Liturgy for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Introduction
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany presses the season’s questions further into daily life. God’s light, once revealed and named as blessing, now takes on texture and responsibility. What does faithful worship look like when it is lived beyond the sanctuary? The readings for this day challenge empty religiosity and call the people of God toward lives that reflect justice, wisdom, and visible witness.
This liturgy follows the Revised Common Lectionary for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany and is shaped by themes of true worship, embodied faith, and living as light in the world.
The Lectionary Readings at a Glance
The readings for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany confront the gap between belief and practice, calling God’s people to a faith that can be seen.
In Isaiah 58:1–9a (9b–12), God exposes religious practices that ignore justice and compassion. True worship is revealed not in ritual alone, but in acts of mercy, generosity, and repair. When God’s people loosen the bonds of injustice, light breaks forth like the dawn.
Psalm 112:1–9 (10) describes the life of the righteous as steady, generous, and rooted in trust in the Lord. Light shines in the darkness for those who live with integrity and compassion.
In 1 Corinthians 2:1–12 (13–16), Paul reflects on a wisdom not shaped by power or eloquence, but revealed through the Spirit. Faith rests not on human skill, but on God’s quiet, transformative presence.
Matthew 5:13–20 continues the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus names his followers salt of the earth and light of the world. Discipleship is not hidden; it is lived publicly through faithfulness that reflects God’s reign.
Together, these readings proclaim Epiphany’s invitation to live the light we have received.
Call to Worship
One: God calls us from the darkness into light, not to hide our faith, but to live it.
All: We come, trusting the light that has already found us.
One: God names us salt for the earth and light for the world—a people shaped by mercy, justice, and truth.
All: We come, ready to reflect the light we have received.
One: Come, let us worship the Lord, whose light breaks forth like the dawn.
All: Let us worship God with grateful hearts and faithful lives.
Opening Prayer
God of truth and light,
You call us not only to worship, but to live what we proclaim. As we gather before you, open our hearts to your wisdom and our lives to your transforming grace. Teach us to reflect your light through justice, mercy, and faithfulness, that our worship may honor you and bless the world you love. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God,
You call us to be salt and light, yet we confess that our witness often grows thin. We separate faith from daily life, offer words without action, and turn away from the needs before us. Forgive us, O God. Renew our hearts by your Spirit and shape our lives to reflect the light of Christ in all we do. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news: “God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:10)
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, renewed, and called to live by the wisdom of God.
Thanks be to God!
Prayer for Illumination
Holy God,
Send your Spirit upon us as Scripture is read and proclaimed. Open our minds to your wisdom and our hearts to your truth, that we may live as salt and light in the world. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Prayers of the People
God of justice and compassion,
We thank you for calling us to lives that reflect your mercy and truth. We pray for your church, that it may embody faithful witness in word and deed. We pray for those who hunger, who are oppressed, or who feel unseen, that your light may bring relief and hope. We pray for ourselves, that our worship may overflow into acts of love and service. Make us repairers of the breach and restorers of streets to live in, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Eternal God,
You have given us light to carry and truth to live. As we go from this place, strengthen us to walk in the way of Christ. May our lives shine with your justice, your mercy, and your wisdom, for the sake of the world you are healing. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
