LITURGY IN FOCUS

CALL TO WORSHIP & CENTERING PRAYERS

Call to worship

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. The Wise Men found the newborn King in an unexpected poor place, not in a palace of kings. People of faith always know that Jesus can be found in unexpected places.

  • To the point: The magi come from the East sincerely searching for “the newborn king of the Jews.” The self-serving, deceitful plotting by Herod does not thwart their finding the newborn King. Like the magi, despite our own “Herods,” we, too, must diligently search for Christ. Even when we seem to lose sight of the star and the way forward is no longer clear, even when evil forces seek to thwart our search, we can trust that God never leaves us in darkness, but always leads us to light.
  • Connecting the Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12) to the first reading: The first reading reveals God’s work: divine glory shines upon us to lead us, to gather us and to enrich us with God’s own splendor. What are we to do with this splendor? We are to walk in God’s light so that we become that light for the world.
  • Connecting the Gospel to experience: Sometimes we grow discouraged in our search for God. In truth, we find God not primarily because we search but because God reveals the divine splendor and presence to us.

Centering prayers

The Gospel

(Matthew 2: 1-12)

“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 …”

Look! Look up! O Jerusalem, here comes the world
running to walk in your light. We are the sparkling and the dim,
the black, brown and white, the kings and beggars,
the undocumented and the border agents.
Lord, shine your light on us all.
May your star chase away every darkness
and fill us with your radiant light.
Make us your epiphanies and wonderful care for each other.

The First Reading

(Isaiah 60: 1-6)

“Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the lord shines upon you.”

Morning has opened. It’s gentle light spills over.
Caravans come, nations stretch to see.
Hearts open their sleepy eyes
to the radiance that you have poured
out on us. Help us rise up.

The Second Reading

(Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6)

“The Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body,
and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Old promises now answered in the newborn babe.
The Christ now within all of us,
our lives forever joined and altered.
Make us shining stars to lead all people, all creation to you.

Copyright © 2021, Anne M. Osdieck

For meditation and reflection