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Above: Marsa Alam Desert, Egypt – Feb 2019.
The Vigil of Epiphany (pre-55)
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement.
℟. Amen.
Reading 4
A sermon of St. Augustine, Bishop.
Serm. 13. de Tempore.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, dearest brethren, who in eternity is the Creator of all things, was at this time born of a mother and became our Saviour. It was at this time that he willed to be born for us in earthly time, so as to lead us to the Father’s eternity. God is made man, that man may be made as God. That man may eat Angels’ food, the Lord of Angels was as on this day made man.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Rejoice with me, all ye that love the Lord.
* For while I was yet little I pleased the Most High, and from my womb have I brought forth God and man.
℣. All generations shall call me blessed, for God hath regarded the lowliness of His hand-maiden.
℟. For while I was yet little I pleased the Most High, and from my womb have I brought forth God and man.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live.
℟. Amen.
Reading 5
Now is fulfilled that prophecy: Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and bring forth a Saviour. He who made all things is therefore himself made, that those who are lost may be found. It is even as man is made to testify of himself in the Psalms: Before I was humbled, I went wrong. Man sinned and became guilty. God is born man, that the guilty may be delivered. Man fell, but God descended. Man fell miserably, God descended mercifully. Man fell by pride, God descended with grace.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. The heart of the Virgin was fixed, when the Angel declared unto her the mystery of God, and she conceived, then did she receive in her pure womb Him That is fairer than the children of men.
* And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man.
℣. Soon rises, in that modest shrine, The Temple of the Lord Divine The stainless and unwedded one, Within her womb conceived the Son.
℟. And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine.
℟. Amen.
Reading 6
O my brethren, what a miracle! what a wonder! The laws of nature are changed concerning man: God is born, a Virgin conceiveth without an husband; the Word of God is wedded to one who knoweth no man; she is at once Mother and Virgin. A Mother, yet inviolate: a Virgin having a Son; knowing no man, ever sealed, yet not unfruitful. For he alone was born without sin. He alone was born without human embrace, begotten not of the will of the flesh, but of the obedience of the mind.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Blessed and worshipful art thou, O Virgin Mary; from thee, still maiden undefiled, the Saviour came a little Child.
* He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
℣. O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid; I considered thy works and trembled. O Thou That dwellest between the two living creatures!
℟. He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
℟. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 2:19-23
In that time: When Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. And so on.
Homily by St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem.
Bk. i., Comm. on Matth. ii.
From the words, they are dead (in the Plural), which are used in this passage of the Gospel, we may understand that there were others beside Herod which sought the young Child’s life, probably the Priests and Scribes. And he Joseph arose, and took the young Child and His Mother. It is not written, He took his wife and child, but he took the young Child and His Mother; whence it is clear that the holy Evangelist willeth to imply that Joseph was not the father, but the Guardian of Jesus, not the husband, but the Betrothed of Mary.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. O Mary, how holy and how spotless is thy virginity! I am too dull to praise thee!
* For thou hast borne in thy breast Him Whom the heavens cannot contain.
℣. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
℟. For thou hast borne in thy breast Him Whom the heavens cannot contain.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay.
℟. Amen.
Reading 8
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. There are some persons so grossly ignorant of history that they confuse themselves over the two Herods, as if the one mentioned here were the same who afterwards set our Lord at nought during His Passion, and they cannot understand how he should now be said to be dead. The Herod who was made friends with Pilate over Christ’s death, was the son of the Herod who massacred the infants of Bethlehem, and the brother of Archelaus.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. The Virgin-Mother that knew not a man, bore, but travailed not.
* She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
℣. Soon rises in that modest shrine, The Temple of the Lord Divine; The stainless and unwedded one, Within her womb conceived the Son.
℟. She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring.
℟. Amen.
Reading 9
He shall be called a Nazarene. The Evangelist, in quoting these words, saith that they were spoken by the Prophets (plural). If he had been citing any one precise passage he would have said by the Prophet, in the Singular. But he is citing the sense of the Prophets, and not any individual passage in any of their writings. He seemeth to refer to the fact that in Hebrew the word Nazarene signifieth holy, and that Christ is the Holy One of God is the common declaration of all the Scriptures.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
Te Deum
Photo by Filippo Biasiolo on Unsplash