January 10
Fifth
day within the Octave of the Epiphany
On the Gospel of the Sunday within the Octave, of the Epiphany
Consider,
first, that Jesus, Mary and Joseph went every year up to Jerusalem to the
temple of God upon the solemn festivals, notwithstanding their poverty, and
their distance of three days journey from Jerusalem. There they employed the
weeks appointed for the feasts, in assisting at the public worship, praises,
and sacrifices, which were offered to God in the temple at those times.
Christians, learn from this great example, the diligence with which you ought
to assist at the public worship of God upon festivals. Learn not to suffer
every trifling difficulty to hinder your attendance in God's temple; on those
days when neither the length nor the charges, either of the journey, or of the
stay they were to make in Jerusalem, could keep this holy family from a
constant observance of these times dedicated to God.
O
who can worthily apprehend the dispositions of soul, with which they entered
upon these journeys; their recollection on the road, their heavenly
conversation in Jerusalem; their profound adoration, their inflamed love, their
fervent prayer and devotion in the temple! Let us strive to imitate them.
Consider,
how when Jesus was twelve years old, and they had gone up according to their
custom, to keep the solemn feast of the Pasch in Jerusalem, after the days of
the solemnity were fulfilled, when they returned our Saviour withdrew himself
from them, and stayed behind them in the city. They innocently thinking him to
be in the company, went one day's journey homewards without him, and then not
finding him, were struck with unspeakable grief and concern for their loss: the
more, because they apprehended, lest by some fault of theirs they might have
driven him away from them. Ah! what anguish must it be to a soul, that is
sensible of the treasure she possesses, when she has Jesus with her, to find
that he has withdrawn himself from her, and that she has lost her treasure? But
how much more must this blessed couple have regretted the loss of their Jesus;
whose love for him was much greater than can be expressed or imagined! For in
proportion to their love, their sorrow also must have been beyond expression
great. Learn from hence, my soul, what value thou oughtest to set upon the
happiness of having Jesus with thee; and how much thou oughtest to regret the
loss of him.
Consider
3rdly, that although the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph had lost their Jesus, as
to the sensible presence; yet they had not lost him, as to the presence of his
grace and love; they had him still very near to them, because they had him in
their hearts. A lesson for Christians of good-will, not to be discouraged, not
to give themselves up to excessive anguish, if sometimes they experience the
like subtractions of the sensible presence of our Lord, by a dryness in their
devotions, and a spiritual desolation: let them but take care to keep their
heart and will with him; and they may be assured he is not far from them. He
has often dealt thus with the greatest Saints; and to their advantage too: to
keep them more humble, and distrustful of themselves; and to teach them not to
seek their own satisfaction, in the milk of spiritual consolations, but to be
content to feed their souls with the more solid diet of conformity to the will
of God, and to the cross of Christ.
Conclude
to take care not to drive away Jesus by willful sin: and he assured that
nothing else can ever separate him from thee.
ROMAN BREVIARY – MATINS
Lessons 4, 5, 6
The Lesson is taken from the Sermons
of Pope St. Leo the Great
(5th on the Epiphany)
It is 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 a pointed 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 God head 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 arts 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 it announced, was of an importance not to be neglected.
Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
(Bk. ii. on Luke ii.)
Lessons 7, 8, 9
We read that when He was twelve years
old the Lord began to dispute. The number of His years was the same as the
number of the Apostles whom He afterwards sent forth to preach the Faith. He
Who, as touching His Manhood, was filled with wisdom and grace from God, was not
careless of the parents of the same Manhood, and, after three days, was pleased
to be found in the Temple: thereby foreshadowing that, after the three days of
His victorious Passion, He That had been reckoned with the dead, would present
Himself, living, to our faith, in His heavenly Kingship and Divine Majesty.
“How is it that ye sought Me?” Christ hath two Generations; one from His
Father, another from His Mother. That from His Father is His Eternal Generation
as God the Son; that from His Mother is that whereby He came to work for us and
minister to us. Those acts, therefore, of His, which are above nature, beyond
His age, and different to His custom, proceeded not from the strength of His Manhood,
but from the power of His Godhead. On another occasion His Mother moveth Him to
work a miracle; here He answereth her, because she treateth that which was of
the Godhead, as though it had been of the Manhood. On this occasion it is said
that he was twelve years old, but on the other He had already disciples. His
mother had seen His wonders on the earlier occasion, and had learnt from her
Son to call on the mightier nature for a work of power.
“And He came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them." No wonder
that the great Teacher should practise. And shall we marvel how He was subject
to His Mother, was about His Father’s business? His subjection to His Mother
proceeded, not from weakness but from dutiful affection. Nevertheless, the
false serpent lifteth its head from its cruel lair, and spitteth poison from
its venomous breast. The heretics say that, as the Son was sent by the Father,
therefore the Father is greater than the Son, and, if the Father be greater
than the Son, there is that, than which the Son is less; yea, that He Who is
sent, hath of necessity, need of some strengthening from outside Himself. He
was subject to His Mother? Was He less than she? God forbid!
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