1. Light Revealed to the Nations
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 the Lord Jesus always be
with you. R/ And also with you.
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 Savior. 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.
2. A Savior for All the World
Greeting (see First Reading)
Arise, people of God, for your light has come, the glory of
the Lord shines on you. Other people come to your light. May the light of the
Lord be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction
We celebrate today the great feast of Epiphany. Originally
it was the Christmas feast of the Eastern part of the Christian Church. In the
Western part the stress of Christmas was and is on the birth of Christ as a
little human child. In the Eastern part the stress is more on Jesus coming as
the Lord and Savior of all. This is the reality the liturgy stresses today:
Jesus came to save and bring life to all. No one is excluded, no one is a
stranger to him. May all come to know Jesus, alive here among us.
Penitential Act
We do little to bring Jesus to those who do not know him. We
ask the Lord to forgive us. (pause)
Lord Jesus, light from God, dawn on the whole world, shine
in our hearts and lives: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, justice from God, let your integrity and
honesty become the share of all people: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have
mercy.
Lord Jesus, peace from God, hear the cries of the poor and
the needy and open our ears and hearts to them: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have
mercy.
Forgive us our sins, Lord, and gather us together as your
one people. Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
3. The Guiding Star for All Nations
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 also with you.
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 Savior. He is given to us, but with the magi the world brings to him its
variety of gifts: its varied cultures, 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 our 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 have pity on the weak and save the lives of
the poor: All praise to you! Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
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 Savior for ever. R/ Amen.
First Reading: God’s People a Light to All
In a vision, the prophet sees an immense number of people
flocking from everywhere to God’s light.
Second Reading: All Nations Called in Christ
Jesus Christ came to unite all: all peoples, with-out any
discrimination, are called to join God’s people.
Gospel: 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 Savior find and
recognize him. God accepts all with their own gifts and potentials.
Intercessions
On this day, when people 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 forever. 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.
****
Commentary
Art of Choice
Read:
Isaiah prophesies the coming of the one who is the light of
the nations. Paul delights in the Good News being revealed to all peoples, Jews
and Gentiles. Matthew narrates the visit of the Magi to child Jesus.
Reflect:
What was promised in the ‘priestly blessing’ is realized in
the flesh now: The Light shines upon us; the glory of the Lord rises upon us as
blessing-made flesh! Such light is not withheld from
anybody—just as the sun shines on everyone and the rain does not discriminate
(Mt 5:45). This is the Epiphany: The blessing-made-flesh has arrived for
everyone. However, just as we can hide ourselves from the light, we can choose
to reject this Epiphany. The ‘wise men’ from the East chose the light and
walked all the way to its source and turned wiser so as to return by another
way. Priests and teachers of the Law knew the source but chose to reject it and
became dead men walking. King Herod chose to kill the blessing-made-flesh,
though he would fail miserably. It all boils down to our choices while the
Light continues to shine and bless.
Pray:
“Lord, help me make my life choices guided by Your
Light.”
Act:
Share with someone as to who Christ is for you.
==============
5 January 2025
The Epiphany of the Lord
Matthew 2:1-12
A Call to See the Light of Christ
The Feast of the Epiphany brings the story of the magi, rich
in theological and spiritual significance. The magi were not kings but wise
sages from the East, symbolising those outside the Jewish faith who earnestly
seek truth. Their journey represents the spiritual quest of the Gentiles,
culminating in the recognition of Jesus as the Saviour of all.
The star that guided the magi is not merely an astronomical
phenomenon but a fulfilment of prophecy in Numbers 24:17: “A star shall come
forth from Jacob.” This star is Jesus himself, the light that leads all nations
to salvation.
The gifts of the magi—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—carry
symbolic meanings: gold acknowledges Jesus as king, frankincense honours his
divinity, and myrrh foreshadows his humanity and the suffering he would endure.
The magi’s story also reflects Israel and the Church’s
mission to guide others to Christ. Though some, like Herod and the priests,
failed to recognise the Messiah, their Scriptures directed the magi to him.
This highlights the Church’s call to be a beacon of light, drawing all people
to Jesus.
Their journey symbolises the universality of the Church—a
community enriched by diverse cultures and traditions. The magi’s story calls
us to embark on our spiritual journey, seeking Christ with sincerity. In
this Jubilee Year, we are journeying together as Pilgrims of Hope; like the
magi, we are invited to follow the light, even if the journey is long and
uncertain.They found Jesus in Bethlehem’s simplicity, reminding us to recognise
him in humble, unexpected places. Each of us has gifts to offer—talents, struggles,
or love.
As we reflect on the Epiphany, may we, like the magi, follow
the light, open our hearts, and share Christ’s light with others.
