we celebrate the coming of our Saviour

January 6, 2025 / Eric Mathews / 1 Comment

Adoration of the Magi, via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

Blessed are you, O Christ, our God;
you were before time began,
and came to the world to save us.
Blessed are you, Sun of righteousness;
you shine with the Father’s love
and illumine the whole universe.
Blessed are you, Son of Mary;
born a child
you shared our humanity.
Blessed are you, son of David;
born to rule,
you received gifts from the wise men.
Blessed are you, Son of Man;
baptised by John,
you saved us from ourselves.
Blessed are you, heavenly King;
teaching and preaching, healing and comforting,
you proclaimed the kingdom.
With all the voices of heaven
we celebrate the coming of our Saviour.
Let heaven and earth shout their praise.
With all the creatures on earth
we sing and dance at your birth.
Praise and glory to you, O Lord Jesus Christ.

David Beswick, 1933 – , Australian Minister and Professor

source

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Matthew 2:10-11

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

On coming to the house,

they saw the child with his mother Mary,

and they bowed down and worshiped him.

Then they opened their treasures

and presented him with gifts

of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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to become people of your light

January 5, 2024June 14, 2025 / Eric Mathews / Leave a comment

Adorazione dei Magi by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo via Wikimedia Commons

On Epiphany day,
we are still the people walking.
We are still people in the dark,
and the darkness looms large around us,
beset as we are by fear,
anxiety,
brutality,
violence,
loss —
a dozen alienations that we cannot manage.

We are — we could be — people of your light.
So we pray for the light of your glorious presence
as we wait for your appearing;
we pray for the light of your wondrous grace
as we exhaust our coping capacity;
we pray for your gift of newness that
will override our weariness;
we pray that we may see and know and hear and trust
in your good rule.

That we may have energy, courage, and freedom to enact
your rule through the demands of this day.
We submit our day to you and to your rule,

with deep joy and high hope.

Walter Brueggemann, 1933 – 2025, American Protestant Old Testament theologian
Prayers for a Privileged People

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Matthew 2:9-11

After this interview the wise men went their way.

And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem.

It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!

They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary,

and they bowed down and worshiped him.

Then they opened their treasure chests