Sunday between 2 and 6 January only
The Epiphany (Year A)
First Reading - Isaiah 60.1-3,5b-6
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Arise, and shine,
for your light has come;
and the glory of the Lord
has risen upon you.
A deep darkness
will cover the earth and its peoples;
but over you,
the glory of the Lord
will rise
like the sun.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings
to the brightness of your dawn.
The wealth of the nations,
and the riches of the oceans,
will come to you.
Camels, from Egypt, and Arabia,
will fill the land.
They will bring
gold and frankincense,
and they will proclaim
the praise of the Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - Ephesians 2.11-14,17
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.
Previously,
you did not know Christ.
You were strangers also
to the covenants
that God had made
with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
You were without God,
and without hope in the world.
But now, you who were once
far off
have been brought near.
For Christ is our peace.
In his own body and blood,
he has broken down
the hostility
which had been like
a dividing wall
between us.
Christ came and proclaimed peace
to you who were far off,
and peace
to those who were near.
And through him
we all now have access,
in one Spirit,
to the Father.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Matthew 2.1-12
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
In the time of King Herod,
after Jesus was born
(in Bethlehem of Judea),
Magi from the East
came to Jerusalem,
saying, ‘We are looking for the child
who is born
to be king of the Jews.
For we observed his star, at its rising,
and we have come to pay him homage.’
When King Herod heard this,
he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
He called together
the chief priests and the scribes,
and enquired of them
where the Messiah
was to be born.
They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea;
for it is written in the prophets:
“You, O Bethlehem,
in the land of Judah,
are not the least
amongst the ruling cities
of Judah; for out of you
will come a leader, who is
to shepherd
my people Israel.”’
Then Herod called secretly for the Magi,
and learned from them
the exact time
at which the star had appeared.
Then he sent them to Bethlehem,
saying, ‘Go and search for the child;
and when you have found him,
bring me word,
so that I may also go
and pay him homage.’
So the Magi set out;
and there, ahead of them,
went the star
which they had seen
at its rising;
until it stopped
over the place
where they would find the child;
at which
they were filled with joy.
On 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.
And having been warned in a dream
not to return to Herod,
they left for their own country
by another road.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.