An Epiphany Meditation

Good Evening Beloved Community , 

Happy Feast of the Epiphany!This is the day whe we finally place the Magi in the Crèche and take down the Yule and Christmas decorations! How many of you have had Epiphanies today? I did when I was helping and attending a funeral at church today and have always wanted to know why the Feast of the Holy Inñocents come before Epiphany? This is my homework for the week. Today there have been so many memorials and funerals of friends of mine that I couldn't attend them all. God showed me tha I could be prayerfully present at one and in kind be prayerfully present at all. Wherever we are meant to bei is where God has us carry God's light to the world and especially those who are fragile and broken. We are to carry God's light everywhere and follow God's star daily where God needs us! So where did God's star lead you today ?  Have you carried God's light today? Have you been prayerfully present?

Take time to ponder these things and then join in our Epiphany Evening Prayer service. Our lessons are a combination plate!

Follow the star to Bethlehem

Follow the star.

Follow

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Follow the star to Bethlehem

Follow the star.

Follow

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Follow the star to Bethlehem

Follow the star.

Follow

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Love is the epiphany of God in our poverty.

Thomas Merton

O Gracious Light  Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,

pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,

         O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,

and our eyes behold the vesper light,

we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of life,

and to be glorified through all the worlds.

The Light of the world is not put out. Now have death and the grave been converted into the great testimonies for life and immortality. Now may each man, who has the sentence of Adam upon him, know that he is a kinsman of the Son of God. Now may he follow Him; and so, when the darkness is thickest around him and within, not walk in it, but see the Light of Life.

Frederick Denison Maurice

From the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 1:11

It is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The whole life of Christ was a continual Passion; others die martyrs but Christ was born a martyr. He found a Golgotha even in Bethlehem, where he was born; for to his tenderness then the straws were almost as sharp as the thorns after, and the manger as uneasy at first as his cross at last. His birth and his death were but one continual act, and his Christmas day and his Good Friday are but the evening and morning of one and the same day. And as even his birth is his death, so every action and passage that manifests Christ to us is his birth, for Epiphany is manifestation.

John Donne 

The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:1b

Psalms 96, 100

Cantate Domino

1	Sing to the Lord a new song; *
	sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.
2	Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; *
	proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
3	Declare his glory among the nations *
	and his wonders among all peoples.
4	For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *
	he is more to be feared than all gods.
5	As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *
	but it is the Lord who made the heavens.
6	Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *
	Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!
7	Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; *
	ascribe to the Lord honor and power.
8	Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; *
	bring offerings and come into his courts.
9	Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *
	let the whole earth tremble before him.
10	Tell it out among the nations: “The Lord is King! *
	he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
	he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11	Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
	let the sea thunder and all that is in it; *
	let the field be joyful and all that is therein.
12	Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy
	before the Lord when he comes, *
	when he comes to judge the earth.
13	He will judge the world with righteousness *
	and the peoples with his truth.

Psalm 100

Jubilate Deo

1	Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
	serve the Lord with gladness
	and come before his presence with a song.
2	Know this: The Lord himself is God; *
	he himself has made us, and we are his;
	we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3	Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
	go into his courts with praise; *
	give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4	For the Lord is good;
	his mercy is everlasting; *
	and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

Isaiah 61:1-9 (NRSV)

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion—to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines; but you shall be called priests of the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God; you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory. Because their shame was double, and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot, therefore they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.

Canticle 13

A Song of Praise Benedictus es, Domine

Song of the Three, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.   Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.   Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Galatians 3:23-29; 4:4-7 (NRSV)

Before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

A Song of Our Adoption 

Ephesians 1:3-10

Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, * for you have blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Before the world was made, you chose us to be yours in Christ, * that we should be holy and blameless before you. You destined us for adoption as your children through Jesus Christ, * according to the good pleasure of your will, To the praise of your glorious grace, * that you have freely given us in the Beloved. In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, According to the riches of your grace * which you have lavished upon us. You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, * the mystery of your will, According to your good pleasure which you set forth in Christ, * as a plan for the fullness of time, To gather together all things in Christ, * things in heaven and things on earth.

Matthew 2:1-12 (NRSV)

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “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.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘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.’” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then 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.” When 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. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed 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.

Canticle 15

The Song of Mary Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Epiphany,  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. Jesus, as we travel far and fast, lead our minds back to the wise men following your star, and forward to the day when all will see your shining light. Jesus, light of the world, let your bright star stand over the place where the poor have to live; lead our sages to wisdom and our rulers to reverence. O God, by the leading of a star you revealed your Son Jesus Christ to the gentiles; grant that your Church may be a light to the nations, so that the whole world may come to see the splendour of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 
Source of all that is and that shall be, 
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven: 

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 
sustain our hope and come on earth. 

With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us. 

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and for ever. Amen.

 A Prayer attributed to St. Francis 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Please respond with The people who in darknes have seen a glorious light

God take away our fears and worries during this long and dark season of Winter.

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

God help us to have courage to follow you wherever you may lead us even into places where we may find ourselves out of our comfort zone.

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

God we pray for all who are in grief this day, may they feel your light and comfort whe their hearts are tender and raw.

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

God we pray for all who aid refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, Dreamers, and all who are seeking freedom from any kind of trafficking and oppression. 

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

We pray for an end to violence of any kind that those who commit these acts may have their hearts  transformed and find themselves turning their lives around from all evil.

