January 6: The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Collect of the Day

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know thee now by faith, to thy presence, where we may behold thy glory face to face; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 60:1-6 or Isaiah 60:1–9
Psalm 72:1-7,10-14 or Psalm 72
Ephesians 3:1-12 or Ephesians 3:1–12
Matthew 2:1-12 or Matthew 2:1–12

The name “Epiphany” is derived from a Greek word meaning “manifestation” or “appearing.” Anglican Prayer Books interpret the word as, “The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.” The last phrase, of course, is a reference to the story of the Magi from the East.

A Christian observance on January 6th is found as early as the end of the second century in Egypt. The feast combined commemorations of three events that were considered manifestations of the Incarnate Lord: the visit of the Magi, led by the star of Bethlehem; the Baptism of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River; and Jesus’ first recorded miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding of Cana.

Epiphany is still the primary Feast of the Incarnation in Eastern churches, and the three-fold emphasis is still prominent. In the West, however, including Anglican churches, the story of the Magi has tended to overshadow the other two events. Modern lectionary reform, reflected in the 1979 Prayer Book, has recovered the primitive trilogy by setting the event of Christ’s Baptism as the theme of the First Sunday after the Epiphany in all three years, and by providing the story of the Miracle at Cana as the Gospel for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany in Year C.

It is a practice in some communities to bless chalk on Epiphany so that people may use it to bless their homes. Traditionally, the chalking is done above the lintel and takes this form: 20+C+M+B+18, in which “18” is replaced by the current year. The letters are the abbreviation for the Latin phrase“Christus mansionem benedicat” - “Christ bless this house”. (A second meaning and mnemonic device is “Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar”, the traditional names for the Magi). The + signs represent the cross, and 20-18 is the year.

The following prayer is traditionally used for the blessing of chalk:

Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

Psalm

¹Give the King your justice, 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 among 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 water the earth.

⁷In his time shall the righteous flourish; *there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

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 lowly and poor; *he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

¹⁴He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

Psalm

¹Give the King your justice, 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 among 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 water 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 lowly and poor; *he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

¹⁴He shall redeem their lives from oppression 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.

¹⁶May there be abundance of grain on the earth, growing thick even on the hilltops; *may its fruit flourish like Lebanon, and its grain like grass upon the earth.

¹⁷May his Name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures; *may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.

¹⁸Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *who alone does wondrous deeds!

¹⁹And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *and may all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

Epistle

Gospel

¹In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking, “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.” ³When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶‘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.’” ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸Then 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.” ⁹When 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. ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹On 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. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.