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Epiphany
We begin Epiphany by remembering the wise men or Magi.They symbolize the coming of all nations to worship Christ. The shepherds presumably were Jewish; the wise men were not. We have no idea where they came from, but it is appropriate that they are often shown as being of different races. If we divide the world between Jews and Gentiles, as the Jews traditionally did, the wise men, like most modern Christians, were Gentiles. Had they not come, we might not be Christians. They represent us. And their gifts speak of a profound understanding of Christ. The first gift, gold, is a symbol of wealth.Like the offertory in the Eucharist, the gold says that all we have comes from God and is to be offered. Frankincense , the second gift, is a symbol of worship. The smoke of incense rises and has often seemed to worshipers to represent their prayers ascending to God's throne. This child, unlike all others, is to be worshiped. The third gift, myrrh, was an ointment used to anoint bodies for burial. When Jesus was taken down from the cross, Joseph of Arimathea brought myrrh and spices anoint Jesus' body before it was sealed in the tomb. The king was born to die.
Source: Christopher L. Webber, Welcome to Sunday. Morehouse Publishing: Harrisburg, PA, 2007, p. 47.