GHOST descended in a bodily shape like a dove and rested upon Him. This. Lesson III. Chap. Ixi. and lxii. I WILL greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered The above Ry. is said on this day, and on the Sunday in the Octave, and on the day of the Octave: but on theme with the robe of righteousness, as other days of the Octave, in its place is said the following: Ry. Three are the gifts which the wise men offered on this day, and they contain divine mysteries: gold, for the power of the King, incense, for the holiness of the Priest, myrrh for the sepulture of the LORD. Y. The wise men worshipped, the Author of our Salvation in the cradle, and of their treasures they offered Him mystical gifts. Gold. Lesson II. Chap. lx. ARISE, shine; for thy light is come, Lift up a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the LORD GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. cense. SECOND NOCTURN. Ant. Let all the earth worship Thee, sing of Thee, and praise Thy Name. Ps. lxvi., Jubilate Deo, p. 36. Ry. The kings of Tarshish and of and the glory of the LORD is risen the isles shall bring presents * the upon thee. For, behold, the darkness kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring shall cover the earth, and gross dark-gifts. y. All they from Sheba shall ness the people: but the LORD shall come, they shall bring gold and inThe kings. Glory. The arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. thine eyes round about, and see all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. Ry. In the form of a dove the HOLY SPIRIT was seen, and the voice of the FATHER was heard: * This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. y. The heavens were opened unto Him, and the voice of the FATHER was heard. This. Ant. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents, to the LORD the SON. Ps. lxxii., Deus, judicium, p. 40. Ant. All nations that Thou hast made * shall come and shall worship Thy Name. Ps. lxxxvi., Inclina, Domine, p. 50. Ry. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents. V. The kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts. A Sermon of S. Leo the Pope. Serm. 2 on the Epiphany. REJOICE in the LORD, dearly be loved, and again I say, rejoice, because after so short an interval of time, after the solemnity of the Nativity of CHRIST, the feast of His Manifestation hath shined upon us, | Alleluia. alike manifest to believers, and hidden * Ry. Arise, shine, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. V. And the Gentiles shall walk in Thy light, and kings in the brightness of Thy rising. And. Lesson V. FOR the cruelty of Herod, who was anxious to destroy, at His birth, the King whom he suspected was ignorantly subservient to this dispensation, so that while intent on his wickedness, he pursued a Child whom he knew not in the indiscriminate slaughter of the Innocents, the louder report might everywhere speak of that birth, of that Ruler which had been announced from heaven, as the strangeness of the supernatural message and the wickedness of the cruel persecutor made report more eager and zealous in telling the story. Then the SAVIOUR was also carried into Egypt, to the end that a nation addicted to its ancient errors, might be brought to salvation: and the people that had not yet cast out superstition from their minds, might receive the truth from their guest. Ry. All they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall tell forth the praises of the LORD. * Alleluia. Alleluia. . The kings of Tarshish Isles ahall bring presents; of Arabia and Saba shall Alleluia. Lesson VI. LET us acknowledge, therefore, beloved, in the wise men that adored CHRIST, the first-fruits of our vocation and of our faith. And let us celebrate, with exulting minds, the beginning of our blessed hope. For it was thence that we began to enter into our eternal heritage: thence it was that the secrets of Scripture were opened unto us, speaking of CHRIST. And the truth, which the blindness of the Jews does not admit, scattered its light among all people. Therefore let this most sacred day be honoured by us in which the Author of our Salvation was made manifest. And Him, Whom, as an Infant, the wise men worshipped in the cradle, let us, as the they offered from their treasures mysAlmighty, adore in Heaven. And as tic forms of oblation to the LORD, SO let us also offer from our hearts, things worthy of GOD. Ry. The wise men came from the East to Jerusalem, asking, and saying: where is He that is born, whose star we have seen * and we come to worship the LORD. V. We have seen His Star in the East. And. Glory. And. THIRD NOCTURN. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. Ps. xcv. Venite. O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving: and shew ourselves glad in Him with psalms. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. For the LORD is a great GOD: and a great King above all gods. In His hand are all the corners of the earth: and the strength of the hills is His also. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands prepared the dry land. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. And we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said: It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways; unto whom I sware in my wrath: that they should not enter into my rest. Ant. O come, let us worship Him for He is the LORD our GOD. Glory. As it was. Ant. O come, let us worship Him * for He is the LORD our GOD. But through the Octave, instead of this Psalm and Antiphon are said: Ant. Of Sion it shall be reported that He was born in her: and the Most High shall stablish her. Ps. 'xxxvii. Fundamenta ejus, p. 50. Ant. O worship the LORD* Alleluia: n His Holy Temple. Alleluia. Ps. Levi. Cantate. . cantate, p. 54. . Worship the LORD. Alleluia. Ry. In His Holy Place. Alleluia. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap ii. WHEN JESUS was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? And that which follows. A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. 