Isaiah 60:1 Rise up, Jerusalem, and shine forth; thy dawn has come, breaks the glory of the Lord upon thee! 2 What though darkness envelop the earth, though all the nations lie in gloom? Upon thee the Lord shall dawn, over thee his splendour shall be revealed. 3 Those rays of thine shall light the Gentiles on their path; kings shall walk in the splendour of thy sunrise. 4 Lift up thy eyes and look about thee; who are these that come flocking to thee? Sons of thine, daughters of thine, come from far away, or rising up close at hand. 5 Heart of thee shall overflow with wonder and gratitude, to see all the riches of ocean, all the treasure of the Gentiles pouring into thee! 6 A stream of camels thronging about thee, dromedaries from Madian and Epha, bringing all the men of Saba with their gifts of gold and incense, their cry of praise to the Lord!
Psalm 72:1 A Psalm of Solomon.
2 Grant to the king, O God, thy own skill in judgement; the inheritor of a throne, may he be just, as thou art just; may he give thy people right awards, and to thy poor, redress. 3 Such be the harvest his subjects shall reap, peace on every mountain, justice on every hill-side. 4 Watch and ward he will keep over the friendless, protect the children of the poor, and crush the oppressor. 5 Ageless as sun or moon he shall endure; 6 kindly as the rain that drops on the meadow grass, as the showers that water the earth. 7 Justice in his days shall thrive, and the blessings of peace; and may those days last till the moon shines no more. 8 From sea to sea, from the great river to the ends of earth, his sway shall reach. 9 In his presence rebels shall bend the knee, all his enemies will be humbled in the dust; 10 gifts shall flow in from the lords of Tharsis and the islanders, tribute from the kings of Arabia and of Saba; 11 all kings must needs bring their homage, all nations serve him. 12 He will give the poor redress when they cry to him, destitute folk, with none to befriend them; 13 in their need and helplessness, they shall have his compassion. Their lives he will take into his keeping, 14 set them free from the power of wrong and oppression, dearly avenge their blood. 15 Long life shall be his, and gold from Arabia shall be given him; men will pray for him continually, bless his name evermore. 16 The land shall have good store of corn, high up the hill-sides, rustling like the woods of Lebanon; shall multiply its citizens like grass on the ground. 17 For ever let his name be used in blessing, a name to endure while the sun gives light; in him all the tribes of the earth shall be enriched, all the nations shall extol him. 18 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who does wonderful deeds as none else, 19 and blessed for ever be his glorious name; all the earth shall be filled with his glory, Amen, Amen.
Ephesians 3:2 You will have been told how God planned to give me a special grace for preaching to you; 3 how a revelation taught me the secret I have been setting out briefly here. 4 briefly, yet so as to let you see how well I have mastered this secret of Christ’s. 5 It was never made known to any human being in past ages, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, and it is this: 6 that through the gospel preaching the Gentiles are to win the same inheritance, to be made part of the same body, to share the same divine promise, in Christ Jesus.
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Thanks be to God!
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Alleluia! Alleluia!
Todays's Gospel reading:
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew -
Matthew 2:1 Jesus was born at Bethlehem, in Juda, in the days of king Herod. And thereupon certain wise men came out of the east to Jerusalem, 2 who asked, Where is he that has been born, the king of the Jews? We have seen his star out in the east, and we have come to worship him. 3 King Herod was troubled when he heard it, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 so that he assembled all the chief priests and learned men among the people, and enquired of them where it was that Christ would be born. 5 And they told him, At Bethlehem in Juda; so it has been written by the prophet: 6 And thou, Bethlehem, of the land of Juda, art far from the least among the princes of Juda, for out of thee will arise a leader who is to be the shepherd of my people Israel. 7 Then, summoning the wise men in secret, Herod questioned them closely upon the time of the star’s appearing. 8 And he sent them on their way to Bethlehem, saying to them, Go and enquire carefully for the child, and when you have found him, bring me back word, so that I too may come and worship him. 9 They obeyed the king, and went on their journey; and all at once the star which they had seen in the east was there going before them, till at last it stood still over the place where the child was. 10 They, when they saw the star, were glad beyond measure; 11 and so, going into the dwelling, they found the child there, with his mother Mary, and fell down to worship him; and, opening their store of treasures, they offered him gifts, of gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 Afterwards, because they had received a warning in a dream forbidding them to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by a different way.
