Day: January 3, 2022

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (I Classis) – Thursday, 6 January 2022 : Holy Gospel

Liturgical Colour : White

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew

Matthew 2 : 1-12

Cum natus esset Jesus in Bethlehem Juda in diebus Herodis regis, ecce, Magi ab Oriente venerunt Jerosolymam, dicentes : Ubi est, qui natus est Rex Judaeorum? Vidimus enim stellam Ejus in Oriente, et venimus adorare eum.

Audiens autem Herodes rex, turbatus est, et omnis Jerosolyma cum illo. Et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum et scribas populi, sciscitabatur ab eis, ubi Christus nasceretur. At illi dixerunt ei : In Bethlehem Judae : sic enim scriptum est per Prophetam : Et tu, Bethlehem terra Juda, nequaquam minima es in principibus Juda; ex te enim exiet dux, qui regat populum meum Israel.

Tunc Herodes, clam vocatis Magis, diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellae, quae apparuit eis : et mittens illos in Bethlehem, dixit : Ite, et interrogate diligenter de puero : et cum inveneritis, renuntiate mihi, ut et ego veniens adorem eum.

Qui cum audissent regem, abierunt. Et ecce, stella, quam viderant in Oriente, antecedebat eos, usque dum veniens staret supra, ubi erat Puer. Videntes autem stellam, gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde. Et intrantes domum, invenerunt Puerum cum Maria Matre ejus, (genuflect here) ei procidentes adoraverunt eum.

Et apertis thesauris suis, obtulerunt ei munera, aurum, thus et myrrham. Et responso accepto in somnis, ne redirent ad Herodem, per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam.

English translation

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of king Herod, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who is born the King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and we have come to adore Him.”

And king Herod, hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. But they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet, ‘And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of you shall come forth the ruler that shall rule My people Israel.'”

Then Herod privately calling the wise men, learnt diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them, and sending them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and diligently inquire after the Child, and when you have found Him bring word to me again, so that I may also come and adore Him.”

Having heard the king, they went their way, and behold the star which they had seen in the east went before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary, His mother (kneel here) and falling down they adored Him.

And opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having received a vision in their sleep, that they should not return to Herod, they went back by another way into their own country.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (I Classis) – Thursday, 6 January 2022 : Gradual and Alleluia

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 60 : 1 and Matthew 2 : 2

Omnes de Saba venient, aurum et thus deferentes et laudem Domino annuntiantes.

Response : Surge et illuminare, Jerusalem : quia gloria Domini super te orta est.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Vidimus stellam ejus in Oriente, et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum. Alleluja.

English translation

All those from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and showing forth praise to the Lord.

Response : Arise and be enlightened, o Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : We have seen His star to the east and have come with gifts to adore the Lord. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (I Classis) – Thursday, 6 January 2022 : Epistle

Liturgical Colour : White

Lectio Isaiae Prophetae – Lesson from Isaiah the Prophet

Isaiah 60 : 1-6

Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem : quia venit lumen Tuum, et gloria Domini super te orta est. Quia ecce, tenebrae operient terram et caligo populos : super te autem orietur Dominus, et gloria ejus in te videbitur. Et ambulant gentes in lumine tuo, et reges in splendore ortis tui.

Leva in circuitu oculos tuos, et vide : omnes isti congregati sunt, venerunt tibi : filii tui de longe venient, et filiae tuae de latere surgent. Tunc videbis et afflues, mirabitur et dilatabitur cor tuum, quando conversa fuerit ad te multitudo maris, fortitudo gentium venerit tibi.

Inundation camelorum operiet te, dromedarii Madian et Epha : omnes de Saba venient, aurum et thus deferentes, et laudem Domino annuntiantes.

English translation

Arise, be enlightened, o Jerusalem, for your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist shall cover the people, but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall walk in your light, and kings in the brightness of your rising.

