As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!
Melody: Dix 77.77.77; Music: Konrad Kocher; Text: William C. Dix, 1860; Midi: Cyberhymnal


PSALMODY

Antiphon: Begotten of the Father before the daystar shone or time began, the Lord our Savior has appeared on earth today.

Psalm 135

            I

Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord
in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise the Lord for the Lord is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself
and Israel for his own possession.

For I know that the Lord is great,
that our Lord is high above all gods.
The Lord does whatever he wills,
in heaven, on earth, in the seas.

He summons clouds from the ends of the earth;
makes lightning produce the rain;
from his treasuries he sends forth the wind.

The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,
of man and beast alike.
Signs and wonders he worked
in the midst of your land, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.

Nations in their greatness he struck
and kings in their splendor he slew.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og, the king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
He let Israel inherit their land;
on his people their land he bestowed. Glory...

Antiphon: Begotten of the Father before the daystar shone or time began, the Lord our Savior has appeared on earth today.


Antiphon: Great is the Lord, our God, transcending all other gods.

              II

Lord, your name stands for ever,
unforgotten from age to age,
for the Lord does justice for his people;
the Lord takes pity on his servants.

Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see.

They have ears but they cannot hear;
there is never a breath on their lips.
Their makers will come to be like them
and so will all who trust in them!

Sons of Israel, bless the Lord!
Sons of Aaron, bless the Lord!
Sons of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear him, bless the Lord!

From Zion may the Lord be blessed,
he who dwells in Jerusalem! Glory...

Antiphon: Great is the Lord, our God, transcending all other gods.


Antiphon: The star burned like a flame, pointing the way to God, the King of kings; the wise men saw the sign and brought their gifts in homage to their great King.

Canticle                                                      See 1 Timothy 3:16

R. Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ manifested in the flesh,
Christ justified in the Spirit.

R. Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ contemplated by the angels,
Christ proclaimed by the unbelievers.

R. Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ believed in throughout the world,
Christ exalted in glory.

R. Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Antiphon: The star burned like a flame, pointing the way to God, the King of kings; the wise men saw the sign and brought their gifts in homage to their great King.


READING                                                      2 Timothy 1:9-10
God has saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.


RESPONSORY
All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.
 - All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.
All nations will acclaim his glory,
 - men and women of every race.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
 - All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Seeing the star, the wise men said: This must signify the birth of some great king. Let us search for him and lay our treasures at his feet: gold, frankincense and myrrh.


INTERCESSIONS
Today, our Savior was adored by the Magi.  Let us also worship him with joy as we pray:

                      Save the poor, O Lord

King of the nations, you called the Magi to adore you as the first representatives of the nations.
 - give us a willing spirit of adoration and service.

King of glory, you judge your people with justice,
 - grant mankind an abundant measure of peace.

King of ages, you endure from age to age,
 - send your word as fresh spring rain falling on our hearts.

King of justice, you desire to free the poor who have no advocate
 - be compassionate to the suffering and the afflicted.

Lord, your name is blessed for ages,
 - show the wonders of your saving power to our deceased brothers and sisters


Our Father...


COLLECT
May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray,
shed its light upon our hearts,
that we may pass through the shadows of this world
and reach the brightness of our eternal home.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.