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

We pray for___________

We give thanks for_________

The people who in darkness have seen a glorious light.

God we lift up these prayers to you and your Son Jesus the Christ who is the Light of the World in every generation. Amen.

Blessing, light, and glory surround us 
and scatter the darkness of the long and lonely night. 

Bonus meditations

                        A Guided Meditation and Virtual Prayer Walk

                               Walking in the footsteps of refugees

Let us imagine ourselves through the eyes of a refugee and pray along the way.

Imagine you have decided to leave the only home you and your family have ever known.

God I don't want to live in this country where my children and husband and I are having to dodge bullets and face daily fears.  God help us to have courage to leave this war torn city and country and find safety.

Imagine having to carry a loaded in a backpack without any of the usual comfort items.

God I'm not ready to become homeless but in order to find a better life for my family I must Give me courage to take what I really need for my husband, children and myself.

Imagine the first day on the road by foot. How do your feet feel and what does your body feel like going long distances?

God my feet feel like they have become calloused, blistered, and in a lot of pain. Give us courage to honor our bodies, minds, and spirits when we need to as we flee our country of origin.

Imagine not having enough warmth on these cold nights out in the open.

God help us to find a suitable place of shelter for the night and that we may find warmth.

Imagine meeting up with other refugees and telling your stories and developing a new kind of family.

God we thank you that we have met many of our fellow refugee families and that we finally realize that we are all in this as one big family. God help us to find and make lasting friendships and that we may find safety together.

Imagine being in danger and seeing lawless gangs.

God help us to remain safe and secure and we pray for our enemies and those who wish to do us harm.

Imagine us having to find shelter, clothing, and food everyday on the road and there aren't any refugee camps nearby.

God help us to find shelter, clothing,food everyday. Help us to keep our eyes and ears open to finding refugee camps that are run by compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful people.

Imagine becoming ill on the road.

God help us to find ways to cope with illness each day that we are not in familiar territory.

Imagine having a loved one die on the road. 

God help us to mourn our loved ones loss on the road and that we may honor their bodies by burying them reverently in the ground. Help us to always to remember to carry white sheets for burial shrouds along the way.

Imagine you have finally reached the refugee camps and are awaiting resettlement. 

God we thank you for finally reaching the camp and we pray that we may have patience to wait our turn to go through the resettlement process.

Imagine the day when you meet your sponsoring family.

(Alternate imagining:)

Imagine you get to this country and are told to turn back because of your religious status and  ethnic origin.

God help us to remain cool and seek help from loving people who really care)

God we thank you for our new family. Help us  when it is our turn to welcome the stranger that we may model our lives after you Jesus and remember that you, Mary, and Joseph were refugees too.

And

Stations of the Creche

I. Mary receives word that she is to bear the Christ child.

"Be it unto me according to your Word"

Lord may we say yes to your call and walk with you in love and not fear.

II. Mary Tells Joseph her news!

"Do not be afraid Joseph to Take Mary as your wife"

Help us to not be afraid when God presents us with difficulty. May we seek to have faith and resiliency.

III. Joseph receives word about needing to go to Bethlehem to be enrolled

Lord help us to remember that we are all written in your Book of life and that we are precious to you and every hair on our heads are counted.

IV. Mary and Joseph set out on the road to Bethlehem.

Lord God we pray for all who travel and pray for safe passage wherever we go this season.

V. Mary and Joseph seek shelter as Mary goes into labor. 

Lord God we pray for all who seek shelter this night and for all women who are in labor. We pray for safety for all who  are the least of these our family members. May we offer our homes and hearts as shelters from any kind of storm.

VI. Mary and Joseph take shelter in a manger

Lord God it is good to be in this manger as a reminder that all living things are precious to you and that we all must eat the Bread of eternal life in new mangers as we feast with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at God's Holy Table set with Bread and Wine.

VII. Jesus is Born 

Come let us adore him and give thanks that Jesus came into God's world to redeem, heal, and teach us how to be brothers and sisters one to another. We give thanks that on that most holy night we were no longer strangers but the Family of Love.

VIII. Angelic Hosts tell the Shepherds "Do not be afraid"! Follow the Star to the Manger and greet with joy the birth of the Messiah. 

Lord God may we never be afraid to come and meet and greet our Lord in all persons, places, and situations.

IX. The Magi Visit Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Lord God, teach us to be giving of our time, talents, treasures, and ourselves. Help us to give and receive the Gift of presence from you and others.

X. Herod sets out to kill the Holy Innocents.

Lord God, we pray for peace in the world and an end to violence against all your children , young and old. We pray for your holy and loving protection  to surround them wherever they may be.

XI  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph take flight into Egypt.

Lord God, we pray for all refugees who are fleeing wars, economic situations, religious persecution, and political uncertainty. We pray that they may return to their homes and livelihoods and if they are to stay where they have taken flight to that they may be welcomed not as strangers but as members of the family of love.

XII. Jesus, Mary and Joseph return home to Nazareth.

Lord God we pray that as we return home from work or travel that our homes may be havens of peace and places of refreshment for all of our family members.

+++++

Good Night dear ones have  blessed Epiphany and many a ha moments!

With love and joyful blessings!

Sara

Resources

New Zealand Prayer Book

Online Book of Common Prayer

A to Z Quotes

Walk With Me On Our Journey!