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 shew forth the praises of the LORD. * Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. . The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall give presents; the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts. 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 Almighty, adore in Heaven. And as they offered from their treasures mystic forms of oblation to the LORD, so let us also offer from our hearts, things worthy of GOD. R. There came wise men 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. . 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. let us heartily rejoice in the strength O come, let us sing unto the LORD: 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. lxxxvii. Fundamenta ejus. p. 53.) Ant. O worship the LORD, Alleluia: in His Holy Temple. Alleluia. Ps. xcvi. Cantate... cantate. p. 56. Ant. Worship the LORD, *Alleluia: all ye Angels of His. Alleluia. Ps. xcvii. Dominus regnavit. p. 57. Ň. Worship the LORD. R. 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 Judæa in the days of Herod the King, behold, 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. Homily 10 on the Gospels. When the Heavenly King was born, dearest brethren, the earthly king was, as we have read in the Gospel, troubled. For it is no wonder if the dignities 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 Judæa, 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 infidels, a sign was given. the other, being not believers, but AND it is to be noted, that when the Apostles should preach Him to these same Gentiles; whereas, when He was an infant, as yet unable to announced to them His Advent. For use the organs of speech, a star 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, our Redeemer was of full age, who neither by prophecy nor miracle were moved to acknowledge Him. R. And when the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and entering into the house, they found the Child with 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, cannot acknowledge to be GOD, but, harder than the rocks, refused to be rent unto repentance. I SECOND DAY. In the Octave of the Epiphany. FIRST NOCTURN. 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 Israelites; to whom pertaineth the Who are according to the flesh. 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. R. Three are. Amen. p. 216. Lesson II. NOT 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; OT as though the word of GOD hath taken none effect. For R. In the form. p. 217. 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, but of him that calleth; it was said unto her. The elder shall serve the younger, As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with GOD? GOD forbid. For 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. R. The kings of Tharsis. p. 217. SECOND NOCTURN. A Sermon of S. Augustine the Bishop. Lesson IV. WISE men came from the East to He might be found, when sought, a weakling in a narrow lodging, born with the frame of a babe, wrapt in a babe's swaddling-clothes; might be worshipped by wise, and dreaded by evil men. R. All they from Sheba. p. 218. Lesson VI. FOR King Herod was troubled when delight rather to worship Him, Who bore for His very enemies, and from His enemies, 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 Hand of the Father, Whom that impious king feared when yet sucking His Mother's breasts. worship the Virgin's offspring. To-day we keep this day, we deliver the discourse which is due to its solemnity. That first day 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; the star, as though the tongue of heaven, brought the news to them: and those same apostles, as other Lesson of the Holy Gospel according heavens, told us the glory of God. R. Arise, shine. p. 217. 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, R. There came wise men. p.218. THIRD NOCTURN. to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. ii. WHEN JESUS was born in Beth lehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is follows. he that is born And that which A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. Homily 10 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 not to return to Herod. And so it comes to pass that Herod is unable to find JESUS Whom he seeks. And in his person who are typified but hypocrites, who, seeking the LORD in pretence, never attain to find Him? R. The star. p. 219. Lesson VIII. AND here we must observe that the heretics called Priscillianists suppose that each individual is born under the influence of the stars; and in support of their error they assume that the new star which appeared when the LORD was manifested in the flesh was the controller of His fate. But if we weigh the words of the Evangelist, in which he says of that star, that it went before them till it came and stood over where the young Child was: since the star hastens to the Child, not the Child to the star, we must acknowledge that the star was not the controlling fate of the Child, but the Child Who was manifested was the Fate, if we may use the expression, of the star. R. And when. p. 219. Lesson IX. BUT let it be far from the minds of the faithful to speak of anything as done by fate. The life of man is of a surety governed only by the Maker Who created him. Nor was man made for the sake of the stars; but the stars for man. And if you call a star the controlling fate of man, man is alleged to be subject to his own servants. Surely when Jacob, coming forth from the womb, laid hold on the heel of his elder brother, the elder could not have entirely come forth before his brother following him had begun to do so. And yet, though their mother gave birth to them both at the same instant of time, there was no resemblance in their lives. Te Deum. p. 16. THIRD DAY. FIRST NOCTURN. Of the Epistle to the Romans. I |