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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 2:1-2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

CHRISTMASTIDE REFLECTION

Epiphany, the Festival of Light, commemorates the day the wise men arrived to worship the baby Jesus. The twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany are not derived from the Bible directly, but Epiphany and Christmas arose together (particularly in the Eastern Church), to commemorate the coming of Christ into the world. Epiphany does not just happen to follow Christmas, but, rather, it completes it: Christ enters into the world and is then proclaimed to it. The shepherds are the first to receive the Good News of the Messiah on Christmas night, followed by the wise men on Epiphany. The wise men symbolize Christ manifested to all the nations, Jew and Gentile. Traditionally the holiday is celebrated with a suitable and increased display of lights. In many cultures it is also a time of blessing of the home, where lintels have the cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar (CMB) written in chalk. Children, accompanied by parents, process through the neighborhood, expressing the blessing of Christ through the intercession of the three wise men, and gather offerings for charitable and missionary purposes.  Dating from a time when calendars were not readily available, Epiphany also served as the traditional day where the date of Easter, and other liturgical celebrations without a fixed day, were announced for the year.

COLLECT:  Written by Collects are short general prayers used in Christian liturgy to draw our focus of worship.  The collect today is from the PC-USA Book of Common Worship.

Eternal God, by a star you led magi to the worship of your Son. Guide the nations of the earth by your light, that the whole world may see your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Morman Tabernacle Choir: As With Gladness Men of Old

IMAGE: El Greco: Adoration of the Magi