Traditional Mass Propers: 2nd Sunday After the Epiphany (Dominica II post Epiphaniam)

Mass in this video is of the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany at the Institute St. Philipp Neri in Berlin.

Vestments: Green

INTROIT
Psalm 65:4
Let all the earth adore Thee, O God, and sing to Thee: let it sing a psalm to Thy Name, O Most High. -- (Ps.65. 1, 2). Shout with joy to God, all the earth, sing ye a psalm to His Name: give glory to His praise. V.: Glory be to the Father . . . -- Let all the earth adore Thee . . .

COLLECT - O almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things both in heaven and on earth: mercifully hear the prayers of Thy people, and grant us Thy peace in our time. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, They Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

EPISTLE
Romans 12: 6-16
Brethren, Having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us: either prophecy, to be used according to the rule of faith; or ministry, in ministering; or he that teacheth, in doctrine; he that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth, with simplicity; he that ruleth, with carefulness; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good: loving one another with the charity of brotherhood: with honor preventing one another: in carefulness not slothful; in spirit fervent: serving the Lord: rejoicing in hope: patient in tribulation: instant in prayer: communicating to the necessities of the Saints: pursuing hospitality. Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that rejoice, weep with them that weep: being of one mind one towards another: not minding high things, but consenting to the humble.

GRADUAL
Psalm 106: 20, 21
The Lord sent His Word, and healed them: and delivered them from their destruction. V.: Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to Him: and His wonderful works to the children of men.

LESSER ALLELUIA - Alleluia, alleluia. V.:(Ps 148:2) Praise ye the Lord, all His Angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts. Alleluia

GOSPEL
John 2: 1-11

At that time there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the Mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the Mother of Jesus saith to Him: They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to Me and to thee? My hour is not yet come. His Mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye. Now there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus said to them: Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water: the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, and saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine: and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

OFFERTORY
Psalm 65: 1, 2, 16
Shout with joy to God, all the earth: sing ye a psalm to His Name: come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things the Lord hath done for my soul, alleluia.

SECRET - Hallow, O Lord, these our oblations: and cleanse us from the stains of our sins. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

PREFACE (Preface of the Most Holy Trinity) - It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:

COMMUNION
John 2: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
The Lord saith: Fill the water-pots with water, and carry to the chief steward. When the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, he saith to the bridegroom: Thou hast kept the good wine until now. This first miracle did Jesus in the presence of His disciples.

POST COMMUNION - May the working of Thy power, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be increased in us: that quickened by the divine Sacraments, we may be prepared by Thy grace to obtain that which they promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

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Understading Epiphanytide: The Octave of Epiphany through Septuagesima

Of all the seasons that the Modern Novus Ordo Catholic Calendar has neglected to properly retain and celebrate, Epiphanytide has, like Ascensiontide, unfortunately fallen by the wayside.  But, for those Catholics committed to the Sacred Traditions of the past, Epiphanytide holds a special length of time.  Instead of having Christmastide turn into some oddly name "Ordinary Time" (after all did anyone even really understand its purpose or its oddly split up parts through the year), traditional Catholics will celebrate Christmastide, Epiphanytide, Septuagesima, and then finally begin the penance of Lent.

So what exactly is Epiphanytide and what customs do traditional Catholics observe during this time?

Octave of the Epiphany

While the Novus Ordo calendar unfortunately only has 2 octaves, traditional Catholics will be familiar with the idea of multiple overlapping Octaves.  The practice of celebrating an Octave, while not only traced to the time spent by the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary awaiting the Paraclete, also has its origins in the Old Testament eight-day celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36) and the Dedication of the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:9). Very truly, Christ did not come to abolish the Old Law but to fulfill it.

By the 8th century, Rome had developed liturgical octaves not only for Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas, but also for the Epiphany and the feast of the dedication of a church.

