[Rank]
Fourth Day Within the Epiphany Octave;;Semiduplex;;2;;ex Sancti/01-06

[Rank] (rubrica 196 aut rubrica 1955)
January 9th;;Feria;;1.2;;vide Sancti/01-06

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans
!Rom 13:1-4
1 Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.
2 Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.
3 For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to thee, for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword in vain.

[Lectio2]
!Rom 13:4-7
4 For he is God's minister: an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.
5 Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6 For therefore also you pay tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving unto this purpose.
7 Render therefore to all men their dues. Tribute, to whom tribute is due: custom, to whom custom: fear, to whom fear: honour, to whom honour.

[Lectio3]
!Rom 13:8-10
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law.
9 For: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet. And if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of Pope St. Leo (the Great)
!1 st for Twelfth-Day.
Dearly beloved brethren, we have but lately celebrated that day whereon the inviolate virginity of Blessed Mary gave to man a Saviour. And now the venerable solemnity of the Epiphany giveth us a continuance of joy. So that by the nearness of these two holy Feasts, the freshness of our gladness and the quickening of our faith hath no time wherein to die away. And truly it concerneth the salvation of all men, that the Mediator between God and men is already made manifest before leaving the humble city of His birth.

[Lectio5]
It is true that the Lord chose the nation of Israel, and in that nation one family, whence to take upon Him that nature which He shareth with all mankind, but, at the same time, He would not that the narrow walls of His Mother's house should imprison within them all the brightness of His appearing, and, as He was pleased to be born for all, so willed He to be forthwith made manifest to all. Three wise men in the East, therefore, saw a new and brilliant star, which, by excelling all others in brightness and beauty, attracted the eyes and thoughts of all beholders and thereby it became at once evident that some new and great event had befallen.

[Lectio6]
Then He Who had given the sign, gave understanding to those that saw it; and having given to them to understand that He was born, He gave them the grace to seek Him; and, being sought by them, was pleased to be found. The three wise men followed the guiding of the heavenly light, and, with their eyes firmly fixed upon the glory that went before them, were so led by the light of grace as to obtain the knowledge of truth. They, knowing that He was born a King, sought Him in the Royal City; but He Who had taken upon Him the form of a servant, and came not to judge but to be judged, had chosen Bethlehem for His birth, and Jerusalem for His Suffering.

[Lectio7]
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? And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great.)
!10th on the Gospels.
The wise men teach us a great lesson in that they departed into their own country another way. That which they did, being warned of God in a dream, we ought to do. Our country is heaven; and, when we have once known Jesus, we can never get there by returning on the way wherein we walked before we knew Him. We have left our country far, by the way of pride, and disobedience, and worldliness, and forbidden indulgence we must seek that heavenly Fatherland by tears, by subjection, by contempt of the things which are seen, and by curbing the fleshly appetites.

[Lectio8]
Let us then depart into our own country another way. They that have by enjoyment put themselves away from it, must seek it again by sorrow. Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, it behoveth us to be ever fearful and watch, having continually before the eyes of our heart, on the one hand, the guilt of our doings, and, on the other, the judgment at the latter day. It behoveth us to think how that awful Judge will surely come, Whose judgment is hanging over us, and hath not yet fallen the wrath to come is before sinners, and hath not yet smitten them and the Judge yet tarrieth in order that, when He cometh, there may haply be less to condemn.

[Lectio9]
Let us afflict ourselves for our faults with weeping, and, with the Psalmist, let us come before His Presence with thanksgiving. Let us take heed that we be not fooled by the appearance of earthly happiness, or seduced by the vanity of earthly pleasure. For the Judge is at hand, even He That saith Woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep, (Luke vi. 25.) Hence also Solomon saith Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness, (Prov. xiv. 13.) And again: I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it? (Eccles. ii. 2.) And yet again The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth, (vii. 5.)
&teDeum

[Ant 2]
We have seen His star * in the East, and are come with gifts to worship the Lord.

[Ant 3]
Herod inquired * of the wise men: What is the sign that ye have seen that a King is born? We have seen the shining of the star, the glory whereof enlighteneth the whole world.