Liturgical Information
Solemnity of Epiphany of the Lord – Vigil Mass (ABC)
Liturgical Color: White [Note: "On solemn occasions more precious vestments may be used, even if not the color of the day" GIRM #346]
Themes: majesty, light, manifestation
Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:
Arise, Jerusalem, and look to the East and see your children gathered from the rising to the setting of the sun. see Bar 5: 5 [Roman Missal]
Ecce advenit dominator Dominus: et regnum in manu eius, et potestas, et imperium.
Ps. Deus, iudicium tuum regida: et iustitiam tuam filio regis. [Graduale Romanum, p.56]
Ecce advenit dominator Dominus: et regnum in manu eius, et potestas, et imperium.
Ps. Deus, iudicium tuum regida: et iustitiam tuam filio regis. [Gregorian Missal, p.217]
Venite, adoremus eum, quia ipse est Dominus Deus noster. [Graduale simplex, p.76]
Verses of Psalm 95 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Collect:
May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray,
shed its light upon our hearts,
that we may pass through the shadows of this world
and reach the brightness of our e-ter-nal home.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Ho-ly Spirit,
one God, for ev-er and ev-er.
A-men.
Lectionary Readings:
- Isaiah 60:1-6 [And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. /v.1]
- Psalm 72:1-2 / 7-8 / 10-11 / 12-13 [R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. /Ps 72:11]
- Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 [The Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-members of the body. /v.6]
- Gospel Verse: Mt 2:2 [We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.]
- Matthew 2:1-12 [And they fell down and worshiped Him. /v.11]
See CNP's Book of Sung Gospels – Fourth Edition
Offertory Antiphon:
The kings of Tarshish and the islands shall offer presents; the kings of the Arabians and of Sheba shall bring gifts; all the kings of the earth shall adore him, all nations shall serve him. Psalm 72:10-11 **
Verses of Psalm 72 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerunt: reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent: et adorabunt eum mones reges terræ, omnes gentes servient ei. [Graduale Romanum, p.58]
Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerunt: reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent: et adorabunt eum mones reges terræ, omnes gentes servient ei. [Gregorian Missal, p.219]
Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerunt regi Domino. [Graduale simplex, p.79]
Verses of Psalm 72 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Prayer over the Offerings:
Ac-cept we pray, O Lord, our offer-ings,
in honor of the appearing of your Only Begotten Son
and the first fruits of the na-tions,
that to you praise may be rendered
and eternal salva-tion be ours.
Through Christ our Lord. A-men.
Preface of the Epiphany of the Lord: [Christ the light of the nations]
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For today you have revealed the mystery
of our salvation in Christ
as a light for the nations,
and, when he appeared in our mortal nature,
you made us new by the glory of his immortal nature.
And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…
Communion Antiphon:
The brightness of God illumined the holy city Jerusalem, and the nations will walk by its light. see Rev 21:23 [Roman Missal]
Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente, et venimus cum muneribus adorate Dominum. see Mt 2:2 [Graduale Romanum, p.59]
Psalm 72:1,2,3,7,8,10,11,12,17ab,17cd,18 can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.
Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente, et venimus cum muneribus adorate Dominum. see Mt 2:2 [Gregorian Missal, p.221]
Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente, et venimus cum muneribus adorate Dominum. [Graduale simplex, p.79]
Verses of Psalm 96 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Prayer after Communion:
Re-newed by sacred nourishment,
we implore your mercy, O Lord,
that the star of your justice
may shine always bright in our minds
and that our true treasure may ever consist in our confes-sion of you.
Through Christ our Lord. A-men.
Solemn Blessing: [4. The Epiphany of the Lord]
May God, who has called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light,
pour out in kindness his blessing upon you
and make your hearts firm
in faith, hope and charity.
Amen.
And since in all confidence you follow Christ,
who today appeared in the world
as a light shining in darkness,
may God make you, too,
a light for your brothers and sisters.
Amen.
And so when your pilgrimage is ended,
may you come to him
whom the Magi sought as they followed the star
and whom they found with great joy, the Light from Light,
who is Christ the Lord.
Amen.
** An official, approved English translation of the Offertory Antiphon has never been published. The offertory antiphon used here is from the New American Bible, a Scripture translation approved for liturgical use in the United States.
The English translation of the Entrance Antiphon [Introit], Collect, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, and Prayer after Communion from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corp. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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