After 1568, when Pope Pius V reduced the number of octaves (since by then they had grown considerably), the number of Octaves was still plentiful.  Octaves were classified into several types. Easter and Pentecost had "specially privileged" octaves, during which no other feast whatsoever could be celebrated. Christmas, Epiphany, and Corpus Christi had "privileged" octaves, during which certain highly ranked feasts might be celebrated. The octaves of other feasts allowed even more feasts to be celebrated.

To reduce the repetition of the same liturgy for several days, Pope Leo XIII and Pope St. Pius X made further distinctions, classifying octaves into three primary types: privileged octaves, common octaves, and simple octaves. Privileged octaves were arranged in a hierarchy of first, second, and third orders. For the first half of the 20th century, octaves were ranked in the following manner, which affected holding other celebrations within their time frames:

• Privileged Octaves
  • Privileged Octaves of the First Order
    • Octave of Easter
    • Octave of Pentecost
  • Privileged Octaves of the Second Order
    • Octave of Epiphany
    • Octave of Corpus Christi
  • Privileged Octaves of the Third Order
    • Octave of Christmas
    • Octave of the Ascension
    • Octave of the Sacred Heart
• Common Octaves
  • Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM
  • Octave of the Solemnity of St. Joseph
  • Octave of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
  • Octave of Saints Peter and Paul
  • Octave of All Saints
  • Octave of the Assumption of the BVM
• Simple Octaves
  • Octave of St. Stephen
  • Octave of St. John the Apostle
  • Octave of the Holy Innocents

As one can notice, the Octave of the Epiphany ranked even higher than the Octave of Christmas!

Complexity of Octaves

With the overlapping Octaves of Christmas, St. Stephen, St John, and the Holy Innocents, things could be complicated for those praying the Divine Office.  Let's assume the anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral falls on December 27.  What happens?  In the 1962 rubrics, the feast is translated after the octave, but what happens for those following the pre-1955 calendar?  Here is what the days would look like from a liturgical point of view

27 December: Dedication, Comm. of the Octave of the Nativity; Vespers of the preceding with Psalms from the Nativity, Comm. of the following, of the Octave of the Nativity and the Dedication

28 December: Holy Innocents,  Comm. of the Octave of the Nativity and the Dedication; at Vespers, Psalms from the Nativity,  from the Chapter of the following, Comm. of the preceding, St Thomas, the Octave of the Nativity and the Dedication

29 December: St. John, Comm. of St Thomas Becket, the Octave of the Nativity, and the Dedication; Vespers of the preceding with Psalms from the Nativity, Comm. of the following, St Thomas, and the Octave of the Nativity and Dedication.

30 December: Sunday in the Octave of the Nativity, Comm. of the Octave of the Nativity, and the Dedication; Vespers of the preceding with Psalms from the Nativity, Comm. of the following and the Octave of the Nativity and Dedication.

31 December: St. Sylvester I, Comm. of the Octave of the Nativity, and the Dedication; Vespers of the following without any Commemorations.

1 January: Circumcision, no Commemorations; Vespers of the preceding without any Commemorations.

2 January: Holy Name, Comm. of the Octave of St. Stephen; Vespers of the preceding, Comm. of the Octave Day of the Dedication

3 January: Octave Day of the Dedication, Comm. of the Octave of St. John; Vespers of the preceding, Comm. of the following Octave day of the Holy Innocents.

Season of Epiphanytide

The Sunday within that octave was up until the reforms of 1955, the feast of the Holy Family, and Christmastide was reckoned as the twelve days ending on 5 January, followed by Epiphany time, 6-13 January. The following Sundays, until Septuagesima, were named as the "First (etc.) Sunday after Epiphany".

The 1969 "destruction" in the General Roman Calendar defined Christmastide instead as extending from the Vigil Mass of Christmas on the evening of 24 December to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (generally the Sunday after 6 January).

While sometimes performed (but often neglected in the Novus Ordo), the Feast of the Epiphany is a time for the blessing of one's home using blessed Chalk and holy water.  This traditional has a beautiful ritual in the Rituale Romanum and is described in my post: Blessing of Epiphany Chalk.

