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Above: Baptism of Christ fresco by Giotto di Bondone, c. 1305 (Cappella Scrovegni, Padua, Italy).
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. Maximus, Bishop of Turin.
1st on the Epiphany.
Dearly beloved brethren, we are instructed by the tradition of the Fathers, that we have to keep holiday on this solemnity in honour of several joyful events. We are taught that on this day, our Lord Christ was, first, manifested to the Gentiles by the leading of a star; secondly, that being bidden to a marriage, He turned water into wine; and, thirdly, that He received baptism from John, whereby He hallowed the waters of the Jordan, and cleansed him that baptised Him.
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
Which of these events was the greatest, He knoweth by Whose Will they came to pass; for us it is needful to believe and doubt not that whatever was wrought was wrought for us. For to the Gentiles is given a hope of worshipping that Very God of Very God, to adore Whom the Chaldaeans were led by the rays of a glorious star. So also He That by His Will changed water into wine, hath given us to drink of the cup of His Blood of the New Testament; and the Lamb of God baptized in the Jordan hath hallowed for us that saving Fountain wherein we are born again.
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
Therefore, my brethren, as we have lately celebrated with gladness the Festival of our Saviour’s birth, so now it behoveth us with all earnestness to keep holy in His honour, this the birth-day of His wonderworking. And, verily, these three anniversaries are rightly on one day preached to us, who acknowledge the unspeakable mystery of the Trinity under the name of one God. By these miracles the Lord Christ our Redeemer willed to manifest to men some of the power of that Godhead, Which in Him lay hidden under the Manhood.
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 St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem.
Bk. i. Comm. on Matth. ii.
We have seen His star in the East. In order that the Jews might be confounded by hearing from the Gentiles of the birth of Christ, the star rose in the East. They knew that it would come, by the prophecy of Balaam, whose successors they were (Num. xxiv. 17). The star led the wise men to Judea, that the Priests, having it demanded of them where Christ should be born, might have no power to plead that they knew not of His coming.
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
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, this is a mistake of copyists. In our opinion, what the Evangelist wrote must have been, not of Judea, but of Judah. Thus it is in the Hebrew text. Nor is there any town called Bethlehem among any other people, that this should be called of Judea to distinguish it. But it is fitly distinguished as of Judah, because there is in Judea another Bethlehem, namely, the one in Galilee. See the Book of Joshua the son of Nun (xix. 15). Finally, the passage cited, which is in the prophet Micah, v. 2, hath But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.
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
And treasures they presented unto Him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. The mystic meaning of these gifts is thus neatly expressed by Juvencus the Priest, To God made man, born Israel’s King, Frankincense, myrrh, and gold they bring. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. They who had presented unto the Lord gifts, were honoured by receiving a warning, not from an Angel, but from God Himself; whereas even Joseph was warned only by an Angel. They departed into their own country another way, that they might not be brought into contact with the unbelief of the Jews.
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.