Celebrating Christmas Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries

Epiphany of the Lord - January 8
( US)
Daily Prayer 

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Collect:
O God, who bestow light on all the nations
grant your peoples the gladness of lasting peace
and pour into our hearts that brilliant light
by which you purified the minds of our fathers in faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *

Today's Readings Lectionary # 213

The Epiphany Proclamation for 2017

Daily Meditation:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. ...
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4

"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!"
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6

How often fear takes away our ability to love!
But, love drives out fear.
It appears that the key is to "understand the incident of the loaves."
If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear.
If we won't let Jesus have power in our lives,
then our hearts are still hardened.

Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord,
that we might let him love us
and take away all our fears,
that we might love more courageously, more completely.

Today's Daily Reflection

Intercessions:
In the fullness of time, the eternal Word was begotten of the Father.
He is the child who is born for us, the son who is given to us.
To him we lift our voices in joy:
Praise be to you, Lord.

Son of the living God, you existed before the world was made
and you came on earth to save all,
- enable us to be witnesses to your Gospel.

Sun of Justice, whose brightness shone forth from the bosom of the Father
and flooded the entire world,
- be light for all who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

You became a little child and lay in a manger,
- renew in us the simplicity of little children.

For our sake you became the living bread of eternal life,
- fill us with joy through the sacrament of your altar.

Closing Prayer:
My love for you is so imperfect, Lord.
I know I am filled with fear
and yet I long to taste the depths of your love.

Give me the joy of lasting peace
and fill my heart with so much love
that there is no more room for the worry and dread.

Open my eyes to those around me
and give me the courage to act in justice
to make their lives better
as you would do for me.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Celebrating Christmas Home | Creighton University's Online Ministries

Saturday After Epiphany - January 9
(outside the US)
Daily Prayer 

“Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Collect:

Almighty, every-living God,
who through your Only Begotten Son
have made us a new creation for yourself,
grant, we pray,
that by your grace we may be found in the likeness of him,
in whom our nature is united to you.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. *

Today's Readings - Lectionary # 214

Daily Meditation:

In this is love: not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. 1 John 4

O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings;
That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment, ...
That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor. Psalm 72

His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 4

Jesus is full of compassion for us in his unconditional love for us.
Even when it seems impossible, he still shows us the way
and nourishes us with his love.

May we be grateful for his love for us these days.
May we be like him in our love for one another.

Today's Daily Reflection

Intercessions:
Let us rejoice in the compassion of Christ,
who came to free mankind from the slavery of corruption and
to give us the freedom of the sons of God.
Trusting in this divine compassion, we plead:
By your birth, deliver us from evil.

Lord, you existed before the ages, yet you entered into a new life,
- renew us continually through the mystery of your birth.

Without surrendering your divinity, you wondrously took on our humanity,
- grant that our lives may press on to a fuller participation in your divinity.

You came to be a light to the nations, the teacher of holiness,
- let your words be a light along our way.

Word of God made flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, you entered this world,
- live in our hearts always through faith.

Closing Prayer:
Jesus, you became one of us on this earth.
What I want now is to be more like you:
more compassionate and patient,
more guided by your Holy Spirit.

'In this is love.' It is impossible to believe
in the kind of love you have for me.
If only I believed it - how different my life would be!
It seems impossible that you could love me as you do
and yet you are the very center of that impossible love.

Help me to be more grateful for all you have given me
so that my response might be one of generosity
to you and those you have placed in my life..

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

* New English translation according to the Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal. 2010,
Copyright International Commission on English in the Liturgy.