Because the date of Easter changes each year, two seasons of the Calendar have variable lengths in order to balance (after all there can not be more than 52 weeks in the year). The Season of Time After Pentecost can have as few as 23 Sundays or as many as 28 Sundays depending on the date of Easter. This season of Epiphanytide can have anywhere from 4 to 38 days, depending on the date of Easter. If this season is short, then Time after Pentecost will be longer; and if this Season is long, Time after Pentecost will be shorter.  Makes sense, right?

But the spiritual focus of the season up through Candlemas is essentially a continuation of Christmas and contemplation of the Divine Childhood. After Candlemas (February 2nd), the celebration of events of His young life gives way to a focus on His adult life.

Candlemas (The Feast of the Purification of our Lady) is another day in which the Novus Ordo calendar greatly overlooks in importance.  The Feast of Candlmas, exactly 40 days after Christmas, commemorates Mary's obedience to the Mosaic law by submitting herself to the Temple for the ritual purification, as commanded in Leviticus.

The Feast of the Purification, is called Candlemas for the traditional blessing and distribution of candles on that day.  It is customary to bring candles from home to be blessed -- at least 51% beeswax candles that one uses for devotional purposes (candles for the family altar, Advent candles, etc.) -- so they can be lit after dusk on All Saints' Day (1 November), during the Sacrament of Unction, and during storms and times of trouble.  Nowadays, though, for those few parishes continuing this ancient observance, the parish will provide the candles.

Mass on Candlemas is typically preceded by a procession with the lighted candles and the singing of anthems. The lighted candles are held during the reading of the Gospel and from the beginning of the Canon of the Mass to Communion.

And this Season of Epiphanytide is also the time (typically depending on the length of the season), the Feast of St. Brigid, St. Agnes, and St. Blaise (on which day the Faithful's throats are blessed).

Let's remember not to neglect this season and give it our due observance.  After all, those of us praying the Older Breviary will find much beauty in the hymns and antiphons during this time.  More on those hymns and devotions associated with them will follow in subsequent posts.

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Blessing of Epiphany Chalk

Information on the Blessing and Simple Blessing of One's Home   If you don't have blessed chalk, buy an inexpensive pack of chalk and ask your priest to properly bless it. 

Chalk is customarily blessed on January 6 by a priest using the Rituale Romanum, the feast of the Epiphany (though nowadays typically only done by more traditional parishes). The chalk is a sacramental, intended for the blessings of homes. If a priest is unable to visit your home at this season, a simple blessing may be given by the father of the family. He should mark the year and the initials of the three Magi (Caspar, Melchoir and Balthasar) on the lintel of the main door. The initial C, M, and B also stand for Christus mansionem benedicat (May Christ bless the house).

Write with blessed chalk above the door like so (replacing the last 2 digits for the year in question. This is the example for the year 2012):

20 + C + M + B + 12

O Lord, almighty God, bless this house that it may become a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility. goodness, mildness, obedience to the Commandments, and thanksgiving to God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Upon this house and those who dwell herein may Thy blessing remain forever. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the actual blessing ceremony of your home, click here.

Fr. Z from WDTPRS
The Ceremony of the Blessing of Chalk
Epiphany Chalk is used to write the inscription over all the doors of one’s house. Soft classroom chalk of any color is best for writing on varnished or painted surfaces. A priest should bless the chalk on Epiphany Day, before the celebration of the main Mass of the day, using the following Blessing, which is taken from the Roman Ritual:

V. Our help is in the Name of the Lord.

R. Who made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with thy spirit.

Let Us Pray:

O Lord God, bless + this chalk which Thou hast created, that it may be helpful to mankind; and grant that through the invocation of Thy most holy Name all those who use this chalk or with it write over the doors of their houses the names of Thy Saints, Gasper, Melchior, and Balthazar, may by their merits and intercession receive health of body and protection of soul. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. (Priest now sprinkles chalk with Holy Water.)

