Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

January Devotion: The Holy Name of Jesus

The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This feast is also celebrated on January 3. Here is an explanation of the devotion.

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has associated entire months to special devotions. The devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus has been traditionally associated with the month of January, due to its celebration on January 3. The name Jesus was given to the Holy Child at God's command (Luke 1:31). The Holy Name is all-powerful because of the Person who bears it; we honor it because of the command of Christ, that we should pray in His Name and because it reminds us of all the blessings we receive through our Holy Redeemer. Hence St. Paul was able to write to the Philippians: ". . . at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). By means of this devotion we also make amends for improper use of the Holy Name.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Prayer/Hymn in Honor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus - Iesu, Dulcis Memoria

Iesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluus. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn were used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which was formerly celebrated on the Sunday between the Circumcision and Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2. The part below was used at Vespers. In the liturgical revisions of Vatican II, the feast was deleted, though a votive Mass to the Holy Name of Jesus had been retained for devotional use. With the release of the revised Roman Missal in March 2002, the feast was restored as an optional memorial on January 3.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Savior of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shalt be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity. Amen.

---Roman Breviary

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father. In the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

The Holy Name of Jesus

Devotion to the Holy Name [of Jesus]

The Name of Jesus: Its Power in Our Lives

The Holy Name of Jesus

Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus

The Holy Name of Jesus

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Holy Father's Prayer Intentions For 2008

JANUARY 2008

General:
That the Church may strengthen her commitment to full visible unity in order to manifest ever more clearly her nature as a community of love in which is reflected the communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Mission:
That the Church in Africa, preparing to celebrate the second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, may continue to be a sign and channel of reconciliation and justice in a continent still suffering from war, exploitation and poverty.

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Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.
Printer Friendly Version

Epiphany Revealed

January 5, 2008

Caspar, Balthasar, Melchior. These "three kings of Orient are" found, complete with crowns and camels, in every nativity scene.

Yet if you look closely at the gospel account of the Magi (Mat 2:1-12), you won't find these names. Actually there is no mention of how many Magi there were or that they were kings riding camel-back.

This is a testimony to something some Bible Christians would like to deny: that all who read a text of Scripture do so in the light of some tradition, through some lens. If it is the right lens, it magnifies the text and allows us to get at its true meaning. If it is the wrong lens, we get a distorted image.

It just so happens that the lens the Catholic tradition uses to read the story flows from Scripture itself — to be precise, it flows from the connection between holy words written hundreds of years apart. But despite the many years and different human authors, the texts were inspired by the same Divine Author, the Holy Spirit. In chapter 60 of Isaiah (Is 60:1-6), it is predicted that at a time of darkness, the glory of the Lord will shine over Jerusalem. The heavenly light will be a beacon to the pagan nations and even to their kings. Here we find mention of camels whose job it will be to bring the wealth of these nations, including frankincense and gold, to the city of the Lord. Psalm 72 agrees that far off kings will bring gifts to the Son of David.

The tradition of the Church has always seen the story of the Magi as a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and Psalm 72. Hence the crowns and camels.

But hold on. Isaiah 60 mentions only two of the gifts mentioned by Matthew: gold, fit for a king, and frankincense, for the worship of God. So what about the myrhh — where does that come from and what does it mean?

Myrhh, an aromatic resin, was used in preparing the dead for burial. Gold reveals that the babe in the manger is actually a king; frankincense tells us that is he God incarnate; myrhh tells us that he has come to die. That someone would redeem God's people through suffering and death was foretold by Isaiah a few chapters earlier (Is 53). This was the really hard thing for those living in Jesus' time to comprehend — that the same person who fulfilled all those prophecies about a glorious new king also fulfilled the prophecies about a suffering servant.

All three gifts of the Magi are necessary to convey the true revelation, the true epiphany of who this child is and what he is destined to do. That's why for hundred's of years we've sung of three kings, not two or four.

OK, so where did the names of the three come from?

The ancient feast of the Epiphany actually celebrates three events, tied together by the meaning of the word epiphany as "appearance" or "manifestation." Jesus suddenly appears as who He really is — messiah and God — to the Magi, at Cana when He works His first miracle, and when He is baptized in the Jordan. In the early Church, Epiphany was therefore second only to Easter vigil as the time to celebrate the sacrament of baptism. Blessed water from those baptisms were used to bless the dwellings of the faithful, and it became customary to write over the doorposts of blessed homes "C+B+M" meaning "Christ blesses this house (Christus bendicat mansionem). Since the three kings were also remembered at the same time, someone decided to give them names, and to use CBM as their initials — Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. The names stuck.

But the fact that Matthew gives them no names is telling. They may be kings, but in this story they are merely supporting actors. They follow the true Star, the King of Kings. Only His name is important. Epiphany is not about the Magi — it's all about Jesus.

Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA and adult and teen faith formation, with a special emphasis on the Year of the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

(This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

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The Work of God

Year A

- The Epiphany of the Lord

We have come from the East to worship the King

Matthew 2:1-12

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."
3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him;
4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.
8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage."
9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Epiphany of the Lord - We have come from the East to worship the King

The Jewish people were expecting the Messiah for thousands of years.
However, my coming into the world was a humble event very obscure to them, but for the light given off by a star.

I am the light of the world that came to give light to those in darkness. The people who had the light of God through the Holy Scriptures were living in darkness just as the rest of the world.

Only the humble servants of God and a few shepherds received the knowledge of my coming and participated in the coming of the great light that would overcome darkness.

In the same way three very special humble men were chosen from different cultures to perceive in wisdom the great event that was taking place, the coming of the Saviour of the world.

Just as the rain comes for the good and the bad, and the sun shines to virtuous and sinners alike, I have come for everyone. Every human being has been made in the image of God, but sin has destroyed that image. I am the Lord who forgives sins and restores the image of God in every person.

The enemy has always been around trying to destroy the work of God, Herod was preparing to destroy the New King, but the plan of God has always been superior to the plan of the wicked.

The three wise men represent all the peoples of the world, who live in darkness and need my light to survive spiritually. I accepted the homage of these three humble men who went out of their ways to give glory to God by accepting the coming of His Son into the world.

The offering of the incense represents faith in me, Jesus, the Son of the Living God. This is the greatest gift any one can offer me. This I accept through your prayers and your acceptance of my Word and the Church I left to represent me.

The offering of myrrh represents the suffering that I endured and the sufferings that all those who believe in me must suffer for my sake. It is the cross, which is given to everyone of my followers and requires the acceptance of the Will of God.

The offering of gold represents the treasure of praise, adoration, honour and thanksgiving offered to me, your Lord, God and Saviour. It is the gift that I receive from every soul who appreciates that I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Catholic homilies - gospel inspirations - list

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Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13
Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12

We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all our troubles. How small will the present moment appear when we enter that great ocean.

-- St. Elizebeth Ann Seton

11 posted on 01/05/2008 9:15:41 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

From: Isaiah 60:1-6

A Radiant New Jerusalem

[1] Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has
risen upon you. [2] For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and
thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his
glory will be seen upon you. [3] And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.

[4] Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together,
they come to you; your sons shall come from far, and your daughters
shall be carried in the arms. [5] Then you shall see and be radiant,
your heart shall thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea
shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
[6] A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian
and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.

Commentary:

60:1-64:11 In the central section of Third Isaiah, the restored Jerusalem
has a wonderful radiance; it is the dwelling place of the glory of the Lord,
and from it all the nations will hear about God’s salvation. These are
chapters that shine with hope and joy. In the opening verses, Jerusalem,
the Lord’s spouse, is invited to leap with joy, for the glory of the Lord will
light up the holy city, which will become a beacon for the nations
(60:1-22). From there, too, the Lord’s herald proclaims the good news of
salvation to the poor, the oppressed and all who labor under some burden
(61:1-11). The holy city will radiate righteousness for all the nations to
see (62:1-12). Finally, the Lord, depicted as a conqueror, enthroned in
a glorious Jerusalem, is proclaimed as the sovereign lord who wilt judge
and reward and punish (63:1-64:11).

