Law was shaken off; and the ass—the pagan—knew Him too, when the wildness of folly was laid aside: the one forsaking the superfluous toil of observance, the other leaving behind the wandering error of superstition. Each acknowledged Him, because each drew near to the one crib of the Lord to feast, to feast not on the hay of death but on the food of salvation. Eat, eat, O pious animals, the fare of eternal life: and seize with jaws as eager as you can the food of everlasting recompense, not dividing it into fragments, but taking it whole and entire. For Christ cannot be eaten and divided; He is taken whole by believers, He is received whole into the mouth of the heart. 'For the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us' (John 1):
He dwelt, from the time when He deigned to fill the womb of the Virgin. They offered Him, as it is written, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Let us offer the frankincense of faith from a far country, let us offer the sweet-smelling myrrh of a near confession, let us offer the fragrant gifts of charity; for we offer these three when we confess Christ to be King, and Lord, and Man. But let us adore Christ in spirit and in truth, if we have offered Him the gifts of faith and of confession;
and let us, like those Magi who are the leaders of our faith and the princes of our believing, being warned in dreams—that is, in this life, which is like a sleep—having eluded King Herod—that is, the devil, the prince of this world—return by another way—that is, by another life—to that our homeland, from which through Adam we were unhappily cast out, but to which through Christ we are now mercifully led back.