Responsorial Psalm
May he rule your people justly
and defend the rights of the lowly.
Justice will flower in his days,
and peace abound till the moon be no more.
For he reigns from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth;
The kings of Tarshish and the islands
render him tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts,
all kings bow down to him,
and all nations serve him.
EPIFANÍA DEL SEÑOR
He delivers the needy who call on him,
the afflicted with no one to help them.
His mercy is upon the weak and the poor,
he saves the life of the poor.
2nd. READING (Eph 3,2-3)
You may have heard of the graces God bestowed on me for your sake. By a revelation
he gave me the knowledge of his mysterious design, as I have explained in a few
words. This mystery was not made known to past generations but only now, through
revelations given to holy apostles and prophets. Now the non-Jewish people share the
Inheritance; in Christ Jesus the non-Jews are incorporated and are to enjoy the
Promise. This is the Good News.
Gospel
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise
men from the east arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is the newborn king of
the Jews? We saw the rising of his star in the east and have come to honor him. "When
Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed and with him all Jerusalem. He immediately
called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and those who taught the people of God his
Law, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. "In the town of Bethlehem in
Judea," they told him, "for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the
land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you
will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod secretly
called the wise men and asked them the precise time the star appeared. Then he sent
them to Bethlehem with the instruction, "Go and get precise information about the
child. As soon as you have found him, report to me, so that I too may go and honor
him." After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had seen in the
East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. The wise
men were overjoyed on seeing the star again. They went into the house and when
they saw the child with Mary his mother, they knelt and worshiped him. They opened
their bags and offered him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. In a dream they were
warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another
way.