60:1-22. These verses are a magnificent hymn to Jerusalem, complete-
ly restored, idealized; the prophet does not need to identify it by name.
The most remarkable feature of the city is its radiance, mentioned at
the start and end of the poem (vv. 1-3 and 19-22): it stems from the
glory of the Lord, who has made the city’s temple his dwelling-place.
The city acts as a magnet for all the nations, not only because it ins-
tructs them by means of the Law and by the word of God, as we heard
at the start of the book (2:2-4; cf. Mic 4:1-3) but also because they are
in awe of its splendor. The central verses of the poem rejoice in the pil-
grimages that make their way to the holy city: first, those of Israelites,
who had been scattered across the world: the pilgrims are most happy
and they bear rich gifts for the Lord (vv. 4-9). Foreigners will come, too,
and they will bring precious materials to reconstruct and embellish the
city they previously destroyed. The obeisance they must do corres-
ponds to the harm they did earlier (vv. 10-14). But the most important
event is the arrival of the Lord who will bring gifts in abundance, the
most precious being peace (vv. 15-10) and light (vv. 19-22). This picture
of the new Jerusalem (one would expect) must have raised the spirits
of those engaged in the final stages of the rebuilding of the temple.

This poem clearly has resonances with the eschatological description
of the heavenly Jerusalem in the Revelation to John (cf. Rev 21:9-27).
Some of the wording is virtually the same: cf. v. 3 with Rev 21:24 (”By
its light shall the nations work; and the kings of the earth shall bring
their glory into it”); v. 11 with Rev 21:25-26 (”its gates shall never be
shut by day—and there will be no night there”); v. 14 with Rev 3:9 (”I
will make them come and bow down before your feet”); v. 19 with Rev
21:23 (”the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the
glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb”) and 22:5 (”night
shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God
will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever”). The hopes
harbored by the early Christians (and the consolation to which the
new people of God look forward) are in continuity with the hope felt
by the ancient people of Israel. The message of Isaiah and that of
the book of Revelation were each (in different historical contexts)
calling for firm faith in the Savior of all. The New Testament fills out
the Old by openly declaring that God saves us through his Son,
Jesus Christ.

60:4-9. The pilgrimage described here comes from all corners of the
earth, and yet it is a familial one. It is made up of people who were
scattered throughout the known world, and not just those exiled in
Babylon. Those from the west come by sea (v. 5), bearing the sort of
goods normally transported by sea, particularly by Greek and Phoeni-
cian merchants. Those from the east, from the Arabian peninsula (Ke-
dar and Nebaioth) and further afield will travel in caravans bringing
precious commodities typical of the area—silver, gold etc. (v. 6).

The visit of the Magi, who came bearing presents to adore Jesus, is
in line with the sort of commerce that was current at the time, and it
is probably connected with this text of Isaiah. Certainly, when this pas-
sage is read in the liturgy on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the impli-
cation is that those rich gifts brought to the temple in honor of the Lord
prefigure those that the Magi offered to him who is truly the “Lord your
God”, “the Holy One of Israel” (v. 9). “Today, the wiseman finds lying
in a manger the One he had searched for as a brilliant light shining
among the stars. Today, the wise man sees wrapped in swaddling
clothes the One he long sought to find, unveiled, in the heavens. Today,
to his great surprise, the wise man discerns in what he studies: heaven
on earth, earth in the heavens, man in God, and God in man; what the
whole universe could not contain inhabits the body of a child. And
seeing all this, he believes and doubts no more; and he announces it
to all, using his mystical powers: incense for God, gold for the King,
and myrrh for the One who will die. Today, the Gentile who was once
last is first, because the faith of the wise man sanctifies the belief of
all the peoples” (St Peter Chrysologus, “Semones”, 160).

And Eusebius of Caesarea comments: “The conversion of the Gentiles
glorifies the Church of God in a special way. The prophecy, ‘I will glorify
my glorious house’ [60:7], is fulfilled. This promise was made to the old
Jerusalem, the mother of the new city, who, as has already been said,
was the community of all among the ancient people who lived righteous
lives—the prophets and patriarchs, all just men, those to whom the co-
ming of Christ was first proclaimed” (”Commentaria in Isaiam”, 60, 6-7).

Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers,
the U.S. publishers.

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From: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

St Paul’s Mission

(I am) [2] Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s
grace that was given to me for you, [3a] how the mystery was made
known to me by revelation, [5] which was not made known to the sons
of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] that is, how the Gentiles are
fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise
in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Commentary:

1-21. Christ’s saving work on behalf of the Gentiles, calling them to be,
with the Jews, living stones in the edifice of the Church, leads the Apos-
tle once again to overflow in prayer (vv. 14-21). But first he considers
his own position and what Christ has done in him by making him a mini-
ster or servant of the Mystery of Christ (vv. 2-13). He witnesses to the
revelation he himself has received, which made this Mystery known to
him (vv. 2-5); and he goes on to give a summary of the Mystery, empha-
sizing the call of the Gentiles to the Church through the preaching of the
Gospel (v. 6); he then explains that his mission is precisely to preach
the Mystery of Christ to the Gentiles (vv. 7-13).

1-4. What led to St Paul’s imprisonment was Jewish charges that he had
preached against the Law and had brought Gentiles into the temple (they
thought Trophimus, a citizen of Ephesus, was a Gentile: cf. Acts 21:28f).
He did not mind so much the chains or the imprisonment or the Romans
being his judges and jailers: what he wanted to make clear was that he
was imprisoned for preaching to the Gentiles the salvation won by Jesus
Christ.

He is very conscious of being an instrument specially chosen by God:
he has been given the grace to reveal the “Mystery” (cf. Rom 1:15; 2
Cor 12:2f). He is clearly referring to the vision he had on the road to
Damascus (cf. Acts 9:2) and possibly to later revelations as well. His
encounter with the risen Christ, who identifies himself with his Church
(cf. Acts 9:5), is the origin and basis of his grasp of God’s eternal plan,
the “Mystery”, which is one of the central teachings in this letter. The
fact that Christ revealed himself to Paul and chose him to be the prea-
cher of the Gospel to the Gentiles is something which Paul sees as
part of the systematic implementation—the “oikonomia”—of God’s plan.

5. In the Old Testament the promise made to Abraham revealed that
in his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Gen
12:3; Sir 44:21); but how this would happen was not revealed. The Jews
always thought that it would come about through their exaltation over
other nations. Through the revelation Jesus made to him, St Paul has
discovered that God has chosen another way—that of bringing the Gen-
tiles into the Church, the body of Christ, on equal terms with the Jews.
This is the “Mystery”, the plan of God as revealed by the mission Christ
gave his apostles or envoys (cf. Mt 28:19), of whom St Paul is one (cf.
3:8). Once again, as in 2:20, prophets are mentioned together with apos-
tles; this may mean either the Old Testament prophets who announced
the coming Messiah, or the New Testament prophets, that is, the Apos-
tles themselves and other Christians who had insight, through revelation,
into God’s saving plans for the Gentiles and who proclaimed them under
the inspiration of the Spirit. The context and other passages in Ephe-
sians and elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28f;
Acts 11:27; etc.) would suggest that he is re- ferring to New Testament
prophets. The Holy Spirit has revealed the Mystery to them “that they
might preach the Gospel, stir up faith in Jesus the Messiah and Lord,
and bring together the Church” (Vatican II, “Dei Verbum”, 17). St Paul
does not see himself as the only person to whom it has been given to
know the Mystery revealed in Jesus Christ. All that he is saying is that,
by the grace of God, it has been made known to him and that its prea-
ching has been entrusted to him in a special way, just as it was given
to St Peter to preach it to the Jews cf. Gal 2:7).