Later that day – or any day within the Octave of the Feast of the Epiphany – at home, the ceremony is completed by a priest, or the father, or senior member, of the family. The following prayer is said once and at the main entrance of the house. All the family as he or she goes from door to door – everyone keeping a respectful silence, or better yet, reciting the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Let Us Pray:

Hear us, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, and send Thy Holy Angel from Heaven to watch over, cherish, protect, be with, and defend all who live in my house. I call upon Your Saints, Gasper, Melchior, and Balthazar, to protect my family and my home from every harm and danger, and I place the marks of their holy names over the doors of my home to remain there as a constant reminder to us and to all who enter here that my house is truly a house of the Lord.

O God, make the door of my house wide enough to receive all who need human love and companionship; narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride, and strife. Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children, nor to straying feet, but rugged and strong enough to turn back the temper’s power.

O God, make the door of my house the gateway to Thy eternal Kingdom. I ask these things in the Name of Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen.

Note: Another version of this blessing, as well as a Blessing of Gold, Incense, and Myrrh (the gifts given by the wisemen) can be found in the Rituale Romanum online version. Also, check out the Solemn Blessing for Epiphany Water

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Pope Benedict XVI Wears Beautiful Fiddleback for Mass on Feast of the Epiphany

If you recall, in 2009 Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the Mass on the Epiphany using a beautiful fiddleback.  This year on the Feast of the Epiphany, the Holy Father has again chosen a set of beautiful vestments.  You can see some of them here:

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Epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated each year by the Church on January 6. This is the last day of Christmas (the 12th Day of Christmas). And on the Epiphany, we remember Christ revealing His divinity in three ways:

* to the Magi who, guided by the great and mysterious Star of Bethlehem, came to visit Him when He was a Baby (Matthew 2:1-19)

* through His Baptism by St. John, when "the Spirit of God descending as a dove" came upon Him and there was heard a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1), and all Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were manifest (Note: the Baptism of Our Lord is also commemorated on the 13th of January)

* through His first public miracle -- that of the wedding at Cana when Our Lord turned water into wine at the request of His Mother (John 2). Just as God's first miracle before the Egyptian pharaoh, through Moses, was turning the waters of the Nile into blood, Our Lord's first miracle was turning water into wine.

Source: Fish Eaters

For more information, please see my post entitled: Epiphany of the Lord for prayers, reflections, and much more information.

Prayer:

We keep this day holy in honor of three miracles: this day a star led the Wise Men to the manager; this day water was turned into wine at the marriage feast; this day Christ willed to be baptized by John in the Jordan for our salvation, alleluia.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal, Antiphon at Magnificat for the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (January 6^th)

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Pope Benedict XVI Wears Fiddleback at the 2009 Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany

Image Sources: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

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The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Double of the I Class (1954 Calendar): January 6

First Class (1962 Calendar): January 6

For the traditional readings and prayers at Mass on the Epiphany, please click here.

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated each year by the Church on January 6, after having just concluded the 12 days of Christmas. On this day, and for the next seven days, we remember the three manifestations of our Lord:

1. To the Magi who, guided by the great and mysterious Star of Bethlehem, came to visit Him when He was a Baby (Matthew 2:1-19)
2. Through His Baptism by St. John, when "the Spirit of God descending as a dove" came upon Him and there was heard a voice from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1), and all Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were manifest (Note: the Baptism of Our Lord is also commemorated by a special Gospel reading on the 13th of January, traditionally the Octave Day of the Epiphany)
3. Through His first public miracle -- that of the wedding at Cana when Our Lord turned water into wine at the request of His Mother (John 2). Just as God's first miracle before the Egyptian pharaoh, through Moses, was turning the waters of the Nile into blood, Our Lord's first miracle was turning water into wine.

