Pax et Bonum
The Online worship resource for St. James Parish
January 6, 2009
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!
Your light has come,
The glory of the Lord shines upon you.
Lord Jesus
may your light shine our way,
as once it guided the steps of the magi:
that we too may be led into your presence
and worship you,
the Child of Mary,
the Word of the Father,
the King of nations,
the Saviour of mankind;
to whom be glory for ever.
Epiphany
Today we enter the season of Epiphany, the day that traditionally marks the coming of the Magi, and the coming of light to the Gentiles.
The Magi were most likely astrologers from some Eastern country such as Persia. The light of an unknown star would have been enough to entice these curious men to find its source. Early legends say that the Magi actually saw the Christ Child within the star.
Our traditions have settled on there being three wise men, because there were three gifts given to the Christ Child. Eastern Christianity, however, assumes that there were twelve. By the Middle Ages, the astrologers were believed to be Kings, since they had access to King Herod, were given the names of Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar, and were said to represent the three areas of the known world – Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh were all equally precious at that time. Now one can buy Frankincense and Myrrh for a reasonable price, but at that time their value actually exceeded gold. Tradition gives reasons for these gifts – gold, for the family of our Lord, Frankincense, which is used in worship, to remind us that he is the Son of God, and myrrh, a spice once used in burial, a foreshadowing of Christ’s death on the cross.
The Magi were not Jewish. The story of the coming of the magi is more significant than the mere tradition of gift- giving. It points to the fact that even as a child, Jesus welcomed the Gentiles - a reminder of the old promise that all nations would be blessed through Him.
Father,
you revealed your Son to the nations
by the guidance of a star.
Lead us to your glory in heaven
by the light of faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Daily Morning Prayer
This Week at St. James
- Friday: 9:00 Theology and Spirit; Vestry Retreat at Claggett
- Saturday: Vestry Retreat; Finding Our Way
- Sunday: 10:15 Children’s Eucharist
- Monday: 10:00 Book Study
- Tuesday: 7:30 Vestry meeting
- Wednesday: 8:30 Healing Eucharist; 9:30 Bible Study
Prayers Etc.
- David
- Arabella
- Brittany
- Owen
- Jennifer D.
- Rob C.
- Jason
- Larry
- Betsy
- Mary S.
- Gracie
- Read
- John E.
- Ray W.
- Dolores
- Charles
- Daniel O.
- Jenny
- Joe O.
- Ken R.
- Frank
- Walter Z.
- Eve
- Travis
- Marc C.
- Polly D.
- David K.
- Susan A.
- Betsy M.
- Charlie B.
- Julius F.
- Clem B.
- Bill W.
- Mimi & Poppa B.
- Jeffrey & Susan
- Bunny
- Mrs. Barbra
- David W.
- Jan B.
- Cappy
- The Hughes and Clayton Families
- Jack H.
- David R.
- Leroy H.
- The Dampier Family
- Yvonne H.
- Valerie S.
O God,
Who by the leading of a star didst manifest
Thy only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth:
Lead us, who know thee now by faith, to thy presence,
Where we may behold thy glory face to face.
In Closing:
Today thou hast appeared to the world.
And thy light, o Lord, has been a sign to us
With the full knowledge of those who sing hymns to thee
Thou hast come, thou has appeared,
O light unapproachable.
In the Galilee of nations, in the country of Zebulon and
In the land of Naphthali,
Christ, a great light, has shone forth, as the prophet said.
For those in darkness, a shining light has been seen,
Sending its beams from Bethlehem;
Or rather, Christ, born of Mary, the sun of righteousness,
Sends forth rays of light to the world.
Hither, then, all naked sons of Adam,
Let us clothe him again that we may be warmed.
As covering for the naked, as light for those in darkness,
Thou hast come, thou has appeared,
O light unapproachable.
Pax et Bonum,
Loree+
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