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

[Rank] (rubrica 196 aut rubrica 1955)
January 12th;;Feria;;1.2;;vide Sancti/01-06

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans
!Rom 16:1-5
1 And I commend to you Phebe, our sister, who is in the ministry of the church, that is in Cenchrae:
2 That you receive her in the Lord as becometh saints; and that you assist her in whatsoever business she shall have need of you. For she also hath assisted many, and myself also.
3 Salute Prisca and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus,
4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: to whom not I only give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles,
5 And the church which is in their house. Salute Epenetus, my beloved: who is the firstfruits of Asia in Christ.

[Lectio2]
!Rom 16:17-19
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark them who make dissensions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them.
18 For they that are such, serve not Christ our Lord, but their own belly; and by pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent.
19 For your obedience is published in every place. I rejoice therefore in you. But I would have you to be wise in good, and simple in evil.

[Lectio3]
!Rom 16:21-24
21 Timothy, my fellow labourer, saluteth you, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.
23 Caius, my host, and the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, saluteth you, and Quartus, a brother.
24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of Pope St. Leo (the Great.)
!5th on the the Twelfth day
This meet and right, dearly beloved brethren, yea, it is our bounden duty and godly service, to rejoice with full hearts upon those days which more especially set forth before us the workings of God's mercy; and to have in honourable memory those things that were done for our salvation. Hereto are we called by the seasons of the year which continually return, and notably by this present, which, after but a short time hath passed since that day whereon the Coeternal Son of God was born of a Virgin, bringeth now the Feast of the Epiphany, hallowed by the Manifestation of the Lord.

[Lectio5]
In this said Manifestation the good Providence of God hath appointed a strong bulwark to our faith. For now, while in solemn worship we call to mind how the childhood of the Saviour was adored in its first infancy, we receive from the original Scriptures the doctrine that Christ was born with the very nature of man. For this is that which maketh of sinners saints, even to believe that in one and the same our Lord Jesus Christ there is very Godhead and very Manhood very Godhead, as touching Which, He, being in the form of God, is equal to the Father from everlasting to everlasting and very Manhood, wherein He, taking upon Him the form of a servant, hath in these latter days been born Man.

[Lectio6]
For the strengthening of this our faith, which we profess in the face of every false doctrine, the mercy of God hath made it to come to pass that one of those peoples who dwell in the uttermost parts of the East, and excel in the skill of reading the stars, should see the sign of the birth of that Child Who was to reign over all Israel. There appeared to the eyes of wise men a new star of such passing beauty, as wrought in the minds of all that saw it the persuasion that the event, which is announced, was of an importance not to be neglected.

[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 St. John Chrysostom
!Homily 8, on Matthew, n. 1
“The wise men entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11) But what was it that induced them to worship? For neither was the Virgin conspicuous, nor the house distinguished, nor was any other of the things which they saw apt to amaze or attract them. Yet they not only worship, but also open their treasures, and offer gifts; and gifts, not as to a man, but as to God. For the frankincense and the myrrh were a symbol of this. What then was their inducement? That which wrought upon them to set out from home and to come so long a journey; and this was both the star, and the illumination wrought of God in their mind, guiding them little by little to the more perfect knowledge.

[Lectio8]
For, surely, had it not been so, all that was in sight being ordinary, they would not have shown so great honor. Therefore none of the outward circumstances was great in that instance, but it was a manger, and a shed, and a mother in poor estate; to set before your eyes, naked and bare, those wise men's love of wisdom, and to prove to you, that not as mere man they approached Him, but as a God, and Benefactor. Wherefore neither were they offended by ought of what they saw outwardly, but even worshipped, and brought gifts; gifts not only free from Judaical grossness, in that they sacrificed not sheep and calves, but also coming near to the self-devotion of the Church, for it was knowledge and obedience and love that they offered unto Him.

[Lectio9]
“And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.” (Matthew 2:12) See from this also their faith, how they were not offended, but are docile, and considerate; neither are they troubled, nor reason with themselves, saying, And yet, if this Child be great, and has any might, what need of flight, and of a clandestine retreat? And wherefore can it be, that when we have come openly and with boldness, and have stood against so great a people, and against a king's madness, the angel sends us out of the city as runaways and fugitives? But none of these things did they either say or think. For this most especially belongs to faith, not to seek an account of what is enjoined, but merely to obey the commandments laid upon us.
&teDeum

[Ant 2]
Without controversy * great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory, alleluia.