The Feast of the Epiphany is a culmination for the Christmas season and one of the major Christian feastdays in the entire Church year. It was a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States until 1885.

The Importance of the Epiphany

As John Rotondi noted, "The Epiphany of Our Lord is the central feast of the Incarnation cycle, which runs from the First Sunday of Advent to Candlemas. Epiphany is not the end, but the apex of this cycle; it brings to full fruition the expectation of Advent’s “Veni, Domine.” Epiphany fulfills Christmas; Our Lord was born in the stillness of the night and manifested His birth only to a few; the Epiphany recounts Our Lord manifesting Himself, human and divine, to the whole world, from which point, His salvific mission begins.:

And Restore the 54 similarly states, "The Epiphany celebrates singularly and simultaneously, and continuously over all eight days, the three great manifestations of Our Lord's Incarnation - the adoration of the Magi, Our Lord's Baptism in the Jordan, and His first miracle at Cana. The Magnificat antiphon at Second Vespers explicitly bears this out. It's not just about the 'Three Kings' or some little afterthought to 'end' Christmas. Epiphany is the greatest feast of the Incarnation Cycle." 

Octave of the Epiphany

Today is the beginning of the Octave of the Epiphany which is kept in the 1954 Calendar. This season of Epiphanytide will last after the completion of the Octave Day on January 13th until the season of Septuagesima begins.

Epiphany Day Customs

Today is the ideal day to use blessed chalk and bless your homes. 

Collect:

O God, who by the direction of a star didst this day manifest thy only Son to the Gentiles: mercifully grant that we, who now know thee by faith, may come at length to see the glory of thy Majesty. Through the same, etc.

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The Saints of the Epiphany

According to the Tradition of the Catholic Church, the three Kings (Wise men) mentioned in Matthew 2:1-9 represent the three ages and three "radical types" of man, each wise man further representing one of Noah's descendants (Sem, Cham, and Japheth). According to the Tradition of the Catholic Church, there truly were three Wise Men: St. Caspar, St. Melchior, and St. Balthasar. St. Casper is traditionally described as young, beardless and the descendant of Ham who brought frankincense to the Child Christ. St. Melchior was old and had a white-colored beard; he was the descendant of Sam who brought gold to Jesus. And finally, St. Balthasar was a bearded, black descendant of Japheth, in the prime of his life, who brought myrrh. These are all related from the words of the Venerable Bede.

As Fish Eaters website states, "Tradition also has it that the kings were baptized by St. Thomas, and they are considered Saints of the Church. Though their feasts aren't celebrated liturgically, the dates given for them in the martyrology are as follows: St. Caspar on 1 January; St. Melchior on 6 January; and St. Balthasar on 11 January."

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Novena to the Magi

Today is the beginning of the Novena to the Magi, in anticipation for the Epiphany of the Lord.

28 December:
O holy Magi! You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, which would announce the birth of the true Sun of justice; obtain for us an increase of faith and charity, and the grace to live in continual hope of beholding one day the light of heavenly glory and eternal joy. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

29 December:
O holy Magi! who at the first appearance of the wondrous star left your native country to go and seek the newborn King of the Jews; obtain for us the grace of corresponding with alacrity to every divine inspiration. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

30 December:
O holy Magi! who regarded neither the severity of the season, nor the inconveniences of the journey that you might find the newborn Messiah; obtain for us the grace not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by any of the difficulties which may meet us on the way of salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

31 December:
O holy Magi, who, when deserted by the star in the city of Jerusalem, sought humbly, and without human respect, from the rulers of the Church, the place where you might discover the object of your journey; obtain for us grace to have recourse, in faith and humility, in all our doubts and perplexities to the counsel of our superiors, who hold the place of God on earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

1 January:
O holy Magi, who were gladdened by the reappearance of the star which led you to Bethlehem; obtain for us from God the grace, that, remaining always faithful to Him in afflictions, we may be consoled in time by His grace, and in eternity by His glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