St Paul attributes to the Holy Spirit the revelation of the Mystery, recal-
ling, no doubt, how he himself came to know it after his meeting with
Jesus on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:17). It is the Spirit also who
acts in the apostles and prophets (cf. Acts 2:17), and it is he who on
an on-going basis vivifies the Church, enabling it to proclaim the Gospel.
“The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. It is he who explains to the
faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of his mystery.
It is the Holy Spirit who, today just as at the beginning of the Church,
acts in every evangelizer who allows himself to be possessed and led
by him. The Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not
find himself, and at the same time the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul
of the hearer to be open and receptive to the Good News and to the
Kingdom being proclaimed” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 75).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers,
the U.S. publishers.

13 posted on 01/05/2008 9:21:00 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

From: Matthew 2:1-12

The Adoration of the Magi

[1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
saying, [2] “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For
we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him.”
[3] When Herod the kind heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him; [4] and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the peo-
ple, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. [5] They told
him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: [6] `And
you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among
the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my
people Israel.’”

[7] Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from
them what time the star appeared; [8] and he sent them to Bethlehem,
saying, “Go and search diligently for the Child, and when you have found
Him bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” [9] When
they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they
had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place
where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced excee-
dingly with great joy; [11] and going into the house they saw the Child
with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. Then,
opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense
and myrrh. [12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed to their own country by another way.

Commentary:

1. “King Herod”: four different Herods are mentioned in the New Testa-
ment. The first is Herod the Great, referred to in this passage and in
the next; the second, his son, Herod Antipas, who had St. John the
Baptist beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12) and who abused our Lord during
His passion (Luke 23:7-11); the third, Herod Agrippa I, a nephew of
Herod the Great, who executed the Apostle St. James the Greater
(Acts 12:1-3), imprisoned St. Peter (Acts 12:4-7), and died suddenly
and mysteriously (Acts 12:20-23). The fourth, Herod Agrippa II, was
Herod Agrippa’s son. It was before him that St. Paul answered Jewish
accusations when he was a prisoner in Caesarea (Acts 25:23).

Herod the Great, who appears here, was the son of non-Jewish parents.
He came to power with the aid and as a vassal of the Romans. He was
a consummate politician and among other things he rebuilt the temple
in Jerusalem on a lavish scale. Herod the Great had a persecution com-
plex; everywhere he saw rivals to his throne. He was notorious for his
cruelty: he killed over half of his ten wives, some of his children and
many people of standing. This information derives largely from the
Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who wrote towards the end of the
first century, and it confirms the cruel picture drawn in the Gospels.

“Wise men”: these were learned men, probably from Persia, who de-
voted themselves to the study of the stars. Since they were not Jews,
they can be considered to be the very first Gentiles to receive the call
to salvation in Christ. The adoration of the wise men forms part of the
very earliest documented tradition: the scene is already depicted at
the beginning of the second century in the paintings in the catacombs
of St. Priscilla in Rome.

2. The Jews had made known throughout the East their hope of a Mes-
siah. The wise men knew about this expected Messiah, king of the
Jews. According to ideas widely accepted at the time, this sort of
person, because of his significance in world history, would have a star
connected with his birth. God made use of these ideas to draw to
Christ these representatives of the Gentiles who would later be
converted.

“The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves
without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the
Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be known to all” (St. John
Chrysostom, “Hom. on St. Matthew”, 7).

St. John Chrysostom also points out that “God calls them by means of
the things they are most familiar with; and He shows them a large and
extraordinary star so that they would be impressed by its size and
beauty” (”Hom. on St. Matthew”, 6). God called the wise men in the
midst of their ordinary occupations, and He still calls people in that way.
He called Moses when he was shepherding his flock (Exodus 3:1-3),
Elisha the prophet ploughing his land with oxen (1 Kings 19:19-20),
Amos looking after his herd (Amos 7:15).... “What amazes you seems
natural to me: that God has sought you out in the practice of your pro-
fession! That is how He sought the first, Peter and Andrew, James and
John, beside their nets, and Matthew, sitting in the custom-house. And
— wonder of wonders! — Paul, in his eagerness to destroy the seed of
the Christians” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 799).

“Like the Magi we have discovered a star—a light and a guide in the sky
of our soul. `We have seen His star in the East and have come to wor-
ship Him.’ We have had the same experience. We too noticed a new
light shining in our soul and growing increasingly brighter. It was a de-
sire to live a fully Christian life, a keenness to take God seriously” ([St]
J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 32).

4. In all Jewish circles at the time of Jesus, the hope was widespread
that the Messiah would come soon. The general idea was that he would
be a king, like a new and even greater David. Herod’s worry is therefore
all the more understandable: he governed the Jews with the aid of the
Romans and cruelly and jealously guarded his crown. Due to his politi-
cal ambition and his lack of a religious sense, Herod saw a potential
King-Messiah as a dangerous rival to his own worldly power.

In the time of our Lord, both Herod’s monarchy and the occupying Ro-
mans (through their procurators) recognized the Sanhedrin as the repre-
sentative body of the Jewish people. The Sanhedrin was, therefore, the
nation’s supreme council which ruled on day-to-day affairs, both reli-
gious and civil. The handling of the more important questions needed
the approval of either the king (under Herod’s monarchy) or the Roman
procurator (at the time of the direct Roman occupation of Palestine).
Following Exodus 24:1-9 and Numbers 11:16, the Sanhedrin was com-
posed of 71 members presided over by the high priest. The members
were elected from three groupings: 1) the chief priests, that is, the lea-
ders of the principal priestly families; it was these families who appoin-
ted the high priest (the chief priests also included anybody who had
formerly held the high priesthood); 2) the elders, or the leaders of the
most important families; 3) the scribes, who were teachers of the Law
or experts on legal and religious matters; the majority of these scribes
belonged to the party or school of the Pharisees.

In this passage of St. Matthew only the first and third of the above
groups are mentioned. This is understandable since the elders would
have no authority in the matter of the birth of the Messiah—a purely
religious question.

5-6. The prophecy referred to in this passage is Micah 5:1. It is worth
noting that Jewish tradition interpreted this prophecy as predicting the
Messiah’s exact place of birth and as referring to a particular person.
The second text thus teaches us once more that the prophecies of the
Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

8. Herod tried to find out exactly where the Child was—not, of course, to
adore Him, as he said, but to dispose of Him. Such was Herod’s exclu-
sively political view of things. Yet neither his shrewdness nor his wicked-
ness could prevent God’s plans from being fulfilled. Despite Herod’s am-
bition and his scheming, God’s wisdom and power were going to bring
salvation about.

9. “It might happen at certain moments of our interior life—and we are
nearly always to blame—that the star disappears, just as it did to the
wise kings on their journey.... What should we do if this happens?
Follow the example of those wise men and ask. Herod used know-
ledge to act unjustly. The Magi used it to do good. But we Christians
have no need to go to Herod nor to the wise men of this world. Christ
has given His Church sureness of doctrine and a flow of grace in the
Sacraments. He has arranged things so that there will always be peo-
ple to guide and lead us, to remind us constantly of our way” ([St] J.
Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 34).

11. The gifts they offered—gold, frankincense and myrrh—were those
most valued in the East. People feel the need to give gifts to God to
show their respect and faith. Since they cannot give themselves as
a gift, which is what they would wish, they give instead what is most
valuable and dear to them.

The prophets and the psalmists foretold that the kings of the earth
would pay homage to God at the time of the Messiah (Isaiah 49:23).
They would offer Him their treasures (Isaiah 60:5) and adore Him
(Psalm 72:10-15). Through this action of the wise men and the offe-
ring of their gifts to Jesus, these prophecies begin to be fulfilled.

