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Invitation to Worship
Our God has shone forth great glory, come let us adore, Alleluia!
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
The Grace of our great God and Savior has appeared as flesh;
so that all people might come to know him.
Canticle of the Three Children (Dan 3:57-87)
You angels and all powers of Adonai,
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky,
glorify Adonai.
Every shower of rain and fall of dew,
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and summer,
glorify Adonai.
O chill and cold,
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet,
glorify Adonai.
O Mother Earth,
O mountains and hills and valleys.
All that grows upon the earth,
glorify Adonai.
O springs of water, seas and streams,
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air,
glorify Adonai.
O beast of the wild,
and all you flocks and herds.
All women and men everywhere,
glorify Adonai.
Let us glorify the ONE, and the WORD
and exalt the HOLY BREATH.
In the firmament of God’s power and love,
glorify Adonai.
The Grace of our great God and Savior has appeared as flesh;
so that all people might come to know him.
READING I John 5: 18-21
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one God has begotten, God protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch that one.
We know that we belong to God,
and the systems of the whole world are under the power of the Evil One.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true, for we are in the Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the true God and eternal life. So my Children, be on your guard against idols.
Responsory
R. The light has pierced the darkness *and darkness did not prevail. V. The Word was made flesh *And darkness did not prevail! V. Glory to the Abba, and the Word and the Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachariah
Antiphon
By reason of the very great love with which God loved us,
God sent the Son in the likeness of human flesh, Alleluia!
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
By reason of the very great love with which God loved us,
God sent the Son in the likeness of human flesh, Alleluia!
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.