Third Sunday after the Epiphany	January 25, 2026
Prayer of the Day
Almighty and eternal God, graciously look down on our weakness. Reach out to us with your majestic right hand, and satisfy us with his glory. We ask through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4 
1But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
Psalm 27:1-9 [10-18]* (LBW)
1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then | shall I fear?*
	the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I | be afraid?
2When evildoers came upon me to eat | up my flesh,*
	it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stum- | bled and fell.
3Though an army should en- | camp against me,*
	yet my heart shall not | be afraid;
4And though war should rise | up against me,*
	yet will I put my | trust in him.
5One thing have I asked of the Lord; one | thing I seek;*
	that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days | of my life;
6To behold the fair beauty | of the Lord*
	and to seek him | in his temple.
7For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe | in his shelter;*
	he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high up- | on a rock.
8Even now he lifts | up my head*
	above my enemies | round about me.
9Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds | of great gladness;*
	I will sing and make music | to the Lord.
[10Hearken to my voice, O Lord, | when I call;*
	have mercy on me and | answer me.
11You speak in my heart and say, | “Seek my face.”*
	Your face, Lord, | will I seek.
12Hide not your | face from me,*
	nor turn away your servant | in displeasure.
13You have been my helper; cast me | not away;*
	do not forsake me, O God of | my salvation.
14Though my father and my moth- | er forsake me,*
	the Lord | will sustain me.
15Show me your | way, O Lord;*
	lead me on a level path, because | of my enemies.
16Deliver me not into the hand of my | adversaries,*
	for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those | who speak malice.
17What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness | of the Lord*
	in the land | of the living!
18O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall com- | fort your heart;*
	 wait patiently | for the Lord.]
Psalm 27:1-9 [10-14]* (ESV)
1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
4One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
6And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
8You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
[10For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.
11Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
13I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!]
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 
10I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Gospel: Matthew 4:12-25
12When {Jesus} heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — 16the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” 17From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 18While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 23And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. 
Lessons for Next Week
Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12
*The Book of Common Prayer verse numbers for this psalm are different from the numbering in the ESV.