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Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ!!
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Psalm 72:1 A Psalm of Solomon.
2 Grant to the king, O God, thy own skill in judgement; the inheritor of a throne, may he be just, as thou art just; may he give thy people right awards, and to thy poor, redress. 3 Such be the harvest his subjects shall reap, peace on every mountain, justice on every hill-side. 4 Watch and ward he will keep over the friendless, protect the children of the poor, and crush the oppressor. 5 Ageless as sun or moon he shall endure; 6 kindly as the rain that drops on the meadow grass, as the showers that water the earth. 7 Justice in his days shall thrive, and the blessings of peace; and may those days last till the moon shines no more. 8 From sea to sea, from the great river to the ends of earth, his sway shall reach. 9 In his presence rebels shall bend the knee, all his enemies will be humbled in the dust; 10 gifts shall flow in from the lords of Tharsis and the islanders, tribute from the kings of Arabia and of Saba; 11 all kings must needs bring their homage, all nations serve him. 12 He will give the poor redress when they cry to him, destitute folk, with none to befriend them; 13 in their need and helplessness, they shall have his compassion. Their lives he will take into his keeping, 14 set them free from the power of wrong and oppression, dearly avenge their blood. 15 Long life shall be his, and gold from Arabia shall be given him; men will pray for him continually, bless his name evermore. 16 The land shall have good store of corn, high up the hill-sides, rustling like the woods of Lebanon; shall multiply its citizens like grass on the ground. 17 For ever let his name be used in blessing, a name to endure while the sun gives light; in him all the tribes of the earth shall be enriched, all the nations shall extol him. 18 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who does wonderful deeds as none else, 19 and blessed for ever be his glorious name; all the earth shall be filled with his glory, Amen, Amen.
Ephesians 3:2 You will have been told how God planned to give me a special grace for preaching to you; 3 how a revelation taught me the secret I have been setting out briefly here. 4 briefly, yet so as to let you see how well I have mastered this secret of Christ’s. 5 It was never made known to any human being in past ages, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, and it is this: 6 that through the gospel preaching the Gentiles are to win the same inheritance, to be made part of the same body, to share the same divine promise, in Christ Jesus.
------------
Thanks be to God!
------------
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Todays's Gospel reading:
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew -
Matthew 2:1 Jesus was born at Bethlehem, in Juda, in the days of king Herod. And thereupon certain wise men came out of the east to Jerusalem, 2 who asked, Where is he that has been born, the king of the Jews? We have seen his star out in the east, and we have come to worship him. 3 King Herod was troubled when he heard it, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 so that he assembled all the chief priests and learned men among the people, and enquired of them where it was that Christ would be born. 5 And they told him, At Bethlehem in Juda; so it has been written by the prophet: 6 And thou, Bethlehem, of the land of Juda, art far from the least among the princes of Juda, for out of thee will arise a leader who is to be the shepherd of my people Israel. 7 Then, summoning the wise men in secret, Herod questioned them closely upon the time of the star’s appearing. 8 And he sent them on their way to Bethlehem, saying to them, Go and enquire carefully for the child, and when you have found him, bring me back word, so that I too may come and worship him. 9 They obeyed the king, and went on their journey; and all at once the star which they had seen in the east was there going before them, till at last it stood still over the place where the child was. 10 They, when they saw the star, were glad beyond measure; 11 and so, going into the dwelling, they found the child there, with his mother Mary, and fell down to worship him; and, opening their store of treasures, they offered him gifts, of gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 Afterwards, because they had received a warning in a dream forbidding them to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by a different way.
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Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ!!
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