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

[Rank] (rubrica 196 aut rubrica 1955)
January 7th;;Feria;;1.2;;vide Sancti/01-06

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St. Augustine, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!2nd on the Epiphany, 30th on the Season.
Wise men came from the East to worship the Virgin's Son. This is the event which we this day commemorate, the occasion in honour of which this sermon is preached. On them that day first broke in gladness, which year by year, now cometh round to us for celebration. They were the first-fruits of that Gentile Church whereof we are the in-gathering. To us the voice of Apostles, to them a star, as a voice from heaven, proclaimed the advent of a Saviour; and to us the voice of the Apostolic preachers is also as a voice from heaven, a heaven declaring the glory of God.

[Lectio5]
Great is the mystery. While He lay in the manger, He drew to Himself wise men from the East; while He was unknown in the stable, He was recognised in the heavens; and, being recognised in the heavens, made Himself known in the stable. So this day is called in the Greek Epiphaneia, which is, being interpreted, Manifestation. Wherein is manifested both the greatness and the lowliness of Him, Whose greatness was attested in the stars of heaven, and Who, being sought on earth, is found so lowly that there is no room for Him in the inn. And yet, though to be found in fashion as a little Child wrapped in swaddlingclothes, He is the object of worship to the wise men and of terror to the godless.

[Lectio6]
Nor Herod feared when he heard from the wise men of Him Whom they sought, and of Whose birth they knew by the witness of a star. What will be the fearful judgment-seat of Him, Who, even as a Suckling, struck terror into haughty kings? How much wiser is the thought of those kings who seek Christ like the wise men, to worship Him, than of those who seek Him, like Herod, to slay Him! who seek to put Him to that same death, which He came to suffer from His.enemies for their own salvation, and which, by His death, He hath trodden down! Kings will do well to fear Him Who now sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and Whom Herod feared when He hung upon His mother's breast.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 2:1-12
When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great)
!10th on the Gospels.
When Herod knew of the birth of our King, he betook himself to his cunning wiles, and lest he should be deprived of an earthly kingdom he desired the wise men to search diligently for the young Child, and when they had found Him, to bring him word again. He said, that he also might come and worship Him, but, in reality, that, when he had found Him, he might put Him to death. But, behold, of how light weight is the malice of man, when it is tried against the counsel of God. It is written There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord, (Prov. xxi. 30.) So the star which the wise men saw in the East, still led them on; they found the new-born King, and presented unto Him gifts; then they were warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. And as it came to pass that, when Herod sought Jesus, he could not find Him even so is it with hypocrites, who, while they make pretence to seek the Lord to worship Him, find Him not.

[Lectio8]
It is as well to know that it is one of the opinions of the Priscillianist heretics l that every man is born under the influence of a star; and, to confirm this notion, they bring forward the instance of the star of Bethlehem, which appeared when the Lord was born; and which they call His star, that is, the star ruling over His fate or destiny. But if we consider the words of the Gospel concerning this star, they are It went before, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. Whence we see that it was not the young Child Who followed the star, but the star which followed the young Child, as if to show that the young Child ruled the star, instead of the star ruling Him.

[Lectio9]
But I pray that the hearts of the faithful may ever be free from the thought that anything ruleth their destiny. In this world there is but One Who ruleth the destiny of man, even He Who made man; neither was man made for the stars, but the stars for man; and if we say that they rule his destiny, we set them above him for whose service they were made. When Jacob came out of his mother's womb, and his hand took hold on his elder brother Esau's heel, he could not have done so unless this his first movement had been behind his brother, and, nevertheless, such was not in after life the position of those two brethren whom their mother brought forth at one birth.
&teDeum

[Ant 2]
There came wise men from the East to Bethlehem to worship the Lord * and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him precious gifts; gold, as unto the Great King; frankincense as unto the true God; and myrrh for His burying. Alleluia.

[Ant 3]
When the wise men saw the star, * they rejoiced with exceeding great joy; and when they were come into the house, they presented unto the Lord gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Alleluia.