The Council of Trent expressly quotes this passage when it underlines
the veneration that ought to be given to Christ in the Eucharist: “The
faithful of Christ venerate this most holy Sacrament with the worship
of latria which is due to the true God.... For in this Sacrament we be-
lieve that the same God is present whom the eternal Father brought
into the world, saying of Him, `Let all God’s angel worship Him’ (He-
brews 1:6; cf. Psalm 97:7). It is the same God whom the Magi fell
down and worshipped (cf. Matthew 2:11) and, finally, the same God
whom the Apostles adored in Galilee as Scriptures says (Matthew
28:17)” (Decree, “De SS. Eucharista”, Chapter 5).

St. Gregory of Nazianzen has also commented on this verse, as follows:
“Let us remain in adoration; and to Him, who, in order to save us,
humbled Himself to such a degree of poverty as to receive our body, let
us offer not only incense, gold and myrrh (the first as God, the second
as king, and the third as one who sought death for our sake), but also
spiritual gifts, more sublime than those which can be seen with the
eyes” (”Oratio”, 19).

12. The involvement of the wise men in the events at Bethlehem ends
with yet another act of respectful obedience and cooperation with God’s
plans. Christians also should be receptive to the specific grace and
mission God has given them. They should persevere in this even if it
means having to change any personal plans they may have made.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers,
the U.S. publishers.

14 posted on 01/05/2008 9:21:31 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Mass Readings

First reading	Isaiah 60:1 - 6 ©
Arise, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness. Lift up your eyes and look round: all are assembling and coming towards you, your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried. At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full; since the riches of the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you; camels in throngs will cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; everyone in Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of the Lord.

First reading

Arise, shine out, for your light has come,
the glory of the Lord is rising on you,
though night still covers the earth
and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises
and above you his glory appears.
The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:
all are assembling and coming towards you,
your sons from far away
and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,
your heart throbbing and full;
since the riches of the sea will flow to you,
the wealth of the nations come to you;

camels in throngs will cover you,
and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of the Lord.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 71

Second reading	Ephesians 3:2 - 6 ©
You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. This that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

Second reading

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. This that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

Gospel	Matthew 2:1 - 12 ©
After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel’. Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

Gospel

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,
for out of you will come a leader
who will shepherd my people Israel’.

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

15 posted on 01/05/2008 9:24:59 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Mt 2:1-12
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	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,	cum ergo natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iudaeae in diebus Herodis regis ecce magi ab oriente venerunt Hierosolymam
2	Saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him.	dicentes ubi est qui natus est rex Iudaeorum vidimus enim stellam eius in oriente et venimus adorare eum
3	And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.	audiens autem Herodes rex turbatus est et omnis Hierosolyma cum illo
4	And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.	et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum et scribas populi sciscitabatur ab eis ubi Christus nasceretur
5	But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:	at illi dixerunt ei in Bethleem Iudaeae sic enim scriptum est per prophetam
6	And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.	et tu Bethleem terra Iuda nequaquam minima es in principibus Iuda ex te enim exiet dux qui reget populum meum Israhel
7	Then Herod, privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them;	tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellae quae apparuit eis
8	And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him.	et mittens illos in Bethleem dixit ite et interrogate diligenter de puero et cum inveneritis renuntiate mihi ut et ego veniens adorem eum
9	Who having heard the king, 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.	qui cum audissent regem abierunt et ecce stella quam viderant in oriente antecedebat eos usque dum veniens staret supra ubi erat puer
10	And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.	videntes autem stellam gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde
11	And 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.	et intrantes domum invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre eius et procidentes adoraverunt eum et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera aurum tus et murram
12	And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.	et responso accepto in somnis ne redirent ad Herodem per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam

16 posted on 01/06/2008 8:58:34 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)

1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2. 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 Him.

AUG. After the miraculous Virgin-birth, a God-man having by Divine power proceeded from a virgin womb; in the obscure shelter of such a cradle, a narrow stall, wherein lay infinite Majesty in a body more narrow, a God was suckled and suffered the wrapping of vile rags - amidst all this, on a sudden a new star shone in the sky upon the earth, and driving away the darkness of the world, changed night into day; that the day-star should not be hidden by the night. Hence it is the Evangelist says, Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

REMIG. In the beginning of this passage of the Gospel he puts three several things: the person, When Jesus was born, the place, in Bethlehem of Judea, and the time, in the days of Herod the king. These three circumstances verify his words.

JEROME. We think the Evangelist first wrote, as we read in the Hebrew, 'Judah,' not 'Judea.' For in what other country is there a Bethlehem, that this needs to be distinguished as in 'Judea'? But 'Judah' is written, because there is another Bethlehem in Galilee.

GLOSS. There are two Bethlehems: one in the tribe of Zabulon, the other in the tribe of Judah, which was before called Ephrata.

AUG. Concerning the place, Bethlehem, Matthew and Luke agree; but the cause and manner of their being there Luke relates, Matthew omits. Luke again omits the account of the Magi, which Matthew gives.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Let us see to what serves this designation of time, In the days of Herod the king. It shows the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, wherein he spoke that Christ should be born after seventy weeks of years. For from the time of the prophecy to the reign of Herod, the years of seventy weeks were accomplished. Or again, as long as Judea was ruled by Jewish princes, though sinners, so long prophets were sent for its amendment; but now, whereas God's law was held under the power of an unrighteous king, and the righteousness of God enslaved by the Roman rule, Christ is born; the more desperate sickness required the better physician.

RABANUS.Otherwise, he mentions the foreign king to show the fulfillment of the prophecy. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come (Gen 49:10).

AMBROSE; It is said, that some Idumean robbers coming to Ascalon, brought with them among other prisoners Antipater. He was instructed in the law and customs of the Jews, and acquired the friendship of Hyrcanus, king of Judea, who sent him as his deputy to Pompey. He succeeded so well in the object of his mission, that he laid claim to a share of the throne. He was put to death, but his son Herod was under Antony appointed king of Judea, by a decree of the Senate; so it is clear that Herod sought the throne of Judea without any connection or claim of birth.

CHRYS.Herod the king, mentioning his dignity, because there was another Herod who put John to death.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. When He was born . . . behold wise men, that is, immediately on His birth, showing that a great God existed in a little one of man.

RABANUS. The Magi are men who inquire into the nature of things philosophically, but common speech uses Magi for wizards. In their own country, however, they are held in other repute, being the philosophers of the Chaldaeans, in whose lore kings and princes of that nation are taught, and by which themselves knew the birth of the Lord.

AUG. What were these Magi but the first fruits of the Gentiles? Israelitish shepherds, gentile Magians, one from afar, the other from near, hastened to the one Corner-stone.

ID. Jesus then was manifested neither to the learned nor the righteous; for ignorance belonged to the shepherds, impiety to the idolatrous Magi. Yet does that Corner-stone attract them both to Itself, seeing He came to chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and not to call the righteous, but sinners; that nothing great should exalt himself, none weak should despair.

GLOSS. These Magi were kings, and though their gifts were three, it is not to be thence inferred that themselves were only three in number, but in them was prefigured the coming to the faith of the nations sprung from the three sons of Noah. Or, the princes were only three, but each brought a large company with him. They came not after a year's end, for he would then have been found in Egypt, not in the manger, but on the thirteenth day. To show whence they came it is said, from the East.

REMIG. It should be known that opinions vary respecting the Magi. Some say they were Chaldaeans, who are known to have worshipped a star as God; thus their fictitious Deity showed them the way to the true God. Others think that they were Persians; others again, that they came from the utmost ends of the earth. Another and more probable opinion is that they were descendants of Balaam, who having his prophecy, There shall rise a Star out of Jacob (Numb 24:17), as soon as they saw the star, would know that a King was born.

