January 5, 2025
The Epiphany of the Lord
Tip: if your screen isn’t large enough to comfortably display both the livestream and this page, load this page on another device!
Return to “Music This Week” main page
Prelude: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (Gather 383)
Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to you we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar;
Branch of royal David’s stem
In your birth at Bethlehem;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana, wedding guest,
In your Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow’r divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill;
Anthems be to you addrest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Grant us grace to see you, Lord,
Mirrored in your holy word;
May we imitate you now,
And on us your grace endow;
That we like to you may be
At your great epiphany;
And may praise you ever blest,
God in flesh made manifest.
Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-1885 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE License #A-727305.
Entrance Hymn: What Child is This (Gather 387)
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
So bring him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Text: William C. Dix, 1827-1898 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE License #A-727305.
Scripture Readings (external link): The Epiphany of the Lord
Responsorial: Psalm 72 (Gather 46)
R: Every nation on earth will adore you, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you, Lord
Preparation Hymn: We Three Kings (Gather 382)
We three kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to the perfect Light.
Born a babe on Bethlehem’s plain,
Gold we bring to crown him again;
King forever,
Ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh,
Prayer and praising
Gladly raising,
Worshiping God on high.
Myrrh is mine: its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gath’ring gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing,
Bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Glorious now behold him rise,
King and God and sacrifice:
Heav’n sings, ‘Hallelujah!’
‘Hallelujah!’ earth replies.
Text: Matthew 2:1-11; John H. Hopkins, Jr., 1820-1891 Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE License #A-727305.
Communion Hymn: The First Nowell (Gather 388)
The first Nowell, the angel did say,
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full rev’rently upon their knee,
And offered there, in his presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heav’nly Lord;
Who with the Father we adore
And Spirit blest for evermore.
Text: English Carol, 17th C. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE License #A-727305.
Concluding Hymn: What Star Is This (Gather 389)
What star is this with beams so bright,
More lovely than the noonday light?
‘Tis sent to announce a newborn king,
Glad tidings of our God to bring.
‘Tis now fulfilled what God decreed:
“From Jacob shall a star proceed.”
And lo! The eastern sages stand
To read in heav’n the Lord’s command.
While outward signs the star displays,
An inward light the Lord conveys.
It urges them, with force benign,
To seek the Giver of the sign.
O Jesus, while the star of grace
Invites us all to seek your face,
Let not our slothful hearts refuse
The guidance of your light to use.
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
May ev’ry tongue and nation raise
An endless song of thankful praise!
Text: Quem stella sole pulchrior, Charles Coffin, 1676-1749; tr. by John Chandler, 1806-1876, alt. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE License #A-727305.