INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
The Magi, when they see the child,
draw forth their gifts from Eastern lands,
and falling down they worship him
with incense, myrrh and royal gold.
Receive and own, O holy Child,
clear tokens of your kingly pow’r,
for which the Father preordained
a threefold nature, type, and plan.
From Saba perfumed frankincense
and gold proclaim you God and King,
and fragrant dust of bitter myrrh
foretells the tomb where you will lie.
You stand alone, O Bethlehem,
more noble than the greatest towns,
for you brought forth in human flesh
the heav’nly leader sent to save.
His Father, by the testament
that prophets witnessed, sealed, and signed,
now bids him to assume his reign,
receiving his inheritance:
A kingdom that extends to all,
embracing earth and sea and sky,
from rising sun to evening star,
from nether world to heav’n above.
To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
revealed to nations on this day,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: Tune: BRESLAU, 8 8 8 8
Music: first appeared in As Hymnodus Sacer, Leipzig 1625, adapted by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, 1809-1847
or Mode III, melody 53; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Magi videntes parvulum, Prudentius, ca. 348-405, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Psalm 39
Urgent prayer of a sick person
Creation is made subject to futility . . . by him who subjected it, but it is not without hope (Romans 8:20).
I
I said: “I will be watchful of my ways *
for fear I should sin with my tongue.
I will put a curb on my lips *
when the wicked man stands before me.”
I was dumb, silent and still. *
His prosperity stirred my grief.
My heart was burning within me. *
At the thought of it, the fire blazed up
and my tongue burst into speech: *
“O Lord, you have shown me my end,
how short is the length of my days. *
Now I know how fleeting is my life.
You have given me a short span of days; *
my life is as nothing in your sight.
A mere breath, the man who stood so firm, *
a mere shadow, the man passing by,
a mere breath the riches he hoards, *
not knowing who will have them.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. We groan in pain as we await the redemption of our bodies.
Ant. 2 Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
II
And now, Lord, what is there to wait for? *
In you rests all my hope.
Set me free from all my sins, *
do not make me the taunt of the fool.
I was silent, not opening my lips, *
because this was all your doing.
Take away your scourge from me. *
I am crushed by the blows of your hand.
You punish man’s sins and correct him; *
like the moth you devour all he treasures.
Mortal man is no more than a breath; *
O Lord, hear my prayer.
O Lord, turn your ear to my cry. *
Do not be deaf to my tears.
In your house I am a passing guest, *
a pilgrim, like all my fathers.
Look away that I may breathe again *
before I depart to be no more.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Through your Son you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble.
Ant. Hear and answer my prayer, O Lord; let me not weep in vain.
Ant. 3 I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
Psalm 52
Against a calumniator
If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Why do you boast of your wickedness, *
you champion of evil,
planning ruin all day long, †
your tongue like a sharpened razor, *
you master of deceit?
You love evil more than good; *
lies more than truth.
You love the destructive word, *
you tongue of deceit.
For this God will destroy you *
and remove you for ever.
He will snatch you from your tent and uproot you *
from the land of the living.
The just shall see and fear. *
They shall laugh and say:
“So this is the man who refused *
to take God as his stronghold,
but trusted in the greatness of his wealth *
and grew powerful by his crimes.”
But I am like a growing olive tree *
in the house of God.
I trust in the goodness of God *
for ever and ever.
I will thank you for evermore; *
for this is your doing.
I will proclaim that your name is good, *
in the presence of your friends.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Father, you cut down the unfruitful branch for burning and prune the fertile to make it bear more fruit. Make us grow like laden olive trees in your domain, firmly rooted in the power and mercy of your Son, so that you may gather from us fruit worthy of eternal life.
Ant. I have put all my trust in God’s never-failing mercy.
The Lord will teach us his ways.
— And we will follow in his footsteps.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of the prophet Isaiah
63:7-19
The mercy of the Lord is remembered by a people forsaken
The favors of the Lord I will recall,
the glorious deeds of the Lord,
Because of all he has done for us;
for he is good to the house of Israel,
He has favored us according to his mercy
and his great kindness.
He said: They are indeed my people,
children who are not disloyal;
So he became their savior
in their every affliction.
It was not a messenger or an angel,
but he himself who saved them.
Because of his love and pity
he redeemed them himself,
Lifting them and carrying them
all the days of old.