JEROME. They knew that such a star would rise by the prophecy of Balaam, whose successors they were. But whether they were Chaldaeans, or Persians, or came from the utmost ends of the earth, how in so short a space of time could they arrive at Jerusalem?

REMIG. Some used to answer, 'No marvel if that boy who was then born could draw them so speedily, though it were from the ends of the earth.'

GLOSS. Or, they had dromedaries and Arabian horses, whose great swiftness brought them to Bethlehem in thirteen days.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Or, they had set out two years before the Savior's birth, and though they traveled all that time, neither meat nor drink failed in their scrips.

REMIG. Or, if they were the descendants of Balaam, their kings are not far distant from the land of promise and might easily come to Jerusalem in that so short time. But why does he write from the East? Because surely they came from a country eastward of Judaea. But there is also great beauty in this, They came out of the East, seeing all who come to the Lord, come from Him and through Him; as it is said in Zechariah, Behold the Man whose name is the East (Zech 6:12).

PSEUDO-CHRYS.Or, whence the day springs, thence came the first-fruits of the faith; for faith is the light of the soul. Therefore they came from the East, but to Jerusalem.

REMIG. Yet was not the Lord born there; thus they knew the time but not the place of His birth. Jerusalem being the royal city, they believed that such a child could not be born in any other. Or it was to fulfill that Scripture, The Law shall go out of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Is 2:3). And there Christ was first preached. Or it was to condemn the backwardness of the Jews.

PSEUDO-AUG. Many kings of Judea had been born and died before, yet had Magi ever sought out any of them for adoration? No, for they had not been taught that any of these spoke from heaven. To no ordinary King of Judea had these men, aliens from the hand of Judea, ever thought such honor due. But they had been taught that this Child was one, in worshipping whom they would certainly secure that salvation which is of God. Neither His age was such as attracts men's flattery; His limbs not robed in purple, His brow not crowned with a diamond, no pompous train, no awful army, no glorious fame of battles, attracted these men to Him from the remotest countries, with such earnestness of supplication. There lay in a manger a Boy, newly born, of infant size, of pitiable poverty. But in that small Infant lay hid something great, which these men, the first-fruits of the Gentiles, had learned not of earth but of heaven; as it follows, We have seen His star in the east. They announce the vision and ask, they believe and inquire, as signifying those who walk by faith and desire sight.

GREG. It should be known that the Priscillianists, heretics who believe every man to be born under the aspect of some planet, cite this text in support of their error; the new star which appeared at the Lord's birth they consider to have been his fate.

AUG. And , according, to Faustus this introduction of the account of the star would lead us rather to call this part of the history, 'The Nativity,' than 'The Gospel.'

GREG; But far be it from the hearts of the faithful to call anything 'fate.'

AUG. For by the word 'fate,' in common acceptation, is meant the disposition of the stars at the moment of a person's birth or conception, to which some assign a power independent of the will of God. These must be kept at a distance from the ears of all who desire to be worshippers of Gods of any sort. But others think the stars have this virtue committed to them by the great God; wherein they greatly wrong the skies, in that they impute to their host the decreeing of crimes such as should any earthly people decree, their city should in the judgment of mankind deserve to be utterly destroyed.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. If then any should become an adulterer or homicide through means of the planets, how great is the evil and wickedness of those stars, or rather of Him who made them? For as God knows things to come, and what evils are to spring from those stars, if He would not hinder it, He is not good; if He would but could not, He is weak. Again, if it be of the star that we are either good or bad, we have neither merit nor demerit, as being involuntary agents; and why should I be punished for sin which I have done not willfully, but by necessity? The very commands of God against sin, and exhortations to righteousness, overthrow such folly. For where a man has not power to do, or where he has not power to forbear, who would command him either to do or to forbear?

GREG NYSS. How vain moreover is prayer for those who live by fate; Divine Providence is banished from the world together with piety, and man is made the mere instrument of the sidereal motions. For these they say move to action, not only the bodily members, but the thoughts of the mind. In a word, they who teach this take away all that is in us and the very nature of a contingency; which is nothing less than to overturn all things. For where will there be free will? but that which is in us must be free.

AUG. It cannot be said to be utterly absurd to suppose that sidereal afflatus should influence the state of the body, when we see that it is by the approach and departure of the sun that the seasons of the year are varied, and that many things, as shells and the wonderful tides of the Ocean, increase or decrease as the moon waxes or wanes. But not so, to say that the dispositions of the mind are subject to sidereal impulse. Do they say that the stars rather foreshow than effect these results? how then do they explain that in life of twins, in their actions, their successes, professions, honors, and all other circumstances of life, there will often be so great diversity, that men of different countries are often more alike in their lives than twins, between whose birth there was only a moment's, and between whose conception in the womb there was not a moment's, interval. And the small interval between their births is not enough to account for the great difference between their fates. Some give the name of fate not only to the constitution of the stars, but to all series of causes, at the same time subjecting all to the will and power of God. This sort of subjection of human affairs and fate is a confusion of language which should be corrected, for fate is strictly the constitution of the stars. The will of God we de not call 'fate,' unless indeed we will derive the word from 'speaking,' as in the Psalms: God has spoken once, twice have I heard the same (Ps 62:11). There is then no need of much contention about what is merely a verbal controversy.

AUG. But if we will not subject the nativity of any man to the influence of the stars, in order that we may vindicate the freedom of the will from any chain of necessity; how much less must we suppose sidereal influences to have ruled at His temporal birth, who is eternal Creator and Lord of the universe? The star which the Magi saw, at Christ's birth according to the flesh, did not rule His fate, but ministered as a testimony to Him. Further, this was not of the number of those stars, which from the beginning of time creation observe their paths of motion according to the law of their Maker; but a star that first appeared at the birth, ministering to the Magi who sought Christ, by going before them till it brought them to the place where the infant God the Word was. According to some astrologers such is the connection of human fate with the stars, that on the birth of some men stars have been known to leave their courses and go directly to the newborn. The fortune indeed of him that is born they suppose to be bound up with the course of the stars, not that the course of the stars is changed after the day of any man's birth. If then this star were of the number of those that fulfill their courses in the heavens, how could it determine what Christ should do, when it was commanded at His birth only to leave its own course? If, as is more probable, it was first created at His birth, Christ was not therefore born because it arose, but the reverse; so that if we must have fate connected with the stars, this star did not rule Christ's fate, but Christ the stars.

CHRYS. The object of astrology is not to learn from the stars the fact of one's birth, but from the hour of their nativity to forecast the fate of those that are born. But these men knew not the time of the Nativity to have forecast the future from it, but the converse.

GLOSS. 'His star,' i.e. the star He created for a witness of Himself.

GLOSS. To the Shepherds, Angels, and the Magians, a star points out Christ; to both speaks the tongue of Heaven, since the tongue of the Prophets was mute. The Angels dwell in the heavens, the stars adorn it, to both, therefore, the heavens declare the glory of God.

GREG.To the Jews who used their reason, a rational creature, i.e. an Angel, ought to preach. But the Gentiles who knew not to use their reason are brought to the knowledge of the Lord, not by words, but by signs; to the one prophecy, as to the faithful; to the other signs, as to the unbelievers. One and the same Christ is preached, when of perfect age, by Apostles; when an infant, and not yet able to speak, is announced by a star to the Gentiles; for so the order of reason required; speaking preachers proclaimed a speaking Lord, mute signs proclaimed a mute infant.

