Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Invitation to Worship
Christ, manifest in the flesh, come let us adore him!
O Holy One,+ open my lips.
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
The rulers of Earth will fall prostrate, alleluia!
~and all nations will serve him, alleluia!
Epiphany Morning Hymn
Brightest and best of the Stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all!
Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offerings divine?
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure;
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Words: Reginald Heber, 1811; Melody: STAR IN THE EAST, Southern Harmony 1835
PSALMODY
Antiphon
Shine, O Jerusalem, for your Light has come;
the glory of Adonai has risen upon you,
and the nations will walk in your light.
Psalm 97/98
Sing a new song to Adonai,
the God of wonderful deeds;
whose right hand and holy arm
have brought salvation.
God has made the victory known
and has revealed justice to the nations,
Remembering both truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of Earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to Adonai, O Earth,
ring out your joy!
Sing praise to God with the harp,
with strings and the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim our Sovereign God!
Let the sea and its creatures roar praise,
the world and all living things!
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy
at the presence of Adonai, who comes,
who comes to rule the Earth.
God will rule the world with justice
and govern the peoples with fairness.
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 Adonai has risen upon you,
and the nations will walk in your light.
READING I John 4:19-21
Beloved, we love God because God first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates a sister or brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love the sibling seen
cannot love God who is not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Responsory
R. Many came from distant lands, Alleluia, Alleluia! V. Bringing frankincense and gold. Alleluia, Alleluia! V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word and the Breath of Love. R. Many came from distant lands, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Canticle of Zachariah
Antiphon
The Word was made flesh, lived among us, and we saw the glory;
the glory that is his, as the only Son of the Abba, full of grace and truth.
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
The Word was made flesh, lived among us, and we saw the glory;
the glory that is his, as the only Son of the Abba, full of grace and truth.
Litany of Intercession
Manifest by the light of a star to seekers from foreign lands,
~open our eyes to your presence among all who are neglected and poor.
Manifest by the Voice from above and the hovering of a Dove,
~open our ears to hear when you call us to follow you today.
Manifest by an abundance of wine at a wedding feast of love,
~open our lives to share the bounty your love provides today and everyday.
Manifest in the healing of hearts, minds, bodies and souls,
~heal us and make us instruments of your healing peace.
You taught us to pray.
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 Adonai. ~Thanks be to God.