January 6: Epiphany of the Lord

Adoration of the Magi by Peter Paul Rubens

Our devotional for Advent/Christmas concludes with today's entry. May the journey through these seasons of the church year continue throughout 2018 and bring you closer to one another and with God.

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Ineffable is Thy love towards us,
and boundless is the sea of Thy good will,
O Lord our God;
For it was pleasing unto Thee
for Thine Only-begotten Son
to be born of a chaste woman,
and to become man;
and to be like unto us in all things, save sin:
and to be baptized as a man for our sake by John,
though needing no baptism:
so that, in sanctifying the element of water,
He might grant us rebirth by water and the Spirit.
And in these things discerning Thee to be God eternal,
we worship Thee,
Who hast from the heavens proclaimed Him
that was baptized to be Thy Son.
We glorify Thy Holy Spirit,
Who descended upon Him and revealed Him to John:
for Thou hast sealed us,
and endowed us with the grace of Baptism;
Thou hast made us communicants of Thy Christ:
of Whom deprive not us sinners,
but by His Grace
support us against every force of evil;
and strengthen the Orthodox Christians
against every assault,
and lead us all into Thy Kingdom:
that in us may be glorified Thine all-holy Name,
and that of Thine Only-begotten Son,
together with the most Holy Spirit, now and ever,
and unto ages of ages. Amen.

From an ancient Ambon prayer