Day Eight — Sunday 1 January 2023— The First Sunday after Chrismas

Antiphon

I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord.

Readings

Isaiah 63.7-9

I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
  the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us,
  and the great favour to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
  according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, ‘Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely’;
  and he became their saviour
  in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
  but his presence that saved them
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
  he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord from heaven:
  O praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels:
  O praise him, all his host.

Praise him, sun and moon:
  praise him, all you stars of light.
Praise him, you highest heaven:
  and you waters that are above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord:
  for he commanded and they were made.
He established them for ever and ever:
  he made an ordinance which shall not pass away.

O praise the Lord from the earth:
  praise him, you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, mist and snow:
  and storm-wind fulfilling his command;

Mountains and all hills:
  fruiting trees and all cedars;
Beasts of the wild, and all cattle:
  creeping things and winged birds;

Kings of the earth, and all peoples:
  princes, and all rulers of the world;
Young men and maidens:
  old men and children together.

Let them praise the name of the Lord:
  for his name alone is exalted.
His glory is above earth and heaven:
  and he has lifted high the horn of his people.
Therefore he is the praise of all his servants:
  of the children of Israel, a people that is near him.
Praise the Lord.

Hebrews 2.10-18

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,
‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters
  in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’
And again,
‘I will put my trust in him.’
And again,
‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’

Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters* in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Matthew 2.13-23

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
  wailing and loud lamentation,
  Rachel weeping for her children;
  she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’

Prayer

Let your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we, made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength we cannot imitate your majesty, power-and wonder; nor is it fitting for us to try. But your mercy reaches from the heavens, through the clouds, to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. caress us with your tiny hands, embrace us with your tiny arms, and pierce our hearts with your soft, sweet cries.
—Bernard of Clairvaux, 1090-1153

Music

"What cheer?" by William Walton (1961), setting an English text from the 15th century or earlier. Sung at "Carols for Quire 5," at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, 2013.

What cheer? Good cheer! Good cheer! Good cheer!
Be merry and glad this good New Year.

May the Lord, who has called out of darkness into his marvellous light, bless us and fill us with peace. Amen.