LEO; Christ Himself, the expectation of the nations, that innumerable posterity once promised to the most blessed patriarch Abraham, but to be born not after the flesh, but by the Spirit; therefore likened to the stars for multitude, that from the father of all nations, not an earthly but an heavenly progeny might be looked for. Thus the heirs of that promised posterity, marked out in the stars, are roused to the faith by the rise of a new star, and where the heavens had been at first called in to witness, the aid of Heaven is continued

CHRYSOST. This was manifestly not one of the common stars of Heaven. First, because none of the stars moves in this way, from east to south, and such is the situation of Palestine with respect to Persia. Secondly, from the time of its appearance, not in the night only, but during the day. Thirdly, from its being visible and then again invisible; when they entered Jerusalem it hid itself and then appeared again when they left Herod. Further, it had no stated motion, but when the Magi were to go on, it went before them; when to stop, it stopped like the pillar of cloud in the desert. Fourthly, it signified the Virgin's delivery, not by being fixed aloft, but by descending to earth, showing herein like an invisible virtue formed into the visible appearance of a star.

REMIG. Some affirm this star to have been the Holy Spirit: He who descended on the baptized Lord as a dove, appearing to the Magi as a star. Others say it was an Angel - the same who appeared to the shepherds.

GLOSS. In the east. It seems doubtful whether this refers to the place of the star, or of those that saw it; it might have risen in the east, and gone before them to Jerusalem.

AUG. Will you ask, from whom had they learned that such an appearance as a star was to signify the birth of Christ? I answer from Angels, by the warning of some revelation. Do you ask, was it from good or ill Angels? Truly even wicked spirits, namely the demons, confessed Christ to be the Son of God. But why should they not have heard it from good Angels, since in this their adoration of Christ their salvation was sought, not their wickedness condemned? The Angels might say to them, 'The Star which you have seen is the Christ. Go worship Him, where He is now born, and see how great is He that is born.'

LEO; Besides that star thus seen with the bodily eye, a yet brighter ray of truth pierced their hearts; they were enlightened by the illumination of the true faith.

PSEUDO-AUG. They might think that a king of Judea was born, since the birth of temporal princes is sometimes attended by a star. These Chaldean Magi inspected the stars, not with malevolence, but with the true desire of knowledge; following, it may be supposed, the tradition from Balaam; so that when they saw this new and singular star, they understood it to be that of which Balaam had prophesied, as marking the birth of a King of Judea.

LEO.What they knew and believed might have been sufficient for themselves, that they needed not to seek to see with the bodily eye, what they saw so clearly with the spiritual. But their earnestness and perseverance to see the Babe was for our profit. It profited us that Thomas, after the Lord's resurrection, touched and felt the marks of His wounds, and so for our profit the Magians' eyes looked on the Lord in His cradle.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Were they then ignorant that Herod reigned in Jerusalem? Or that it is a capital treason to proclaim another King while one yet lives? But while they thought on the King to come, they feared not the king that was; while as yet they had not seen Christ, they were ready to die for Him. O blessed Magi! who before the face of a most cruel king, and before having beheld Christ, were made His confessors.

3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered all the Chief Priests and Scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet,
6. And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

AUG. As the Magi seek a Redeemer, so Herod fears a successor.

GLOSS. The King, he is called, though in comparison with him whom they are seeking he is an alien and a foreigner.

PSEUDO-CHYRS. Herod was troubled when he heard that a King was born of Jewish lineage, lest, himself being an Idumean, the kingdom should return again to native princes, and himself be expelled, and his Seed after him. Great station is ever obnoxious to great fears; as the boughs of trees planted in high ground move when never so little wind blows, so high men are troubled with little rumors; while the lowly, like trees in the valley remain at peace.

AUG. If His birth as an infant makes proud kings tremble, what will His tribunal as a Judge do? Let princes fear Him sitting at the right hand of His Father, whom this impious king feared while He hanged yet on His mother's breast.

LEO. you art troubled, Herod, without cause. Your nature cannot contain Christ, nor is the Lord of the world content with the narrow bounds of your dominion. He, whom you would not should reign in Judea, reigns everywhere.

GLOSS. Perhaps He was troubled not on His own account, but for fear of the displeasure of the Romans. They would not allow the title of King or of God to any without their permission.

GREG. At the birth of a king of Heaven, a king of earth is troubled; surely, earthly greatness is confounded, when heavenly greatness shows itself.

LEO. Herod represents the Devil, who as He then instigated him, so now he unweariedly imitates him. For he is grieved by the calling of the Gentiles, and by the daily ruin of his power.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Both have their own causes of jealousy, both fear a successor in their kingdom; Herod an earthly successor, the Devil a spiritual. Even Jerusalem is troubled, which should have rejoiced at that news, when a Jewish King was said to be risen up. But they were troubled, for the wicked cannot rejoice at the coming of the good. Or perhaps it was in fear that Herod should wreak his wrath against a Jewish King on his race.

GLOSS. Jerusalem was troubled with him, as willing to favor him whom it feared; the vulgar always pay undue honor to one who tyrannizes over it. Observe the diligence of his inquiry. If he Should find him, he would do to him as he showed afterwards his disposition; if he should not, he would at least be excused to the Romans.

REMIG. They are called Scribes, not from the employment of writing, but from the interpretation of the Scriptures, for they were doctors of the law. Observe, he does not inquire where Christ is born, but where He should be born; the subtle purpose of this was to see if they would show pleasure at the birth of their King. He calls Him Christ, because he knows that the King of the Jews was anointed.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Why does Herod make this inquiry, seeing he believed not the Scriptures? Or if he did believe, how could he hope to be able to kill Him whom the Scriptures declared should be King? The Devil instigated him, who believed that Scripture lies not; such is the faith of devils, who are not permitted to have perfect belief; even of that which they do believe. That they do believe, it is the force of truth constrains them; that they do not believe, it is that they are blinded by the enemy. If they had perfect faith, they would live as about to depart from this world soon, not as to possess it forever.

LEO; The Magi, judging as men, sought in the royal city for Him, whom they had been told was born a King. But He who took the form of a servant, and came not to judge but to be judged, chose Bethlehem for His birth, Jerusalem for His death.

THEODOTUS; Had He chosen the mighty city of Rome, it might have been thought that this change of the world had been wrought by the might of her citizens; had He been the son of the emperor, his power might have aided Him. But what was His choice? All that was mean, all that was in low esteem, that in this transformation of the world, divinity might at once be recognized. Therefore He chose a poor woman for His mother, a poor country for His native country; He has no money, and this stable is His cradle.

GREG; Rightly is He born in Bethlehem, which signifies the house of bread, who said, I am the living bread, who came down from heaven.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. When they should have kept secret the mystery of the King appointed of God, especially before a foreign king, straightway they became not preachers of the word of God, but revealers of His mystery. And they not only display the mystery, but cite the passage the prophet, viz. Micah.

GLOSS. He quotes this prophecy as they quote who give the sense and not the words.

JEROME; the Jews are here blamed for ignorance; for whereas the prophecy says, you Bethlehem Ephrata; they said, 'Bethlehem in the land of Judah.'

PSEUDO-CHRYS.By cutting short the prophecy, they became the cause of the murder of the Innocents. For the prophecy proceeds, From you shall go forth a King who shall feed My people Israel, and His day shall be from everlasting. Had they cited the whole prophecy, Herod would not have raged so madly, considering that it could not be an earthly King whose days were spoken of as from everlasting.

JEROME; The following is the sense of the prophecy. You, Bethlehem, of the land of Judah, or Ephrata, (which is added to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in Galilee,) though you are a small village among the thousand cities of Judah, yet out of you shall be born Christ, who shall be the Ruler of Israel, who according to the flesh is of the seed of David, but was born of Me before the worlds; and therefore it is written, His goings forth are of old. In the beginning was the Word.

GLOSS. This latter half of the prophecy the Jews dropped; and other parts they altered, either through ignorance (as was said above) or for perspicuity, that Herod who was a foreigner might better understand the prophecy; thus for Ephrata, they said, land of Judah; and for little among the thousands of Judah, which expresses its smallness contrasted with the multitude of the people, they said, not the least among the princes, willing to show the high dignity that would come from the birth of the Prince. As if they had said, you art great among cities from which princes have come.

