Author: THERESA JACOBSON

Feast of the Epiphany	January 6, 2027
Prayer of the Day
O God, on this day, by the leading of a star, you revealed your only-begotten Son to the nations. Mercifully grant that we, who know you by faith, may be brought to contemplate the beauty of your majesty; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
^1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. ^2For 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. ^3And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. ^4Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. ^5Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. ^6A 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 bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
Psalm 72:1-11 [12-15] 
^1Give the King your jus- | tice, O God,*
	and your righteousness to | the King’s Son;
^2That he may rule your | people righteously*
	and the | poor with justice;
^3That the mountains may bring prosperity | to the people,*
	and the little | hills bring righteousness.
^4He shall defend the needy a- | mong the people;*
	he shall rescue the poor and crush | the oppressor.
^5He shall live as long as the sun and | moon endure,*
	from one generation | to another.
^6He shall come down like rain upon | the mown field,*
	like showers that wa- | ter the earth.
^7In his time shall the | righteous flourish;*
	there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall | be no more.
^8He shall rule from | sea to sea,*
	and from the River to the ends | of the earth.
^9His foes shall bow | down before him,*
	and his enemies | lick the dust.
^10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles | shall pay tribute,*
	and the kings of Arabia and Saba | offer gifts.
^11All kings shall bow | down before him,*
	and all the nations | do him service.
[^12For he shall deliver the poor who cries out | in distress,*
	and the oppressed who | has no helper.
^13He shall have pity on the low- | ly and poor;*
	he shall preserve the lives | of the needy.
^14He shall redeem their lives from oppres- | sion and violence,*
	and dear shall their blood be | in his sight.
^15Long may he live! and may there be given to him gold | from Arabia;*
	may prayer be made for him always, and may they bless him all | the day long.]
Psalm 72:1-11 [12-15] (ESV)
^1Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
^2May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
^3Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!
^4May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
^5May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
^6May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!
^7In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
^8May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!
^9May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!
^10May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!
^11May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
[^12For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
^13He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
^14From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.
^15Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!]
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:1-12
^1For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — ^2assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ^3how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ^4When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ^5which 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. ^6This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ^7Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ^8To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ^9and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, ^10so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ^11This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ^12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
^1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ^2saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ^3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ^4and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ^5They 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 shepherd my people Israel.’” ^7Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ^8And 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.” ^9After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ^10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ^11And 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. ^12And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.