- Only one Catholic gospel (Matthew 2:1-12) tells the story of the Three Kings.
- Matthew’s gospel calls the Middle Eastern visitors to the Infant Jesus “Magi” which means “Wise Men,” not “Kings,” and does not say how many Magi went to the stable in Bethlehem.
- Matthew’s gospel mentions three gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh), but the Old Testament predicts only gold and frankincense. Myrrh is a usual ingredient in the wine soaked sponge offered to Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:48).
- Chalk writing of K+M+B over our entrance door stands for names of the Magi that cannot be found in the Bible.
- The word “epiphany,” used now for the Feast of the Three Kings, was not used in the English language until the 14th century.
- For Roman Catholics, “The EPIPHANY” means the event which introduced Jesus, our Savior, FOR THE FIRST TIME to humans who were not Jewish, hinting at a NEW covenant with the whole world.
- Tradition, the oral messages passed from generation to generation by the Catholic faith community, gives us TRUTHS as accurate as the true messages of the Bible.
- The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates traditionally what makes our Church TRULY “Catholic,” i.e. UNIVERSAL...FOR EVERY ONE!
- St Augustine said; “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”
Answers: ALL TRUE, most importantly #10.
P.S. Without the Epiphany, the Twelve Days of Christmas would be only one.