REMIG. Or the sense is, though little among cities that have dominion, yet are you not the least, for out of you shall come the Ruler, who shall rule My people Israel; this Ruler is Christ, who rules and guides His faithful people.

CHRYS.Observe the exactness of the prophecy; it is not He shall be in Bethlehem, but shall come out of Bethlehem - showing that He should be only born there. What reason is there for applying this to Zorobabel, as some do? For his goings forth were not from everlasting, nor did he go forth from Bethlehem, but was born in Babylonia. The expression, are not the least, is a further proof, for none but Christ could make the town where He was born illustrious. And after that birth, there came men from the utmost ends of the earth to see the stable and manger. He calls Him not 'the Son of God,' but the Ruler who shall govern My people Israel; for thus He ought to condescend at the first, that they should not be scandalized, but should preach such things as more pertained to salvation, that they might be gained. Who shall rule My people Israel, is said mystically, for those of the Jews who believed; for if Christ ruled not all the Jews, theirs is the blame. Meanwhile he is silent respecting the Gentles, that the Jews might not be scandalized. Mark this wonderful ordinance: Jews and Magi mutually instruct each other; the Jews learn of the Magi that a star had proclaimed Christ in the east, the Magi from the Jews that the Prophets had spoken of Him of old. Thus confirmed by a twofold testimony, they would look with more ardent faith for One whom the brightness of the star and the voice of the Prophets equally proclaimed.

AUG. The star that guided the Magi to the spot where was the Infant God with His Virgin Mother, might have conducted them straight to the town; but it vanished, and showed not itself again to them till the Jews themselves had told them the place where Christ should be born: Bethlehem of Judea. Like in this to those who built the ark for Noah, providing others with a refuge, themselves perished in the flood; or like to the stones by the road that show the miles, but themselves are not able to move. The inquirers heard and departed; the teachers spoke and remained still. Even now the Jews show us something similar; for some Pagans, when clear passages of Scripture are shown them, which prophesy of Christ, suspecting them to be forged by the Christians, have recourse to Jewish copies. Thus they leave the Jews to read unprofitably, and go out themselves to believe faithfully.

7. Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young Child; and when you have found Him bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also.
9a. When they had heard the king, they departed.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. As soon as Herod had heard the answer, though doubly authenticated both by the authority of the Priests, and the passage from the Prophets, he yet turned not to worship the King that was to be born, but sought how he might put Him to death by subtlety. He saw that the Magi were neither to be won by flattery, nor awed by threats, nor bribed by gifts, to consent to this murder; he sought therefore to deceive them; he privately called the wise men, that the Jews, whom he suspected, might not know of it. For he thought they would incline the rather to a King of their own nation.

REMIG. Diligently inquired; craftily, for he feared they would not return to him, and then he should know how he should do to put the young Child to death.

PSEUDO-AUG. The star had been seen, and with great wonder, nearly two years before. We are to understand that it was signified to them whose the star was, which was visible all that time till He, whom it signified, was born. Then as soon as Christ was made known to them they set out, and came and worshipped Him in thirteen days from the east.

CHRYSOST.Or, the star appeared to them long time before, because the journey would take up some time, and they were to stand before Him immediately on His birth, that seeing Him in swaddling clothes, he might seem the more wonderful.

GLOSS. According to others, the star was first seen on the day of the nativity, and having accomplished its end, ceased to be. Thus Fulgentius says, "The Boy at His birth created a new star." Though they now knew both time and place, he still would not have them ignorant of the person of the Child, Go, he says, and inquire diligently of the young Child; a commission they would have executed even if he had not commanded it.

CHRYS. Concerning the young Child, he says, not 'of the King'; he envies Him the regal title.

PSEUDO-CHRYS.To induce them to do this, he put on the color of devotion, beneath which he whetted the sword, hiding the malice of his heart under color of humility. Such is the manner of the malicious, when they would hurt anyone in secret, they feign meekness and affection.

GREG. He feigns a wish of worshipping Him only that he may discover Him and put Him to death.

REMIG. The Magi obeyed the King so far as to seek the Lord, but not to return to Herod. Like in this to good hearers; the good they hear from wicked preachers, that they do; but do not imitate their evil lives.

9b. And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

PSEUDO-CHRYS.This passage shows, that when the star had brought the Magi nearly to Jerusalem, it was hidden from them, and so they were compelled to ask in Jerusalem, where Christ should be born? and thus to manifest Him to them; on two accounts: first, to put to confusion the Jews, inasmuch as the Gentiles instructed only by sight of a star sought Christ through strange lands, while the Jews who had read the Prophets from their youth did not receive Him, though born in their country. Secondly, that the Priests, when asked where Christ should be born, might answer to their now condemnation, and while they instructed Herod, they were themselves ignorant of Him. The star went before them, to show them the greatness of the King.

AUG. To perform its due service to the Lord, it advanced slowly, leading them to the spot. It was ministering to Him, and not ruling His fate; its light showed the suppliants and filled the inn, shed over the walls and roof that covered the birth; and thus it disappeared.

PSEUDO-CHRYS.What wonder that a divine star should minister to the Sun of righteousness about to rise. It stood over the Child's head, as it were saying, 'This is He,' proving by its place what it had no voice to utter.

GLOSS. It is evident that the star must have been in the air, and close above the house where the Child was, else it would not have pointed out the exact house.

AMBROSE; The star is the way, and the way is Christ; and according to the mystery of the incarnation, Christ is a star. He is a blazing and a morning-star. Thus where Herod is, the star is not seen; where Christ is, there it is again seen, and points out the way.

REMIG. Or, the star figures the grace of God, and Herod the Devil. He, who by sin puts himself in the Devil's power, loses that grace; but if he return by repentance, he soon finds that grace again which leaves him not till it have brought him to the young Child's house, i. e the Church.

GLOSS.Or, the star is the illumination of faith, which leads him to the nearest aid; while they turn aside to the Jews, the Magi lose it; so those who seek counsel of the bad, lose the true light.

10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

GLOSS. This service of the star is followed by the rejoicing of the Magi.

REMIG. And it was not enough to say, They rejoiced, but they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. They rejoiced, because their hopes were not falsified but confirmed, and because the toil of so great travel had not been undertaken in vain.

GLOSS.He rejoices indeed who rejoices on God's account, who is the true joy. With great joy, he says, for they had great cause.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. By the mystery of this star they understood that the dignity of the King then born exceeded the measure of all worldly kings.

REMIG. He adds greatly, showing that men rejoice more over what they have lost than over what they possess.

LEO. Though in stature a babe, needing the aid of others, unable to speak, and different in nothing from other infants, yet such faithful witnesses, showing the unseen Divine Majesty which was in Him, ought to have proved most certainly that that was the Eternal Essence of the Son of God that had taken upon Him the true human nature.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Mary His mother, not crowned with a diadem or laying on a golden couch, but with barely one garment, not for ornament but for covering, and that such as the wife of a carpenter when abroad might have. Had they therefore come to seek an earthly king, they would have been more confounded than rejoiced, deeming their pains thrown away. But now they looked for a heavenly King, so that though they saw nothing of regal state, that star's witness sufficed them, and their eyes rejoiced to behold a despised Boy, the Spirit showing Him to their hearts in all His wonderful power, they fell down and worshipped, seeing the man, they acknowledged the God.

RABANUS. Joseph was absent by Divine command, that no wrong suspicions might occur to the Gentiles.

GLOSS.In these offerings we observe their national customs: gold, frankincense, and various spices abounding among the Arabians; yet they intended thereby to signify something in mystery.

GREG. Gold, as to a King; frankincense, as sacrifice to God; myrrh, as embalming the body of the dead.