Lift up your eyes round about and see, all these are gathered together, they have come to you, your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall rise up at your side. Then you shall see, and abound, and your heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to you, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to you.

The multitudes of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Median and Epha, all those from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and showing forth praise to the Lord.

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(Usus Antiquior) Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (I Classis) – Thursday, 6 January 2022 : Introit and Collect

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

Malachi 3 : 1 and Psalm 71 : 1

Ecce, advenit dominator Dominus : et regnum in manu ejus et potestas et imperium.

Deus, judicium Tuum Regida : et justitiam Tuam Filio Regis.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Behold the Lord the Ruler has come, and a kingdom in His hand, and power and dominion.

Give to the King Your judgment, o God, and to the King’s Son Your justice.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Collect

Deus, qui hodierna die Unigenitum Tuum gentibus stella duce revelasti : concede propitius; ut, qui jam Te ex fide cognovimus, usque ad contemplandam speciem Tuae celsitudinis perducamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

English translation

O God, You who by the guidance of a star had revealed this day Your only begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know You now by faith, may be so led as to behold with our eyes the beauty of Your majesty. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Wednesday, 5 January 2022 : Wednesday after the Epiphany (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are all called to reflect on them and remember how each and every one of us have been beloved by God, and just how fortunate we are that we have God always by our side, always within our reach. If only that we have more faith in Him and learn to trust Him more then certainly we could have lived more in peace and harmony, and we could have a better time living in this world, with God as our assurance and strength.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. John, we heard how the Apostle spoke of God’s love and how each and every one of us as Christians are all called to reflect the love that God has taught us, revealed to us and shown us through His Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. He is the perfect manifestation of God’s eternal and enduring love for each and every one of us, and we now have hope again because of Him, His love and all that He had done for us, the Love of God in the flesh, reaching out to us to help us be reconciled with our loving Father.

St. John also said that if we love God and show that same love to one another, the He is in us, dwelling with us, for He is our Lord and God, our Father and we are His children and His people. If we love the Lord and our fellow men, then God’s love itself is expressed through us and our actions. He mentioned how we have received the Holy Spirit, Whom He has sent to be with us, and through the same Holy Spirit therefore, we have known the love of God and we have been taught how to love our fellow men, in the same way that God Himself has loved us.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel of St. Mark in which the account of the Lord’s apparition before His disciples, walking miraculously on the water was told, in which we are again reminded of the love that God has for all of us, just as He has expressed it through His disciples and how each and every moments of our lives He has been with us, and He will never abandon us or leave us alone. Through that moment at the Lake of Galilee, the Lord wanted to reassure all of us that He is always with us and we have no need to fear anything at all.

The disciples were in the boat crossing the Lake ahead of the Lord when a great storm and huge waves struck against them, and they were all terrified, until the moment when the Lord came to them suddenly, walking on the water. Initially as we heard, the disciples were all terrified, thinking that they had seen a ghost. Yet, the Lord reassured and came to them, saying to them that they should not be afraid at all, for it is indeed Him Who had come to them, their Lord and Master.

Through that very symbolic moment at the Lake, as the Lord appeared to His disciples in their darkest and most terrifying moments, it is a great reminder to all of us that God is always by our side, even through the worst of storms and troubles in life. The storms and waves represent the challenges, trials and difficulties facing us in our journey of life. Yet, we should not be afraid or fear anything, because truly God is always there for us, and He will always do everything in His own way to help us.

Let us all not be afraid any longer and instead, we should trust in the Lord and put our faith in Him. Let us not be hesitant anymore to follow the Lord, but remind ourselves always of His great faithfulness to the Covenant that He had made with us, and believe in the love that He has so generously given us all, all these while. Let us devote ourselves to Our Lord with ever greater sincerity and commit ourselves thoroughly to His greater glory.

May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to watch over us and guide us in our journey towards Him. May He empower each and every one of us to live courageously and not to be afraid in doing what He has called us to do, entrusting everything to His providence and ever-present love, now and always. Amen.