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Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus:
et regnum in manu eius, et potestas, et imperium.
(Entrance Antiphon Feast of the Epiphany)
Service of Light
Greeting/Invocation
We light the Christmas/Epiphany Candles and say or sing:
Light and Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
~Thanks be to God!
The rulers of the Earth will fall prostrate, Alleluia!
~and all nations will serve him. Alleluia!
EPIPHANY HYMN
Unholy Herod’s empty dread the Magi’s eager searching shames:
Not threat to rightful ruling head From King conferring kingly claims.
By wonders’ witness, seen and heard, Renewal signs today abound:
The water’s blush at Jesus’ word, Becoming wine for joy all-round.
The Jordan’s pools for purging sin Themselves are washed by Lamb unstained;
And holied by his coming in A greater change than wine is gained.
All glory, Christ, to you we pay, With Abba, Holy Spirit, One:
Made manifest to all today, And onward, as the ages run. Amen.
St. Meinrad, 1971; Plainsong Mode III
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1
A Son before the daystar and Lord before the stirring of time,
today our Savior has appeared to the world.
Psalm 109/110
Adonai, to the One who will reign:
“Come and be My companion;
We will undo selfishness and sin.”
The Spirit will bring from Zion
The power and strength to save:
Love changing foes into friends.
Precious from the day of your birth
on the holy mountain;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Promise holds true forever:
Your ministry is Loving-Kindness–
A priest like Melchizedek of old.
Companions of the Most High are ready
To liberate all who suffer from evil.
The One who calls us to justice
Invites us to join in the struggle:
Enlightening all who are unaware of the truth.
Drink from streams of Living Water,
Lift your head and celebrate the feast.
A Son before the daystar and Lord before the stirring of time,
today our Savior has appeared to the world.
Antiphon 2
Opening their treasures, the Wise Men offered the Lord
gold, frankincense and myrrh, alleluia!
Psalm 110/111
Happy are those who love God
and delight in the whole of Torah!
Their children shall be blest,
strong and upright in the land.
The households of the just will flourish
their integrity stands firm forever.
A light shines from them for others
for they are generous, merciful and just.
The good lend freely to others
and conduct their affairs with honor.
They never waver from doing what is right
their justice is remembered forever.
They do not fear evil news
with strong hearts they trust in God.
Steadfast and without fear
they will watch the wicked crumble.
Open-handed they share with the poor;
their integrity stands firm forever.
this strength will bring them honor.
But hatred devours the wicked
who grind their teeth and depart;
their hopes all turn to ashes.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Opening their treasures, the Wise Men offered the Lord
gold, frankincense and myrrh, alleluia!
Antiphon 3
Shine, O Jerusalem, for your Light has come;
the glory of the Lord has risen on you, and the nations will walk in your light.
Psalm 112/113
Servants of God, sing praise,
praise God’s holy Name.
Bless the Name of the Holy One,
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the Holy Name.
Adonai towers above the nations;
God’s glory shines over the heavens.
Who compares to the Holy One?
Who is enthroned so high,
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to observe both heaven and Earth?
Love lifts the humble from the dust
And raises the poor from the mire
To be seated with leaders of the people,
and to wear a crown of joy;
The childless, no longer alone,
Rejoice in many children.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
Shine, O Jerusalem, for your Light has come;
the glory of the Lord has risen on you, and the nations will walk in your light.
Reading Revelation 21: 23-24
The city had no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the lamb. The nations shall walk by its light; to it the kings of the earth shall bring their treasures.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Great beyond all reason is the mystery: *Christ, manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by the angels. V. Preached among the nations, believed throughout the world, glorified in high heaven. *Christ, manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by the angels.
Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
On this holy day our joy is threefold: for today a star led the Magi to the stable;
today we commemorate the miracle at Cana; and
today, Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan, in order to save us, alleluia.
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
My heart + is radiant with the Lord,
My whole being delights in God my Savior.
All people now will call me blessed
For God has loved this humble handmaid.
The Almighty has shown me great favor
Holy is the NAME,
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
From one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God,
Scatters the proud in their own conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones
While lifting up the lowly:
Fills the famished with bounty,
And reveals the emptiness of riches.
Rescues lowly Israel,
Sharing such loving kindness,
As promised to our ancestors
To Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants forever.
Glory to the ONE and to WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
On this holy day our joy is threefold: for today a star led the Magi to the stable;
today we commemorate the miracle at Cana; and
today, Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan, in order to save us, alleluia.
Service of Prayer
Litany of Intercession
Paying close attention to the natural world, the Magi noticed your new star at its rising, ~may we be tuned in to the beauty and wonder of the universe in all its complexity and paradox.
For the Magi, the night sky was not only beautiful to behold, it excited their imaginations and sent them on a quest to discover what new things You were doing in their day;
~ deepen our sense of wonder and curiosity about all that You are doing in the world today.
The Magi were wise enough to know that the old story is not the whole story;
~open our hearts, souls and minds to the new and evolving reality of your reign of justice and peace.
Seeking to make sense of what they had seen and heard, the Magi did not hesitate to consult the wisdom-tradition of the people of Israel; ~deepen our commitment to shared Wisdom and to the search for Truth everywhere and from everyone.
The scribes and elders consulted the ancient texts which indicated the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem; ~ may our quest to find You be informed not only by our sacred texts and traditions, but by that which is being born and happening right here and now.
Every atom in our bodies was forged in the fiery belly of a star who lived, died and gave itself back to the universe; ~may we learn this Wisdom of God, manifest in the stars and in Jesus of Nazareth, and live and die in harmony with everything else going on in the universe.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
O Holy One, Source, Guide and Goal of all that is, by the light of a star you revealed to the nations that something new and wonderful had taken place in the birth of Jesus, your Word-made-flesh. Fill us with His Light so that our lives may reflect the majestic beauty of your Wisdom and Love and all people and all creation will be drawn to freedom and fullness of life. Amen.
May the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth + bless us and all of creation. ~Amen
Let us bless the world with peace. ~And give thanks to God.
Those who wish may end evening prayer with the Marian Antiphon for Epiphany.
Marian Antiphon
Loving Mother of our Savior, holding open heaven’s only hope, Star for steerage in this vastness, rise to help us, save the sinking. Nature’s greatest Wonder: you have borne your own true Maker, giving human life to him. Virgin ever, before and after, that Good News from Gabriel, Word of Life for living, tell it now: mercy to all people!
The angel of the Lord brought the message to Mary. ~ And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by his Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of his Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.