Holy Name of Jesus — Open Word

FIRST READING

Numbers 6:22-27

Verse 22. Then the LORD said to Moses, Verse 23. “Tell Aaron and his sons:This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: Verse 24. ‘May the LORD bless you and keep you; Verse 25. may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; Verse 26. may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’ Verse 27. So they shall put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

PSALM

Psalm 8

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.

From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.

When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place —

what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet:

all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

SECOND READING

Galatians 4:4-7

Verse 4. But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Verse 5. to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. Verse 6. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Verse 7. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

SECOND READING

Philippians 2:5-11

Verse 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Verse 6. Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, Verse 7. but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. Verse 8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross. Verse 9. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, Verse 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Verse 11. and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL

Luke 2:15-21

Verse 15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” Verse 16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. Verse 17. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. Verse 18. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Verse 19. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Verse 20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them. Verse 21. When the eight days before His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.