Daily Readings for January 3, 2016

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

1ST READING

The Epiphany celebrates how God chooses to be involved with His creation. He did not simply create the world and then leave it to its own devices — He chooses to be in relationship with it. This is perfectly expressed in the incarnation of Jesus, His Son, as a man, as one of us. As we recognize the identity of Jesus as both Man and God, we realize the fullness of God’s love for us. He did not abandon us to sin but sent us His Son to redeem us.

Isaiah 60:1-6

1 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory. 3 Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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.

P S A L M

Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

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

2ND READING

The Son of God born as one of us has not yet revealed the fullness of His glory. The first three chapters of the Letter to the Ephesians reflect on the full glory of God and long for Jesus’ coming so that we will not be deprived of what God has to offer us. We rejoice that Jesus is our Redeemer; we will rejoice even more when we meet Him face to face in all His glory and might. 19

Ephesians 3: 2-3, 5-6

2 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. 5 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: 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

GOSPEL

These pagan kings come to pay homage to Jesus. This is an amazing witness to the power of the Gospel to reach out to anyone, especially the non-believers. We must trust in the inherent power of the Gospel. Anything is possible when we entrust our lives to the Holy Spirit. It is up to God to convert those who do not know Him. However, we have to do all that we can to give a vibrant and true witness of a believer in Christ.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

Matthew 2: 1-12

1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 6 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.” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.  8 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.” 9 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. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

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