AUG. Gold, as paid to a mighty King; frankincense, as offered to God; myrrh, as to one who is to die for the sins of all.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. And though it were not then understood what these several gifts mystically signified, that is no difficulty; the same grace that instigated them to the deed, ordained the whole.

REMIG. And it is to be known that each did not offer a different gift, hut each one the three things, each one thus proclaiming the King, the God, and the man.

CHRYS. Let Marcion and Paul of Samosata then blush, who will not see what the Magi saw, those progenitors of the Church adoring God in the flesh. That He was truly in the flesh, the swaddling clothes and the stall prove; yet that they worshipped Him not as mere man, but as God, the gifts prove which it was becoming to offer to a God. Let the Jews also be ashamed, seeing the Magi coming before them, and themselves not even earnest to tread in their path.

GREG. Something further may yet be meant here. Wisdom is typified by gold; as Solomon said in the Proverbs, A treasure to be desired is in the mouth of the wise (Prov 21:20). By frankincense, which is burnt before God, the power of prayer is intended, as in the Psalms, Let my speech come before you as incense (Ps 141:2). In myrrh is figured mortification of the flesh. To a king at his birth we offer gold; if we shine in his sight with the light of wisdom, we offer frankincense; if we have power before God by the sweet savor of our prayers, we offer myrrh, when we mortify by abstinence the lusts of the flesh.

GLOSS.The three men who offer, signify the nations who come from the three quarters of the earth. They open their treasures, i.e. manifest the faith of their hearts by confession. Rightly in the house, teaching that we should not vain-gloriously display the treasure of a good conscience. They bring three gifts, i. e the faith in the Holy Trinity. Or opening the stores of Scripture, they offer its threefold sense: historical, moral, and allegorical; or Logic, Physic, and Ethics, making them all serve the faith.

12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

AUG. The wicked Herod, now made cruel by fear, will needs do a deed of horror. But how could he ensnare him who had come to cut off all fraud? His fraud is escaped as it follows, And being warned.

JEROME; They had offered gifts to the Lord, and receive a warning corresponding to it. This warning (in the Greek 'having received a response') is given not by an Angel, but by the Lord Himself, to show the high privilege granted to the merit of Joseph.

GLOSS. This warning is given by the Lord Himself; it is none other that now teaches these Magi the way they should return, but He who said, I am the way (John 14). Not that the Infant actually speaks to them, that His divinity may not be revealed before the time, and His human nature may be thought real. But he says, having received an answer, for as Moses prayed silently, so they with pious spirit had asked what the Divine will bade. By another way, for they were not to be mixed up with the unbelieving Jews.

CHRYS.See the faith of the Magi; they were not offended, nor said within themselves, What need now of flight? or of secret return, if this Boy be really some great one? Such is true faith; it asks not the reason of any command, but obeys.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Had the Magi sought Christ as an earthly King, they would have remained with Him when they had found Him; but they only worship, and go their way. After their return, they continued in the worship of God more steadfastly than before, and taught many by their preaching. And when afterwards Thomas reached their country, they joined themselves to him, and were baptized, and did according to his preaching.

GREG. We may learn much from this return of the Magi another way. Our country is Paradise, to which, after we have come to the knowledge of Christ we are forbidden to return the way we came. We have left this country by pride, disobedience, following things of sight, tasting forbidden food; and we must return to it by repentance, obedience, by condemning things of sight, and overcoming carnal appetite.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. It was impossible that they, who left Herod to go to Christ, should return to Herod. They who have by sin left Christ and passed to the devil, often return to Christ; for the innocent, who knows not what is evil, is easily deceived, but having once tasted the evil he has taken up, and remembering the good he has left, he returns in penitence to God. He who has forsaken the devil and come to Christ, hardly returns to the devil; for rejoicing in the good he has found, and remembering the evil he has escaped, with difficulty returns to that evil.

CatenaAurea Matthew 2

17 posted on 01/06/2008 9:19:42 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)

Epiphany Timpanum

12th century
Stone, paint
Museum of the Cathedral of St. James, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

18 posted on 01/06/2008 9:20:55 AM PST by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)

The Epiphany of the Lord
Feast day: January 6th, 2008

The Church's celebration of Epiphany ("manifestation), the "twelfth night of Christmas," apparently originated in Egypt sometime during the third century, thus the Church's celebration of this feast predates even the celebration of Christmas itself.
Epiphany is traditionally celebrated in honor of Christ's birth, of the adoration of the Magi, and of the baptism of Christ's (also celebrated on the first Sunday following Epiphany), three manifestations of the Lord's divinity.
     Because the Magi came form the Orient, many of the traditional foods served on this day are spicy. Spice cake is often baked for dessert, and entrees may include curry powder or other pungent spices.
     Several lovely family customs are associated with Epiphany. It is on Epiphany that the Christmas crèche is finally completed, as the figures of the three wise men at last arrive at the crib. In many families, the wise men are moved a bit closer to the crib every day from Christmas Day until Epiphany. Also, recalling the gifts to the Infant Jesus, many families exchange small gifts.
     A time-honored custom (especially in France) is the baking of a cake with a bean or trinket hidden inside. The person whose cake contains the bean is made king of the feast. Processions of robed and crowned "wise men" to the manger are fun for little ones, and provide them with an opportunity to think of a good deed that they can offer as a gift to Jesus.
     The blessing of the home is also a popular Epiphany custom. using specially blessed chalk (your parish priest will bless the chalk, if you ask, or use the prayer of blessing), many households mark their entrance door with the year and with the inscription CMB, the initial Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, the names of the three wise man in legend. The inscription also stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means "Christ, bless this home." The popular form the inscription takes is 20+C+M+B+08. It remains above the doorway until Pentecost.

19 posted on 01/06/2008 3:46:48 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» January 06, 2008
(will open a new window)

Collect: Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star. Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

« January 06, 2008 »

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

"The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is His, and government and power." With these words the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. — Pius Parsch

The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated either on January 6 or, according to the decision of the episcopal conference, on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.

The Thirteenth Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany
Many traditions and genuine manifestations of popular piety have been developed in relation to the Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany, which is of ancient origin and rich in spiritual content. Among such forms of popular piety, mention may be made of:

the solemn proclamation of Easter and the principal dominical feasts; its revival in many places would be opportune since it served to make the connection between the Epiphany and Easter, and orientate all feasts towards the greatest Christian solemnity;
the exchange of "Epiphany gifts", which derives from the gifts offered to Jesus by the three kings (cf. Mt 2,11) and more radically from the gift made to mankind by God in the birth of Emmanuel amongst us (cf. Is 7, 14; 9, 16; Mt 1, 23). It is important, however, to ensure that the exchange of gifts on the solemnity of the Epiphany retain a Christian character, indicating that its meaning is evangelical: hence the gifts offered should be a genuine expression of popular piety and free from extravagance, luxury, and waste, all of which are extraneous to the Christian origins of this practice;
the blessing of homes, on whose lentils are inscribed the Cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the three wise men (C+M+B), which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, written in blessed chalk; this custom, often accompanied by processions of children accompanied by their parents, expresses the blessing of Christ through the intercession of the three wise men and is an occasion for gathering offerings for charitable and missionary purposes;
initiatives in solidarity with those who come from afar; whether Christian or not, popular piety has encouraged a sense of solidarity and openness;
assistance to the work of evangelization; the strong missionary character of the Epiphany has been well understood by popular piety and many initiatives in support of the missions flourish on 6 January, especially the "Missionary work of the Holy Child", promoted by the Apostolic See;
the assignation of Patrons; in many religious communities and confraternities, patron saints are assigned to the members for the coming year.
—#118 Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

Things to Do:

Read about the Epiphany, or the Manifestation of the Lord.
For family activities please see the Blessing of Water and Chalk and the Blessing of the Home on Epiphany.

20 posted on 01/06/2008 3:57:10 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

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