GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS LIGHT TO THE WORLD
Greeting
May the star of Jesus our Lord shine on you
and on all the nations of the earth.
May you live in his light
and may the Lord Jesus be always with you.
R/ And with your spirit.
Introduction
The celebration of Epiphany, meaning “manifestation,” is like a second Christmas. It is, in fact, the Christmas of the Eastern Churches. It proclaims that the child Jesus belongs to and is given to the whole world as its Saviour. With the magi the world brings to him its variety of gifts: its culture, its many facets, its different identities. And we here, like people from other nations, bring him the gift of ourselves: our faith, our fidelity, our love, as we meet him in prayer and in people, especially in the poorest.
Penitential Act
One of the offerings we bring to Jesus today
is the sorrow for the sins we have committed.
Let us ask him to forgive us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, you radiate your light
on all the nations of the earth:
All praise to you!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you offer justice and peace
to all willing to accept you:
All praise to you.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor:
All praise to you!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Lord, may your judgment on us
be a judgment of mercy and love,
for we recognize our poverty.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray to God our Father
that Christ may be the light of all
(pause)
God of all nations, peoples and cultures,
this is the day you have made bright
with your light and your love
destined for all.
Guide us in the new ways of your Son.
Let your kindly light shine everywhere,
that all peoples may praise you
in their own language
and enrich your Church with their own gifts.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
our Lord and Saviour for ever. R/ Amen.
First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6): God’s People A Light To All
In a vision the prophet sees an immense number of peoples flocking from everywhere to God’s light.
1 Reading – ISAIAH 60:1-6
Rise up in splendour, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial PSALM 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment. R.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth. R.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him. R.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save. R.
Second Reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a,5-6): All Nations Called In Christ
Jesus Christ came to unite all: all peoples, with-out any discrimination, are called to join God’s people.
2 Reading – EPHESIANS 3:2-3a,5-6
Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Alleluia MATTHEW 2:2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12): We Followed His Star
Those who are familiar with God’s promises do not seek him; the powerful fear him. But those who come from afar to seek the Saviour, find and recognize him. God accepts all with their own gifts and potentials.
Gospel – MATTHEW 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Commentary
The Lord is here! Receive him with gifts!
Epiphany means “manifestation,” and this solemnity in eastern churches is celebrated like Christmas. By observing the Epiphany of the Lord, the Church proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah – the Saviour of the whole world. The world brings him various gifts through the magi’s visit: its varied life situations.
The Prophet Isaiah speaks of nations and peoples, young and old, who are coming closer to God’s Mountain. To understand this passage, we must consider both the historical and geographical context of the text. Jerusalem was destroyed in 587 B.C., and healthy people were taken into exile. As the years passed, any hope of the exiles’ return from Babylon became increasingly grim. This is the historical context of the passage.
The mount of Jerusalem has two valleys on either side, Gehenna and Kedron. When the sun rises, the city of Jerusalem on the top of the mountain is surrounded by a bright light, while the valleys are still in the darkness of the night. In this geographical context, the author has his vision: The first rays of the sun rising from the Mount of Olives illuminate the city. Bathed in the new hope of a bright day, the prophet sees the return of those in exile. This is a moment of joy – for the city of Jerusalem because her husband, the Lord, who had left her, is now coming back. The city is once more becoming full of life and glory. The prophet wants the city to stand up, throw away the signs of weeping and dry her tears.
What is the meaning of this extraordinary scene, and why is it proposed for the feast of the Epiphany? The prophet had in mind a dream: the return of the exiles from Babylon and the reunion of all the dispersed Israel. It is a goal not easy to achieve because the Israelites were now well settled in the land of exile and had no intention of facing new risks and uncertainties. What awaited those who returned to Jerusalem was nothing promising either: the city was still in ruins. Yet, the prophet sees the manifestation of the glory of the Lord.
With the coming of Jesus, the Son of God, people from nations and cultures flock to the Mountain of the Lord. The feast of Epiphany was instituted initially not to recall the visit of the Magi, but the birth of Jesus, Christmas, the appearance of the light. But later, this feast was adopted by the Universal Church to celebrate the revelation of the Lord to the world through the symbolism of the visit of the magi.
General Intercessions
On this day when peoples from afar came to worship Jesus the Lord, let our prayer be as wide as the world. Let us say to the Father:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That the light of Christ may shine on all nations far and near and that the Church may welcome them with the diversity of their cultures, let us pray:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That in our day justice may flourish and peace come to all of the world, let us pray:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That God’s people may hear the poor when they cry, have pity on the weak and open their hearts and hands to the needy, let us pray:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That those who persecute the Lord in those who try to follow him may see his light and be converted, let us pray:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That all who look for a star to guide them may discover the goodness of the Lord in people full of faith and love, let us pray.
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
– That in our Christian communities we may learn, like the wise men, to share the treasures of our goods and hearts, let us pray:
R/ Let the light of Christ shine on all people.
Lord our God, we rejoice that you have become near to us in Jesus your Son. Let him be the light of life now and for ever. R/ Amen.
>>>> Procession for the Preparation of the Gifts
The procession could stress the theme of the light and the gifts by having not only bread and wine brought forward but also lights and incense, the latter not merely in the usual thurible but in a larger incense burner.
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
we have no gold to offer you
but merely the poverty of our hearts
and the incense of our praise and thanks.
Fill us with the presence of Jesus,
and let him be the light
that guides our wavering steps.
And let us be humble lights too,
that show to those who see it
the way to the light of the world,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Today Christ shows himself to us as the light and meaning of our lives and as the star of salvation of all peoples. Let us thank the Father with Jesus and pray that one day all may sit at the table of the Lord.
Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer
Jesus came to gather all
as children of one Father.
In our Lord’s owns words
we pray now to our Father in heaven. R/ Our Father…
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ,
let the star of your peace rise today
on the body of the Church
and on all who believe in you.
In its light, may we learn
to love and to serve one another
and to share the joy of your peace
with all willing to accept it,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, the Son of God
and the guiding star of our lives.
Happy are we to be called
to share his table
and to bring his light to all. R/ Lord, I am not worthy…
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father,
you have shown us your Son today
in the words he spoke to us
and in the bread of life
by which he shared himself with us.
Let his light shine in us
and let our hope and joy reflect this light,
that our communities and all of us
may show forth his goodness and peace
for all to see.
We ask this through the light of our lives,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
We have celebrated together
that Jesus Christ came not only for Christians,
but to be known by every person,
every country, every culture on earth.
For he is the Savior of all.
May we come to know him better
and then make him known to others,
especially by the way we live.
And may almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace of Christ
and walk in his light.
R/ Thanks be to God.