2 January:
O holy Magi, who, entering full of faith into the stable of Bethlehem, prostrated yourselves on the earth, to adore the newborn King of the Jews, though he was surrounded only by signs of poverty and weakness; obtain from the Lord for us a lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament, the true spirit of poverty, and a Christ-like charity for the poor and suffering. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

3 January:
O holy Magi, who offered to Jesus Christ gold, incense, and myrrh, thereby recognizing Him to be at once King, God, and Man; obtain from the Lord for us the grace never to present ourselves before Him with empty hands; but that we may continually offer to Him the gold of charity, the incense of prayer, and the myrrh of penance and mortification. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

4 January:
O holy Magi, who, when warned by an angel not to return to Herd, traveled back to your country be another road; obtain for us from the Lord, the grace that, after having found Him in true repentance, we may avoid all danger of losing Him again. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

5 January:
O holy Magi, who were first among the Gentiles called to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and who persevered in the faith till your deaths, obtain for us of the Lord the grace of living always in conformity to our baptismal vows, ever leading to a life of faith; that like you we may attain to the beatific vision of that God Who now is the object of our faith. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end..

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The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Baptism of Christ by Guido Reni, 1622

Second Class (1962 Calendar): January 13

"Our Lord was baptized because He wished, not to be cleansed, but to cleanse the waters, that, being purified by the flesh of Christ that knew no sin, they might have the virtue of baptism" (St. Ambrose).

Baptism is such a beautiful gift since it is through baptism that we receive sanctifying grace and are literally part of the Body of Christ. Baptism is the first step to eternal life. Why do Catholics baptize their children quickly after their birth? Because Baptism is the start of eternal life. Those that reject baptism will reject eternal life. We become members of the Church, and the stains of all sins are washed away through the Sacrament of Baptism. To read much more on Baptism, see my post: The Sacrament of Baptism. 

In the pre-1955 calendar, January 13th was known as the Octave Day of the Epiphany. Many of the Rites in the Church had special antiphons and prayers today in the Office regarding our Lord's Baptism, since the Baptism of Christ is one of the three manifestations included in our Lord's epiphany (i.e. His manifestation to the world). But the Octave Day was never liturgically known as the "Commemoration of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ." That change in name occurred after the 1955 changes that saw the Octave of the Epiphany abolished.

Meditation on the Baptism of Christ from Christ in His Mysteries by Dom Columba Marmion

And Jesus being baptized, forth with came out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened to Him and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him. And behold a voice from heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased."

Jesus stoops so low as to mingle with the multitude of sinners, and forthwith the heavens are opened to magnify Him — He acknowledges Himself worthy of the strokes of divine justice, and behold, the Father declares that He takes all His delight in Him: Humiliavit semetipsom... propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum.

It is at this moment that the mission of Jesus, as One sent by God, is declared authentic. The Father's testimony accredits, so to speak, His Son before the world, and hence this testimony relates to one of the characters of Christ's work as regards ourselves.

The mission of Jesus has a double aspect: it bears at the same time the character of redemption and of sanctification. It is to redeem souls, and, this done, to infuse life into them. That is the whole work of the Savior.

Collect:
  
O God, Whose only-begotten Son hath appeared in the substance of our flesh: grant, we beseech Thee, that by Him, in Whom outwardly we recognize our likeness, we may deserve to be inwardly created anew: Who with Thee liveth and reignth.

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The Epiphany Lesson - Who Didn't Show Up To Adore Him?

Today we celebrate the arrival of wisemen bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gold for the King of Kings, Frankincense symbolic of the divinity of Christ, and myrrh, a perfume used in burial. For Jesus Christ came for one thing - to die for us.

But, who didn't show up in Bethlehem? That's the question we should ask ourselves. For a star even appeared in the sky. And, what is a star? It's a symbol, a symbol not owned by any one nation but set above the world. It symbols Jesus Christ "The Light of the Whole World".

