Liturgical Calendar

Behold, the Lord and Ruler is come; and the kingdom is in His hand, and power, and dominion.

O God, with Your judgment endow the King, and with Your justice, the King’s Son.

Behold, the Lord and Ruler is come; and the kingdom is in His hand, and power, and dominion.

O God, You Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that we who know You now by faith, may come to behold You in glory.

Lesson from the book of Isaias

Rise up in splendor, O Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears His glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Madian and Epha; all from Saba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.

All they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.

Rise up in splendor, O Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord shines upon you. Alleluia, alleluia.

We have seen His star in the East: and have come with gifts to worship the Lord. Alleluia.

Continuation + of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him. But when King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and so was all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet, ‘And you, Bethlehem, of the land of Juda, are by no means least among the princes of Juda; for from you shall come forth a leader who shall rule My people Israel.’ Then Herod summoned the Magi secretly, and carefully ascertained from them the time when the star had appeared to them. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, Go and make careful inquiry concerning the Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may go and worship Him. Now they, having heard the king, went their way. And behold, the star that they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. And when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly. And entering the house, they found the Child with Mary His Mother, (genuflect) and falling down they worshipped Him. And opening their treasures they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another way.

The kings of Tharsis and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him.

O Lord, look favorably upon the gifts of Your Church, which are no longer gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but, as these gifts signify, our offering is Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, Who is now sacrifice and food.

We have seen His star in the East and have come with gifts to worship the Lord.

Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that, by the understanding of our minds made pure, we may grasp what we celebrate by these solemn rites.