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From the Roman office.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement.
R. Amen.
Reading 4
From the Sermons of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.
2nd on the Epiphany.
Many kings of the Jews had been born, and died, but which of them was sought after by wise men to worship him? Not one for not one had been proclaimed by the voice of heaven. Let us not also pass by the fact that the enlightenment of the wise men standeth in strong contrast to the blindness of the Jews. The first came from far to find Him, Whom, being born in their midst, the second knew not.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. Shine, 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.
R. And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live.
R. Amen.
Reading 5
The wise men found the young Child among those who denied Him. These holy pilgrims came and worshipped the yet silent Christ in the land whose inhabitants, after He grew up and worked miracles, crucified Him. They worshipped in that tiny Body the God Whom, amid great signs and wonders, the Jews would not spare even as a man. They who saw the Star which shone at His birth, put it to more profit than they who saw the sun veiled at His death.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. All they from Saba shall come, they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord.
* Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents, the kings of Arabia and Saba shall offer gifts.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine.
R. Amen.
Reading 6
The star which led the wise men towards the place where the new-born God dwelt with His Virgin Mother, ceased to shine when it came to the city of Jerusalem, while they were inquiring of the Jews where Christ should be born. The Jews answered them according to the testimony of the Divine Scriptures In Bethlehem of Judah for thus it is written And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule My people Israel. What else are we to understand that God’s Providence would here signify, than that there should remain among the Jews those Divine Writings only, whereby the Gentiles are enlightened, while they themselves remain dark?
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, asking and saying: Where is He That is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east;
* And are come to worship the Lord.
V. We have seen His star in the east.
R. And are come to worship the Lord.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
R. And are come to worship the Lord.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
R. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 2:1-12
When Jesus therefore 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?
Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great.
10th on the Gospels.
The wise men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is the fitting gift to a King, frankincense is offered in sacrifice to God, and with myrrh are embalmed the bodies of the dead. By the gifts, therefore, which they presented unto Him, the wise men set forth three things concerning Him unto Whom they offered them; by the gold, that He was King; by the frankincense, that He was God; and by the myrrh, that He was to die. There are some heretics who believe Him to be God, but confess not His Kingly dominion over all things; these offer unto Him frankincense, but refuse Him gold. There are some others who admit that He is King, but deny that He is God; these present unto Him gold, but will not give Him frankincense.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. The star which the wise men had seen in the East, went before them, till they came where the young Child was.
* And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
V. And when they were come into the house, they found the young Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him.
R. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay.
R. Amen.
Reading 8
There are some other heretics who profess that Christ is both God and King, but not that He took a dying nature; these offer Him gold and frankincense, but not myrrh for the Manhood. Let us, however, present gold unto the new-born Lord, acknowledging His universal Kingship; let us offer unto Him frankincense, confessing that He Who hath been made manifest unto us in time, is God before time was; let us give unto Him myrrh, believing that He Who cannot suffer as touching His Godhead, was made capable of death as touching the manhood which He shareth with us.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
* And when they were come into the house, they found the young Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him; *
and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
V. The star which the wise men had seen in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
R. And when they were come into the house, they found the young Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
R. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring.
R. Amen.
Reading 9
There is also another signification in this gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is a type of wisdom; as saith Solomon In the mouth of the wise abideth a treasure to be desired. Frankincense, which is burnt in honour of God, is a figure of prayer; witness the words of the Psalmist, Ps. cxl. 2: Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee. By myrrh is represented the putting to death of the body; as where the holy Church saith of her labourers who strive for God even unto death My hands dropped with myrrh (Cant. v. 5).
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
Prayer
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
O God, Who by the leading of a star didst, as on this day, manifest thine Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead:
Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R. Amen.