Notable Feast Days this Week:

January 8 - Baptism of Our Lord (Roman Catholic, USA)
January 9 - Adrian of Canterbury, 710
January 10 - Gregory of Nyssa, 395 (Eastern)
January 11 - Theodosius the Cenobiarch, 529
January 12 - Tatiana, Rome, 225
January 13 - Hilary of Poitiers, 367 
January 14 - Nina of Georgia, 325 (Eastern)
 


Revised Common Lectionary

1 Samuel 3:1-20
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - Green

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Second Sunday After the Epiphany January 14, 2018 (Year B)
God Knows Us
O Lord, you knew me before I was born! Nothing I do escapes your notice (Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18). Here am I, Lord. I am listening for your voice (1 Samuel 3:1-20). Jesus told his disciples, "You will see greater things than these" (John 1:43-51). Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, so we should shun sin (1 Cor.6:12-20).      - Thomas Oden in Ancient Christian Devotional
The Season of Epiphany

The Epiphany of our Lord was celebrated on January 6 but is extended by some churches into a season that includes the weeks preceding Lent. This season celebrates the revelation of light and knowledge revealed through Christ for the sake of the whole world (Ephesians 3).

The season of Epiphany starts on January 6th and ends the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. From Christmastide to the beginning of Lent worshipers are illumined with an awareness of Jesus, true God, and true man, while preparing for the call to discipleship that will happen in Lent. 

Inspiration for Epiphany

Hymn for the Nativity (Mary's Prayer)

Save the world, O Savior. For this you have come.
Set your whole universe aright. For this you have shone
on me and on the magi and on all creation.
For see, the magi, to whom you have shown the light of your face,
fall down before you and offer gifts,
useful, fair, and eagerly sought.
For I have need of them, since I am about
to go to Egypt and to flee with you and for you,
my Guide, my Son, my Maker, my Redeemer.

-Romanus the Melodist, 6th Century
Psalm of the Week
Scripture Readings

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways...Such knowledge is too wonderful for me...


Commentary on Psalm 139
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon, 
Benedict XVI (Part 1/Part 2)

Audio
Psalm 139, 1 Samuel 3, 
1 Corinthians 6, John 1
1 Samuel 3:1-20
The calling of Samuel

1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Glorify God in your body

John 1:43-51
Jesus calls the first disciples

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year
Chronological
...let us listen to what the prophet says about this:  'Your knowledge is too wonderful for me.' But let us see what he says further on: 'I will give you thanks, for you are fearful and wonderful.' Why 'fearful'? We wonder at the beauty of columns, mural art, the physical bloom of youth. Again, we wonder at the open sea and its limitless depth, but we wonder fearfully when we stoop down and see how deep it is. It was in this way that the prophet stooped down and looked at the limitless and yawning sea of God's wisdom. And he was struck with shuddering. We has deeply frightened, he drew back, and said in a loud voice, "I will give you thanks for you are fearfully wondrous, wondrous are your works.' And again, 'Your knowledge is too wonderous for me; it is too lofty and I cannot attain to it. - Chrysostom (Commenting on Psalm 139, Against the Anomoeans 1.24-25.)
Practicing Prayer
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and foreverr. Amen.  -The Book of Common Prayer
Contemplative Prayer (View and Download)
Daily Prayer (View and Download)
Further Prayer Resources

Morning and Evening Prayer (Church of England-Protestant)
Liturgy of the Hours and Sung Breviary (Roman Catholic)
Sung Morning Prayer by Calvin Peters (Eastern Orthodox)
Audio Prayer Meditation (Pray as You Go)
Psalm Playlists
Singing Psalms and Hymns
Hymn suggestions for the Second Sunday in Epiphany (Year B) from Hymnary.org 

Hymns related to Psalm 139 from Hymnary.com

Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come | by Jered McKenna | Leadsheet 

Hail to the Lord's Anointed | by James Montgomery / Arranged by The Welcome Wagon| Leadsheet

Jesus, the Light of the World | Words: Charles Wesley and George D. Elderkin /
Music: George D. Elderkin, 1890 | Leadsheet

Brightest and Best (Star of the East) | Sacred Harp | Leadsheet | Capo

Psalm 139 | by Hope Creative | Chord Chart

Psalm 139 Anglican Chant (pg. 309) | Anglican Chant Psalter

Psalm 139 (My Lord You Have Examined Me) - By Sarah Majorins
Leadsheet (Part 1) | Leadsheet (Part 2) | Tune: Resignation

Lord, You Have Searched Me (Psalm 139) | Music by Vito Aiuto, 2015 | Leadsheet 

Songs for Psalm 139 from The Verses Project

Psalm 139 Pointed Chant | Chart | How to Sing Pointed Chant

Psalm 139 Metrical Options 

The Lord is King | Words by Josiah Conder, 1824. Music by Nathan Partain, 2003, arr. Bruce Benedict, 2008| Leadsheet 

Songs for Epiphany from The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Commentary on John 1:43-51
Good preachers who preach Christ are like angels of God; that is, they ascend and descend on the Son of man … Take for instance Paul, who ascended to the third heaven … and descended so far that he even gave milk to babies. … Take for instance the father who is well skilled in speaking, who is such an orator that the forum resounds with his eloquence and the judgment seats shake—if he has a little son, on his return home he puts aside the forensic eloquence to which he had ascended and in child’s language descends to his little one.… If the Lord himself ascended and descended, it is evident that his preachers ascend by imitation and descend by preaching.  -Augustine
More Historic Commentary (View and Download)
Music for Listening
Thematic Art 
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