Everyday when I get to my office, the first thing I do is place a few drops of frankincense oil in a small jar set before an image of the Holy Family and a number of other icons. On the feast of the Epiphany, known also as Three Kings Day, I decided to do a little research on frankincense – one of the gifts to the Holy Family after Jesus’ Birth.
I discovered a very interesting article by archaeologist and anthropologist K. Kris Hirst, who shared that frankincense, “an ancient and fabled aromatic tree resin” has been reported in historical writings since 1500 BC. and is still popular not only for its aromatic properties but for cosmetic and medicinal use, as well.
This is not the first time I’ve read something by Hirst. I have always been fascinated by archaeology, most likely due to my father’s small library filled with books on ancient ruins and civilizations. Nothing fascinated me more than the prospect of unearthing the artifacts of some unknown people.
As a mother, my dreams of pursuing archaeology were limited to discovering Matchbox cars in my Jello-mold or uncovering small treasures in the local antique stores.
During one of my trips to such a place in Pennsylvania, I came across a very old sepia painting of the Holy Family. It wasn’t so much beautiful as mesmerizing. The baby Jesus is laying in a wicker basket, his arms outstretched to Mary who is leaning over him, gazing at him lovingly.
Because we know Mary, we know that Jesus will find a mother who responds totally in love to her child. But what if Mary had rejected Jesus when he reached out for her, as a baby or as a child growing up?
Facing rejection, would Jesus have had the powerful sense of self, sense of value, which enabled him to embrace his Cross? Would he have possessed the strength to allow himself to be vulnerable or the courage to stay the course? Would he have loved with the fullness of Divine love?
How would he have dealt with the powerful rejections of his adulthood, especially those he loved most, like Peter who denied even knowing him?
St. Teresa of Calcutta, who saw the face of rejection daily, wrote poignantly about the power of rejection to damage the human heart and soul: “Hungry not only for bread – but for love. Naked, not only for clothing – but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for a room of bricks – but homeless because of rejection.”
Mother Teresa was not an archaeologist per se, but like so many in ministry she spent her time unearthing the greatest of all treasures – the human person. For her, the divine child was often buried in a body covered by abscesses or so malnourished they appeared as a skeleton with a mere painting of skin.
For us who minister in our contemporary culture we often discover that those with whom we engage each day, especially our youth, are often struggling with the poverty of spirit that comes from feeling rejected, broken, and thereby believing themselves unlovable.
The ultimate goal of archaeology, wrote Hirst, “is to add to our understanding of the world, sort of ‘A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,’ Planet Earth Division.”
In a similar way, uncovering the human person should add to our understanding of each person as a child of God. The unique aspect of archaeology in any situation is that understanding comes from collecting the broken pieces and recreating the whole. It is no different with a broken soul.
Mary Morrell is editor-in-chief of The Catholic Spirit, the newspaper for the Diocese of Metuchen.
Mary Morrell: Knowing we have enough is a place of peace and gratitude