The Epiphany of the Lord

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Isaiah 60.1-6

“Arise Jerusalem and shine:
your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen on you.
For, behold, darkness covers the earth,
and heavy darkness covers the peoples,
but the Lord will arise for you,
and his glory shall be seen upon you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
“Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
they all gather themselves together,
they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be cradled.

Then you shall see and be radiant,
and your heart shall thrill and grow,
because the abundance of the sea
shall be given to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
The multitude of camels shall cover you,
the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and proclaim the praises of the Lord.

Responsorial – Psalm 72.1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Resp. 11

R. All nations shall serve the Lord.

God, give the king your justice;
your righteousness to the royal son.
He will judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.

R. All nations shall serve the Lord.

In his days, the righteous shall flourish,
and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
He shall have dominion from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. All nations shall serve the Lord.

The kings of Tarshish and the islands will bring tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
Yes, all kings shall fall down before him.
All nations shall serve him.

R. All nations shall serve the Lord.

For he will deliver the needy when he cries;
the poor, who has no helper.
He will have pity on the poor and needy.
He will save the souls of the needy.

R. All nations shall serve the Lord.

Reading 2 – Ephesians 3.2-3a, 5-6

Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God
which was given to me for you;
how, by revelation, the mystery was made known to me.
In other generations, it was not made known
to the sons and daughters of humans,
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are fellow heirs,
and fellow members of the body,
and fellow partakers of his promise
in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

Gospel – Matthew 2.1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of King Herod,
behold, wise men from the east
came to Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is he who is born King of the Jews?
For we saw his star in the east,
and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard it, he was disturbed
and all Jerusalem with him.
Gathering together all the chief priests
and scribes of the people,
he asked them where the Christ would be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for this is written through the prophet:

‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are in no way least among the princes of Judah:
for out of you shall come a ruler,
who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”

Then Herod secretly called the wise men,
and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
He sent them to Bethlehem, and said,
“Go and search diligently for the young child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
so that I also may come and worship him.”
They, having heard the king, went their way;
and behold, the star, which they saw in the east,
went before them, until it came and stood over
where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced
with exceedingly great joy.
They came into the house
and saw the young child with Mary, his mother,
and they fell down and worshiped him.
Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts:
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Being warned in a dream
that they should not return to Herod,
they went back to their own country another way.