1) While thinking about the star we realize the first people to have Christ's Incarnation pass them by were the astrologers. These people use horoscopes and the stars to judge who they are and their "destiny". They claim to "master" the skies, but when the sign of the whole world appeared they did not know Him. They were oblivious to Christ; let us not be so involved with false gods of money or fame that we forget the only Truth. Remember, it was those astrologers, believers in the occult, that fell for the devil's temptations. They did not know Christ. Let us not be as they were.

2) King Herod. We read in scripture that he called the Magi to him so they could find Christ, so that he too might adore Christ. But, behold, we have a liar! King Herod did nothing of the such. He felt competition from Christ; He was scared of the Child. For Christ Our Lord was competition to His sinfulness and His kingdom.

But don't think King Herod's likeness is dead! Remember, that after the Wisemen left Bethlehem they didn't return to Herod. King Herod knew he was betrayed so he sent out an order - all male children under 2 were to be murdered. And, what did the people do? They followed his order. He claimed to be in charge, doing the right thing and he murdered the children. But, did most of the people stand against him and his sinfulness? No, just as today few stand up against Planned Parenthood and abortion industry. For those that practice, support, or advise abortions are not with Christ. Those people are as King Herod who refuse to humble themselves; they are lost sheep. They are not next to the crib in Bethlehem for they do not know Him. Let us remember that our mission is to convert them so that they might see the Glory of Christ.

3) And, finally, it was the people of Judea who didn't come to adore Our Lord. Why? O, they could always be with Him spiritually in their homes, right? They don't have to go anywhere, God is with them.

But, while God is certainly with us everywhere, He was truly present in Bethlehem. He was truly there (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity). That is a far different presence than He would have had in their homes. But, they didn't come. And today we see so many people that believe they can stay at home and believe. They can just pray at home; they don't have to actually go and worship His true presence. But, what a deception. In our world today, Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. He is really there like He was in Bethlehem. In this world there is no closer moment to Christ than adoring the Holy Eucharist. For the Eucharist is our joy and hope. Let us not be as the people of Judea and keep going on with our lives. For He is Risen! We know that He is truly there! Let us follow in praise and adoration and thanksgiving.

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Prayer for the Epiphany of the Lord

O God, Who on this day didst manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles by the guidance of a star: graciously grant, that we, who know Thee now by faith, may be led even to contemplate the beauty of Thy Majesty. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Feast of the Epiphany

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the day the three wisemen came to the Child Christ in Bethlehem. For it was the wisemen - Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior- that fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy's in Isaiah 60:1-6. Remember, Christmas season is not yet over! In many countries, today is the day gifts are exchanged in families as it was today that the three wisemen brought the gifts to the Child Christ.

But above all, as the Crossroad Initiatives states, it is Jesus that is the important one today. For today was the foreshadowing of the acceptance in Christ for all people. Remember that it was Jesus' own people that would not recognize him as God, rather it was the sinners who knew Him! Today we recall everyone single person in this world is called to Christ. For He died for everyone not just those who knew Him then. " The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ through the gospel." (Ephesians 3, 5-6) Jesus is who matters!

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. 

When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way (Matthew 2:1-12) 

In this the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: 

"Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; But upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: 

Your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, For the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD" (Isaiah 60:1-6)

Let the star guide you as well! May all of our lives by guided by Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, who dispels all darkness. And let us be as the wisemen were from the East, and offer our abilities to Christ Our Lord.

For Our God, the King of all Creation, humbled Himself and became totally human. He became vulnerable for us! He lay in that manager in the cold of night in rags for us! For this is the love of Christ, that he willingly gave up His life for you!

What would you do if a man where to take your place for death? If that man was tortured, beaten, mocked, and murdered for you, how would you fell? Would you grieve? Would you remember Him? For that was Christ, yet He is Risen! Let us not just believe but follow. For faith and works are essential! "For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so is faith without deeds" (James 2:26).

More information on the Epiphany at Fish Eaters Website

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