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Stella ista sicut flamma coruscat et Regem regum Deum demonstrat;
Magi eam vidererunt et Magno Regi munera obtulerunt.
(Fifth Antiphon for 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
When Christ was born God sent a star, A sign of hope whence light should spring,
That Israel’s glory shine for all, For Gentiles and for Pilgrim-king.
Christ is the Abba’s Chosen One, On whom the Spirit came to rest,
Who was baptized to cleanse our sins; The Lamb of God and Savior blest.
Christ is the anchor of our soul Who shares with us his life divine;
For sadness he exchanges joy, As water he once changed to wine.
We praise the Holy Source of Life, and Christ the well-beloved Son,
Who with the Spirit is our peace: Most tranquil Trinity in One. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
Antiphon
When you appeared in the flesh, O Word of God,
you enlightened all people for ever.
Psalm 46/47
All you peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For Adonai, the Most High is awesome and great;
and reigns over the Earth with such love!
God’s love overwhelms those who hate;
and changes foes into allies and friends.
All we have, has been given by God,
given to us out of love.
God goes up with shouts of joy;
Adonai goes up with the blast of trumpets.
Sing praise for God, sing praise.
Sing praise to Love, sing praise!
God-Love reigns over all the earth,
sing praise with all your skill!
God-Love reigns over the nations;
God-Love is enthroned in holiness.
The holy ones from every tradition
are assembled with the saints of our own.
We are all one family of God
whose Love reigns over us all.
Glory to the One and to the Word
and to the Breath of Love
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
When you appeared in the flesh, O Word of God,
you enlightened all people for ever.
Reading Titus 3:4-5
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, God saved us; not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of God’s own compassion. God saved us through the baptism of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. Christ, the image of God, is the Good News of God’s glory; *He has dawned upon us and brought us to light. V. Out of darkness God has made to shine within us the light of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. *He has dawned upon us and brought us to light.
Canticle of Mary
Antiphon
We have seen his star in the East and have come with gifts to worship the Christ.
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
My heart + is radiant with Adonai,
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
We have seen his star in the East and have come with gifts to worship the Christ.
Service of Prayer
Intercession
Sun of Justice, your brightness shines forth from the heart of God and floods the entire world, ~be a light for all who dwell in the darkness of oppression and the shadow of hopelessness.
Light of the World, your way of living and loving reveals the darkness that is produced by greed, arrogance, exclusion, and the abuse of power, ~lead us with the Light of your Wisdom to a life of justice, equality, inclusion and service.
Teach 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.
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. God of light and life, you have made us glad through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary; let us join her in praising you for the great mystery of your Word made flesh in Jesus, our Emmanuel. Amen.