First Reading
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine out, for your light has come. the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though
night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you the Lord now rises
and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your
dawning brightness. Lift up your eyes and look around: all are assembling and coming
towards you, your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried. At
this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the
sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you; camels in throngs will
cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king's son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth's bounds.
The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts
shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him.
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
Second Reading
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6
You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant
for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery.
This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and
prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share
the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise
has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 2:1-12
Glory to you, Lord. After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign
of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. "Where is the infant
king of the Jews?" they asked. "We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him
homage." When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of
Jerusalem.
He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of
them where the Christ was to be born. "At Bethlehem in Judaea," they told him, "for
this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah you are by no
means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will
shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately.
He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to
Bethlehem. "Go and find out all about the child," he said "and when you have found
him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage."
Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them
was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the
child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they
saw the child with his mother Mary, and failing to their knees they did him homage.
Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and
myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their
own country by a different way.
