The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Collect
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Psalm
72

The Readings
Isaiah 60:1-6, 9     +     Ephesians 3:1-12     +     Matthew 2:1-12

When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.
~Matthew 2:10-11a

From a sermon by Launcelot Andrewes, given Christmas Day, 1620:

These that came from the East were Gentiles, and that concerns us, for so are we. We may then look out, if we can see this star. It is ours . . . They came a long journey, and they came an uneasy journey; they came a dangerous journey ad they came now, at the worst season of the year. They stayed not their coming till the opening of the year, till they might have better weather and way, and have longer days and so more seasonable and fit to travel in. So desirous were they to come with the first, and to be there as soon as they possibly might; broke through all these difficulties, and behold, come they did.

And we, what excuse shall we have if we come not? (For) . . . to come to Christ is one of the wisest parts that ever these wise men did. And if they and we be wise in one Spirit, we will follow the same star, tread the same way, and so come at last whither they are happily gone before us.

And how shall we do that? In the old ritual of the church we find that on the cover of the canister wherein was the sacrament of his body, there was a star engraven, to show us that now the star leads us thither, to his body there. So what shall I say now, but according as St. John saith, and the star, and the wise men say, 'Come.' And he whose star it is, and to whom the wise men came, saith 'Come.' And let them that are disposed 'Come' and let whosoever will take of the Bread of life which came down from heaven to Bethlehem, the house of bread.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, who made known the Incarnation of thy Word by a star of stunning brilliance, which the wise men followed until they came to worship and offer their treasures before the infant Lord resting in his mother's arms; grant that the star of thy righteousness may always appear in our hearts to lead us and to inspire us to offer the treasure of our praise and the worship of lives that reflect thy goodness; through him whose birth among us is our hope. Amen.
~from Saint Augustine's Prayer Book, p. 219