10th Homily on the Gospels. When the Heavenly King was born, learest brethren, the earthly king was, as we have read in the Gospel, troubled. For it is no wonder if the dignity of the earth are troubled when the heights of heaven are opened. But consider why it was, that, when the Redeemer was born, an Angel appeared to shepherds in Judea, whereas, not an Angel, but a star, led the wise men from the East to worship Him. It was for this reason, namely, that to the Jews, endowed with reason, it befitted that a rational creature, that is an Angel should speak; whereas the Gentiles, being ignorant of the right use of reason, were led to the knowledge of the LORD, not by a voice, but by signs. Wherefore also it is said by Paul, Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. And thus, to the one, being believers, not infidels, prophecy was given to the other, being not believers, but infidels, a sign was given. Ry. The star which the wise men had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the Child was * and when they saw it, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy V. And when they entered into the house, they found the Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And. Lesson VIII. AND it is to be noted, that when our Redeemer was of full age, the Apostles should preach Him to these same Gentiles; whereas, when He was an infant, as yet unable to use the organs of speech, a star announced to them His Advent. For a reasonable order required that by the voice of preachers a speaking LORD should be announced, whilst mute elements should preach Him Who as yet was speechless. But in all these signs which attended both the birth and the death of the LORD, it is to be noted how great was the hardness of heart of certain Jews, who neither by prophecy nor miracle were moved to acknowledge Him. ALL the elements bore witness that their Creator was come. For, to speak of them after a human fashion: the heavens acknowledged Him as GOD because they at once sent forth their star. The sea recognised Him because it gave itself to be trodden under His feet. The earth acknowledged Him when it quaked at His death. The sun acknowledged Him, when it hid its rays. The rocks and walls acknowledged Him, for they were rent asunder at the time of His death. Hell acknowledged Him by giving up her dead. And nevertheless, Him whom all senseless elements perceived to be their LORD, the hearts of the Jews, as yet unbelieving, can not acknowledge to be GOD, but, harder than the rocks, refused to be rent unto repent ance. Te Deum, p. 15. WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE . O LORD, open Thou, &c. Inv. Hymn as aforementioned in the Rubric of the Festival, p. lii. All the rest as on the day of the Festival, except the Lessons. SECOND DAY. In the Octave of the Epiphany. Of the Epistle to the Romans. SAY the truth in CHRIST, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from CHRIST for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. Who are Israelites ; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of GOD, and the promises. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh CHRIST came, who is over all, GOD blessed for ever. Amen. Ry. Three are. p. liii. Lesson II. NOT as though the word of GOD hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac, shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this: but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; Ry. In the form. p. liii. Lesson III. FOR the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, The Sunday within the Octave has but of him that calleth; it was said its own office, on whatever day of the unto her, The elder shall serve the Octave it may fall, as hereafter ordered, younger. As it is written, Jacob have p. lxvi But after the Sunday, the days I loved, but Esau have I hated. What of the Octave are continued in their shall we say then? Is there unrightorder, as if Sunday had not inter-eousness with GOD? GOD forbid. For vened. he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Ry. The kings of Tarshish. p. liii. SECOND NOCTURN. information while they were yet seeking the Child, Whose birth they already knew by the witness of the star. What shall be the tribunal of the Judge, when the cradle of the Infant inspired haughty kings with terror? How much more anxiously may kings now not seek, like Herod, to slay Him, but, like the wise men, delight rather to worship Him, Who bore for His A Sermon of S. Augustine the Bishop. very enemies, and from His enemies, Lesson IV. that death which His enemy desired to inflict, and, being slain, slew it in His Body. Let kings reverently fear Him now sitting on the Right Han of the Father, Whom that impious king feared when yet sucking His Mother's breasts. Ry. The wise men. p. liv. WISE men came from the East to worship the Virgin's offspring. To-day we keep this day, we deliver the discourse which is due to its solemnity. That day first shone on them, and has returned to us in annual festival. They were the firstfruits of the Gentiles, we are the people of the Gentiles. The tongue of Apostles brought us these tidings; Lesson of the Holy Gospel according the star, as though the tongue of heaven, brought the news to them: and those same apostles, as other heavens, told us the glory of God. Ry. Arise, shine. p. liv. Lesson V. WONDROUS mystery! He was lying in the manger, and was leading the wise men from the east; He was being hid in a stable, and acknowledged in heaven; that, when acknowledged in heaven He might be manifested in the stable, and this day might be called Epiphany, which may be translated into Latin as "manifestation," proving alike His loftiness and lowliness, because, though He was denoted as great by starry signs in the open heaven, He might be found, when sought, a weakling in a narrow lodging, born with the frame of a babe, wrapt in a babe's swaddlingclothes; might be worshipped by wise, and dreaded by evil men. Ry. All they from Sheba. p. liv. Lesson VI. FOR King Herod was troubled when those same wise men gave him THIRD NOCTURN. to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. 2. WHEN JESUS was born in Beth lehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying; where is He, that is born King of the Jews? And that which follows. A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. 10th Hom. on the Gospels. When Herod heard of the birth of our King, he betook himself to the weapons of cunning, and, lest he should be deprived of his earthly kingdom, requires that word be brought him where the Child may be found. He pretends that he desires to worship Him; intending, if He is found, to put Him to death. But what avails the malice of man against the counsel of GOD? For it is written, There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. And so the star, appearing, guides the wise men; they find the new-born King; they present their gifts; but they are warned in a dream |