The Epiphany of the Lord ~ 03 January 2015

“Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphainen, a verb that means "to shine upon," "to manifest," or “to make known.” The Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi (the three wise men) who have come from the East to adore Him and to bring gifts to the infant King. The magi homage represents the manifestation of the Lord to the Gentiles. The Magi were able to overcome that dangerous moment of darkness before Herod, because they believed the Scriptures, the words of the prophets which indicated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. And so they fled the darkness and dreariness of the night of the world. They resumed their journey towards Bethlehem and there they once more saw the star, and the gospel tells us that they experienced “a great joy” (Matthew 2:10). he Magi followed faithfully that light which filled their hearts, and they encountered the Lord. In the likeness of the Magi, with our little lights, may we seek the Light and keep the faith.

May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Isaiah 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Reading 2
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Alleluia
Matthew 2:2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity)

Every nation on the earth shall adore you, O Lord

and Your light shall overcome all darkness.

Glory to You, Lord in the Highest.

The feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8 in dioceses within most countries. Epiphany originated from a Greek word which means "to reveal". Today, 5 January, 2014 is the solemnity celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord, and it marks end of the 12 days of Christmas (Christmastide), which began with the revelation of Christ to Israel at His birth (25 December) and today ends with the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles (revelation of God to man). Epiphany also is known as Theophany (Three Kings Day - the day on which the 3 Wise Man brought their gifts to the infant Jesus, the Emmanuel and the Messiah) by both Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches.The Epiphany of the Lord is a great day for the Catholic church where it is one part of the mystery of the Incarnation. At Christmas, the Word of God as foretold by the prophets was fulfilled and God has become man, and now it is reveal to all mankind that the child born of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mother of God) is the omnipotent God, the King and Ruler of the universe.

The revelation of God to man (Epiphany) is seen four different event in Jesus's early life, which are as follows:

• The Baptism of the Lord - the Holy Spirit descends and God the Father declared that Jesus is His Son.
• Jesus's miracle at the wedding in Cana - Jesus Christ divinity is reveal as changes jars of water to wine.
• The Nativity of the Lord - the angels proclaim, sing praises and bear witness to birth Jesus, the Emmanual and Messiah , and the shepherds, representing the people of Israel, follows the angels words and bow down before Him.
• The Epiphany of the Lord - the visitation of the Magi (the three kings / wise men), who followed a bright star in the east to Bethlehem where Jesus had been born, bearing gifts fit for a King as in Matthew 2:11,"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh". Here Jesus Christ's divinity is made known to the Gentiles, the other nations of the earth.

"This day the Church 

is joined to her heavenly Spouse, 

for Christ has cleansed 

her crimes in the Jordan. 

With gifts the Magi hasten 

to the royal nuptials, 

and the guests are gladdened 

with wine made from water."

We too must have the courage to follow the light of the star like the wise men, however difficult the journey, we must pursue that the light of our faith, and to be so strong so that we are able to see and recognize our Lord and our King in whatever way as Jesus will show Himself to us. In recognizing and accepting as our King and the son of God who bring us salvation, we should bow down and adore Him, offering Him our total loyalty and glorifying Him. And upon returning like the three wise men, we should bring the light of Jesus Christ to all we meet. 

"For behold, darkness 

shall cover the earth and a mist the people, 

but the Lord shall arise upon Thee, 

and His glory shall be seen upon Thee. 

And the Gentiles shall walk in Thy light...." 

~ Epistle of the Epiphany Mass ~

O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may be so led as to behold with our eyes the beauty of Thy majesty. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. ~ from the Mass of St. Pius V

Sunday, 5 January, 2014
The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity)

May the splendour of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

Isaiah 60: 1 - 6
1	Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
2	For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
3	And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4	Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be carried in the arms.
5	Then you shall see and be radiant, your heart shall thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6	A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Mid'ian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

Psalm

Psalms 72: 1 - 2, 7 - 8, 10 - 13
1	Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son!
2	May he judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with justice!
7	In his days may righteousness flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
8	May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!
10	May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!
11	May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
12	For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
13	He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.

Reading 2

Ephesians 3: 2 - 3, 5 - 6
2	assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,
3	how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
5	which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6	that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Gospel

Matthew 2: 1 - 12
1	Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,
2	"Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
3	When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
4	and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5	They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
6	`And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
7	Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
8	and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
9	When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.
10	When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
11	and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12	And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Epiphany Prayer

Thou, O Lord,

art the Star of truth,

that riseth out of Jacob,

and the man that springeth from Israel.

In the new Star

thou showest thyself as God,

and lying in the Crib

God and Man,

we confess thee

to be the one Christ.

In thy great mercy

grant us the grace of seeing thee,

and show unto us

the radiant sign of thy light,

whereby all the darkness

of our sins may be put to flight:

that so we who now languish

with the desire of seeing thee,

may be refreshed with the enjoyment

of that blissful vision.

Amen.

This prayer was taken from the Mozarabic Breviary.

The Epiphany of the Lord

The Epiphany is the high point of Christmas and the fulfillment of Advent. It concentrates entirely on the coming of the Magi and their adoration of their new-found King. Epiphany means manifestation. Celebrates the manifestation of of the majesty and divinity of the newborn Savior, our Lord Christ Jesus to the whole world, after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem, and is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. We recognized and acknowledged the Infant as the Redeemer and King of the world, thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation.

Three miracles glorify this sacred day, so that He might become our Redeemer.

• the star led the Magi to the crib.
• the wedding feast at Cana where water was changed into wine
• Christ willed that John baptize Him in the Jordan.

Matthew 3:17, And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

"By becoming man in Mary’s womb, the Son of God did not only come for the People of Israel, represented by the Shepherds of Bethlehem, but also for the whole of humanity, represented by the Magi.....

We must open ourselves to the certainty that God is almighty love that takes nothing away, that does not threaten; on the contrary he is the Only One who can give us the possibility of living to the full, of experiencing true joy.......
God’s criteria differ from human criteria. God does not manifest himself in the power of this world but in the humility of his love, the love that asks our freedom to be welcomed in order to transform us and to enable us to reach the One who is Love......
Dear brothers and sisters, let us allow ourselves to be guided by the star that is the word of God, let us follow it in our lives, walking with the Church in which the Word has pitched his tent. Our road will always be illumined by a light that no other sign can give us. And we too shall become stars for others, a reflection of that light which Christ caused to shine upon us. Amen."

Benedict XVI Homily for Feast of the Epiphany 2011