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9 Readings for a Christmas Act of Worship: 8th Reading |
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It was during the reign of King Herod that Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judaea. Now who should turn up in Jerusalem but some distinguished men from the east - astrologers - asking, 'Where is your new-born king? We have seen the rising of his star, and have come to pay him homage.' Herod did not like the sound of this at all; and when Herod was worried, everyone who mattered in Jerusalem needed to worry as well. He called a conference with all the religious leaders and other learned men to see if they knew where 'Messiah' - the divinely inspired national deliverer many people expected - was supposed to be born. 'At Bethlehem in Judaea', they told him; 'because the prophet has written: And you, Bethlehem, on Judah's tribal land -Then, in secret talks with the astrologers, Herod tried to find out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem with a request to make careful enquiries about the child; having located him they were to report back, so that Herod - he said - might 'go and pay him homage also'. They listened, and took their leave. Sure enough, the star whose rising they had observed led them on, stopping directly above where the child was. As they watched the star they were filled with ecstatic joy. Entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother; they fell to their knees in homage, then unpacked their treasures and presented him with gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were warned in a dream not to revisit Herod, so they slipped quietly home by another route. Matthew 2:1-12 1st Reading (based on Genesis 3:8-19) 2nd Reading (based on Isaiah 7:10-17) 3rd Reading (based on Isaiah 9:2-7) 4th Reading (based on Luke 1:46-55) 5th Reading (based on Luke 1:68-79) 6th Reading (based on Luke 2:1-7) 7th Reading (based on Luke 2:8-20) 8th Reading (based on Matthew 2:1-12) 9th Reading (based on Luke 2:23-35) Alternative 9th Reading (based on John 1:1-18) |
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