Worship & Prayers for The Epiphany 

Opening Rite 

If you’re at home you might wish to light a candle, make sure you are sitting comfortably and take a few deep breaths to still yourself.  

The Lord is here  His spirit is with us.                         

Prayers of Penitence

The grace of God has dawned upon the world through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.                   cf Titus 2.11-14

Let us confess our sins.

After a period of reflection

God be gracious to us and bless us, and make your face shine upon us: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

May your ways be known on the earth, your saving power among the nations: Christ, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.

You, Lord, have made known your salvation, and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Collect

You might like to keep a few moments of silence

O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Isaiah 60:1-6

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.  Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.  Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.  A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord

Psalm 72:10-15

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts. All kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall do him service.

For he shall deliver the poor that cry out, the needy and those who have no helper.  He shall have pity on the weak and poor; he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

Long may he live; unto him may be given gold from Sheba; may prayer be made for him continually and may they bless him all the day long.

Ephesians 3.1-12

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.  Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

The Gospel according to Matthew                                  Chapter 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

This is the Gospel of the Lord  Praise to you O Christ

Reflection

Matthew, who often quotes or alludes to Isaiah, is echoing the prophet’s vision in the way he frames this story, unique to his Gospel. The magi come as the nations did in Isaiah 60 specifically to bring their gifts to Jesus to mark his significance for the whole world and not just Israel. As in Isaiah’s vision, so here events in the backwater of Judea have world-changing potential.  This story is rooted in the dark politics of our world: of course, the magi went to pay their respects to Herod – they were in his territory and protocol demanded it. Matthew makes much of the nation’s religious leaders telling Herod where the Messiah is to be born. They quote Micah 5:2 with its message of a Davidic king to come, but that is not what the magi had asked – they had travelled to mark the birth of a Judean king.  The passage continues in order to show that the child they were led to is of global significance, a figure worthy of their worship – suddenly their gifts felt profoundly appropriate. Not just gold for a king and incense for royal courts but myrrh, generally associated with death (but a costly spice in itself).  God intervenes directly at this point, telling them not to make a return visit to Herod and risk the king’s anger being unleashed.

The links between the readings

There are connections within the readings, but also with the dark world in which we live – the darkness of winter and short days, the darkness of bad governance and unjust structures, the darkness of people feeling abandoned, needing a message of hope and good news. In bringing these stories together, the compilers of the lectionary highlight that God chooses the marginal and the obscure to bring the life, love and light of his plan for the world – tiny, defeated Israel and a child in a manger.

Reproduced with permission www.rootsontheweb.com 2002-2021  

Prayers

Spend a few moments praying for the people you know and love, for the world, for peace and for the relief of refugees everywhere. 

 On the Feast of The Epiphany

Creator of the heavens, who led the Magi by a star to worship the Christ-child: guide and sustain us, that we may find our journey’s end in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Praying for the Earth                                         Landscape and soil

We thank you for all that is beautiful in the landscapes that surround us. As the environment forms us, so help us to form an environment that is beneficial to others. We thank you for the soil beneath our feet. As the soil supports and nurtures us, so help us to nourish the soil for the good of all living things. Amen

From the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for the Church

Porvoo Communion: Diocese of London and the Diocese of Nidaros and Trondheim (Church of Norway)

Anglican Communion: Church of the Province of Central Africa Primate: The Most Reverend Albert Chama

Diocese of Botswana:    St Barnabas Church, Old Naledi (served by the Cathedral of the Holy Cross) 

Diocese of Newcastle:  Rachel Wood, Archdeacon of Northumberland

From our Parish Prayer Cycle this week 

pray for all residents of Lartington Gardens, Lilburn Gardens, Freeman Road, Cloister Garth and The Cloisters

For the sick and those being cared for in hospital or at home      

Harry Titley, Jacqueline Pearson, Ida Smart, Lynne Dryden, Liz Clarke, Corinne Harris, Jo Whittam, Veronica Brown, Alan Trotter, Linda Pallister, Alastair Day, Jenny Freeman, John Irving, Maureen Webster, Carol Greener, baby Rajvi, baby Gianna Skye and Daniel Hassan

For those in residential care     

Doreen Richardson, Irene Gibson, Deirdré Crowe, Brian Smart, Tony Bartlett, Pat Bell and Pat Hindmarsh

For those whose year’s minds are this week 

Doris Sidney Wilmot, Eva Charlton, Ethel Lowson, John Duncan Brack, Thomas Oakley, Robert Maddison, Francis Rutherford, Joe Cox, Hannah Walton, Margaret Charlton, Stan Greenwell, Jack Render, Tina Gilroy, Hazel Varty, Ellen Waugh, Ethel May Ridley, Blanche Whitelaw, George Robinson, June Dawson, Isabella Hannant, Gladys Titley, Christina Roach, Colin Brewis, John Bentham and Pat Twentyman

You might like to end your prayers with The Lord's Prayer  

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Let us bless the Lord!  Thanks be to God!