SEVENTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

                   JANUARY 12

 SEVENTH DAY WITHIN OCTAVE OF EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

           BY RICHARD CHALLONER

On the lessons our Lord Jesus gives us in his private life

Consider first, those words spoken by our Lord Jesus to his parents when they found him in the temple, in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions, Luke ii. Did you not know, said he, that I must be about my Father's business? He came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him, John iv. 38. This was his daily food, during his mortal life. My meat, said he, is to do the will of him that sent me, John iv. 34. This then was the exercise of his private life; which he spent in obscurity and retirement under a poor carpenter’s roof. He was all the while about the business of his Father. He was ever doing the will of his Father. All his thoughts, words and actions, were directed to his Father’s glory. And this is the great lesson we are to learn from him in his private life. We all of us, like him, came into this world for nothing else but to do the will of God: we all of us ought to be ever about the business of our heavenly Father: all our thoughts, words, and actions, ought to be directed to him. O let us study well this great lesson, which the Son of God employed so many years in teaching!

Consider 2ndly, how he went down with Joseph and Mary to Nazareth, and was subject to them, Luke ii. 51. O stand astonished, my soul, to see the Lord and Maker of heaven and earth submitting himself to his creatures, and obedient to them! O see how he serves them even in the meanest offices; how he works with his reputed father, at his mechanic trade. But with what modesty and silence, with what recollection and application of his soul to his heavenly Father by continual adoration, thanksgiving, oblation and love, and by continual prayer and intercession for us! Christians, learn from this great example, to be ever humble, meek, and obedient. Learn to sanctity your ordinary employments, and even your common actions, by recollection and mental prayer. Learn that even the highest perfection may be found in the exercise of the lowest and meanest offices, if in these the soul but take care to keep close to her God, and to embrace him by love.

Consider 3rdly, what is written of our Lord, with relation to this private part of his life: that Jesus increased in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men, Luke ii. 52. Our Lord, who from the first moment of his conception was full of all heavenly wisdom and divine grace, was pleased in proportion to his advancing in age, to show forth every day more than other, in his words and actions, the admirable treasures of wisdom and grace that were hidden in his soul; to teach us to make a continual progress in the way to God; and to advance every day by large steps, from virtue to virtue, till we come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ, Eph. iv. 13. Christians, do we seriously apply ourselves to learn this excellent lesson? What progress have we hitherto made, after so many years pretending to walk after Jesus Christ in the way of virtue? Have we not for the most part rather gone backward than forward? O let us now at least, begin to be in earnest!

Conclude to learn of our Saviour all those lessons which he desires to teach us in his private life, particularly these three: To be ever about the business of our Father. To be ever submissive and obedient to his vicegerents; and To be ever making the best of our way to him.

From the Sermons of Pope St. Leo the Great

5th on the the Twelfth day

This meet and right, dearly beloved brethren, yea, it is our bounden duty and godly service, to rejoice with full hearts upon those days which more especially set forth before us the workings of God's mercy; and to have in honourable memory those things that were done for our salvation. Hereto are we called by the seasons of the year which continually return, and notably by this present, which, after but a short time hath passed since that day whereon the Co-eternal Son of God was born of a Virgin, bringeth now the Feast of the Epiphany, hallowed by the Manifestation of the Lord.

     In this said Manifestation the good Providence of God hath appointed a strong bulwark to our faith. For now, while in solemn worship we call to mind how the childhood of the Saviour was adored in its first infancy, we receive from the original Scriptures the doctrine that Christ was born with the very nature of man. For this is that which maketh of sinners saints, even to believe that in one and the same our Lord Jesus Christ there is very Godhead and very Manhood very Godhead, as touching Which, He, being in the form of God, is equal to the Father from everlasting to everlasting and very Manhood, wherein He, taking upon Him the form of a servant, hath in these latter days been born Man.

      For the strengthening of this our faith, which we profess in the face of every false doctrine, the mercy of God hath made it to come to pass that one of those peoples who dwell in the uttermost parts of the East, and excel in the skill of reading the stars, should see the sign of the birth of that Child Who was to reign over all Israel. There appeared to the eyes of wise men a new star of such passing beauty, as wrought in the minds of all that saw it the persuasion that the event, which is announced, was of an importance not to be neglected.

