“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.”  (Matthew 2:2)

The World Youth Day 2005 was held in Cologne, Germany.  The Cathedral at Cologne is consecrated to the three magi and contains their relics.  According to tradition, the names of the three magi are Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior; they are from the region which today is the country of Iraq.

While their names are not important, their arduous pursuit of salvation is a good example for us.

God sometimes uses changes and phenomena in nature as signs for us.  The tsunami in south Asia during Christmas 2004 and the hurricanes that hit the southern parts of the US during 2005 are seen by some as signs that people must return to God’s ways.

Sometimes, God also communicates to us through a friend, a TV commercial, or even faint voices in the depths of our soul, urging us, “Boldly move forward, do not delay!”

Each of us must walk a different path, but we will all arrive at the same destination.  Like the three magi, who embarked on separate journeys at the outset, their paths all led to the foot of baby Jesus.