But they rebelled, and grieved
his holy spirit;
So he turned on them like an enemy,
and fought against them.
Then they remembered the days of old
and Moses, his servant;
Where is he who brought up out of the sea
the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who put his holy spirit
in their midst;
Whose glorious arm
was the guide at Moses’ right;
Who divided the waters before them,
winning for himself eternal renown;
Who led them without stumbling through the depths
like horses in the open country,
Like cattle going down into the plain,
the spirit of the Lord guiding them?
Thus you led your people,
bringing glory to your name.
Look down from heaven and regard us
from your holy and glorious palace!
Where is your zealous care and your might,
your surge of pity and your mercy?
O Lord, hold not back,
for you are our father.
Were Abraham not to know us,
nor Israel to acknowledge us,
You, Lord, are our father,
our redeemer you are named forever.
Why do you let us wander, O Lord, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
Why have the wicked invaded your holy place,
why have our enemies trampled your sanctuary?
Too long have we been like those you do not rule,
who do not bear your name.
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
with the mountains quaking before you!
RESPONSORY
Isaiah 63:19; 59:11
Lord, we are like those over whom you do not rule,
like those who do not bear your name.
— O, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
We have yearned for justice and there is none;
for salvation and it is kept far off from us.
— O, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
SECOND READING
From a sermon by Saint Proclus of Constantinople, bishop
(Sermo 7 in Sancta Theophania, 1-3: PG 65, 758-759)
The waters are made holy
Christ appeared in the world, and, bringing beauty out of disarray, gave it luster and joy. He bore the world’s sins and crushed the world’s enemy. He sanctified the fountains of waters and enlightened the minds of men. Into the fabric of miracles he interwove ever greater miracles.
For on this day land and sea share between them the grace of the Savior, and the whole world is filled with joy. Today’s feast of the Epiphany manifests even more wonders than the feast of Christmas.
On the feast of the Savior’s birth, the earth rejoiced because it bore the Lord in a manger; but on today’s feast of the Epiphany it is the sea that is glad and leaps for joy; the sea is glad because it receives the blessing of holiness in the river Jordan.
At Christmas we saw a weak baby, giving proof of our weakness. In today’s feast, we see a perfect man, hinting at the perfect Son who proceeds from the all-perfect Father. At Christmas the King puts on the royal robe of his body; at Epiphany the very source enfolds and, as it were, clothes the river.
Come then and see new and astounding miracles: the Sun of righteousness washing in the Jordan, fire immersed in water, God sanctified by the ministry of man.
Today every creature shouts in resounding song: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is he who comes in every age, for this is not his first coming.
And who is he? Tell us more clearly, I beg you, blessed David: The Lord is God and has shone upon us. David is not alone in prophesying this; the apostle Paul adds his own witness, saying: The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all men, and instructing us. Not for some men, but for all. To Jews and Greeks alike God bestows salvation through baptism, offering baptism as a common grace for all.
Come, consider this new and wonderful deluge, greater and more important than the flood of Noah’s day. Then the water of the flood destroyed the human race, but now the water of Baptism has recalled the dead to life by the power of the one who baptized. In the days of the flood the dove with an olive branch in its beak foreshadowed the fragrance of the good odor of Christ the Lord; now the Holy Spirit, coming in the likeness of a dove reveals the Lord of mercy.
RESPONSORY
Today, Jesus, Light from Light, whom John baptized in the Jordan, has appeared to us:
— we believe that he was born of the Virgin Mary.
The heavens opened above him,
and the voice was heard.
— We believe that he was born of the Virgin Mary.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
God, light of all nations,
give us the joy of lasting peace,
and fill us with your radiance
as you filled the hearts of our fathers.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, who bestow light on all the nations,
grant your peoples the gladness of lasting peace
and pour into our hearts that brilliant light
by which you purified the minds of our fathers in faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
******
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Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore him.
Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to you we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar;
Branch of royal David’s stem
In your birth at Bethlehem;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana, wedding guest,
In your Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Manifest in making whole,
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever changing good from ill;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Grant us grace to see you, Lord,
Mirrored in your holy word;
May we imitate you now,
And your grace on us endow;
That we like to you may be,
At your great epiphany;
And may praise you ever blest,
God in flesh made manifest. Amen.
Tune: Salzburg 77.77 D
Music: Jakob Hintze, 1622-1702
Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-1885