MASS PROPERS

INTROIT – Malachias 3: 1; Psalm 71: 12

Ecce advénit Dominátor Dóminus: et regnum in manu ejus et potéstas et impérium.

Ps. 71. 2. Deus, judícium tuum Regi da: et justítiam tuam Fílio Regis. V. Glória Patri.

Behold the Lord the Ruler is come: and the Kingdom is in His hand, and power, and dominion. Ps. Give to the King Thy judgment, O God: and to the King’s Son Thy justice. V. Glory be to the Father.

COLLECT

O God, Who on this day by the leading of a star didst manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that we who know Thee now by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of the beauty of Thy majesty. Through the same Lord.

EPISTLE - Isaias 60: 1-6

Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon Thee. For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about and see: all these are gathered together: they are come to thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side. Then shalt thou see and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense and showing forth praise to the Lord.

GRADUAL - Isaias 60: 6, 1

All they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense and showing forth praise to the Lord. V. Arise and be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

ALLELUIA - Matthew 2: 2

Alleluia, alleluia. V. We have seen His star in the East, and are come with gifts to adore the Lord. Alleluia.

GOSPEL - Matthew 2: 1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Juda in the days of King Herod, behold there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him. And king Herod hearing this was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the Prophet: And thou Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the Captain that shall rule My people Israel. Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them: and sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore Him. Who having heard the king went their way. And behold the star, which they had seen in the East, went before them until it came and stood over where the Child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary His mother, [here genuflect] and falling down they adored Him. And opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

Homily by St. John Chrysostom

Homily 8, on Matthew

"The wise men entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11) But what was it that induced them to worship? For neither was the Virgin conspicuous, nor the house distinguished, nor was any other of the things which they saw apt to amaze or attract them. Yet they not only worship, but also open their treasures, and offer gifts; and gifts, not as to a man, but as to God. For the frankincense and the myrrh were a symbol of this. What then was their inducement? That which wrought upon them to set out from home and to come so long a journey; and this was both the star, and the illumination wrought of God in their mind, guiding them little by little to the more perfect knowledge.

     For, surely, had it not been so, all that was in sight being ordinary, they would not have shown so great honor. Therefore none of the outward circumstances was great in that instance, but it was a manger, and a shed, and a mother in poor estate; to set before your eyes, naked and bare, those wise men's love of wisdom, and to prove to you, that not as mere man they approached Him, but as a God, and Benefactor. Wherefore neither were they offended by ought of what they saw outwardly, but even worshipped, and brought gifts; gifts not only free from Judaical grossness, in that they sacrificed not sheep and calves, but also coming near to the self-devotion of the Church, for it was knowledge and obedience and love that they offered unto Him.

     "And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country." (Matthew 2:12) See from this also their faith, how they were not offended, but are docile, and considerate; neither are they troubled, nor reason with themselves, saying, And yet, if this Child be great, and has any might, what need of flight, and of a clandestine retreat? And wherefore can it be, that when we have come openly and with boldness, and have stood against so great a people, and against a king's madness, the angel sends us out of the city as runaways and fugitives? But none of these things did they either say or think. For this most especially belongs to faith, not to seek an account of what is enjoined, but merely to obey the commandments laid upon us.

OFFERTORY - Psalm 71: 10, 11

The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts: and all kings of the earth shall adore Him: all nations shall serve Him.

SECRET

Graciously look down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon the gifts of Thy Church: by which gold, frankincense, and myrrh are no longer laid before Thee; but He is sacrificed and received who by those very gifts was signified, Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.

PREFACE FOR THE EPIPHANY

It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. For when Thine only-begotten Son showed Himself in the substance of our mortal nature, He restored us by the new light of His own immortality. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the heavenly hosts, we sing a hymn to Thy glory, saying without ceasing:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus, Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus, qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.

COMMUNION - Matthew 2: 2

We have seen His star in the East, and are come with gifts to adore the Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that by a purified mind we may attain to the understanding of that which we solemnly celebrate. Through our Lord.