[Rank]
Sexta die infra Octavam Epiphaniae;;Semiduplex;;2;;ex Sancti/01-06

[Rank1960]
Die Undecima Januarii;;simplex;;1.5;;vide Sancti/01-06

[Rule]
ex Sancti/01-06
Lectio1 tempora
Doxology=Epi
9 lectiones

[Lectio1]
!Rom 15:1-4
1 NOW we that are stronger, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not~
to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of you please his neighbour unto good, to edification.
3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written: The reproaches of~
them that reproached thee, fell upon me.
4 For what things soever were written, were written for our learning: that~
through patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope.

[Lectio2]
!Rom 15:5-11
5 Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards~
another, according to Jesus Christ:
6 That with one mind, and with one mouth, you may glorify God and the Father of~
our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the~
honour of God.
8 For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of~
God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.
9 But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:~
Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to~
thy name.
10 And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all ye people.

[Lectio3]
!Rom 15:12-16
12 And again Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall~
rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that you~
may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.
14 And I myself also, my brethren, am assured of you, that you also are full of~
love, replenished with all knowledge, so that you are able to admonish one~
another.
15 But I have written to you, brethren, more boldly in some sort, as it were~
putting you in mind: because of the grace which is given me from God.
16 That I should be the minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles; sanctifying~
the gospel of God, that the oblation of the Gentiles may be made acceptable and~
sanctified in the Holy Ghost.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St Fulgentius, Bishop (of Ruspa.)
!5th on Twelfth-Day.
The same God Who in the Old Testament had commanded the first-fruits to be~
offered to Himself, being born as a man, Himself consecrated to His own worship~
the firstfruits of the nations. The Shepherds were the first-fruits of the Jews,~
and the wise men of the Gentiles. The first came from near at hand, the second~
from afar. Where is He, say they, that is born King of the Jews? Herod, the~
king of the Jews, had already had children. Archelaus was born in a palace,~
Christ at an inn; Archelaus was laid in a silver cradle, Christ in a manger. And~
yet the wise men sought, not Archelaus, but Christ; they did not even name him~
that was born in a palace, but when they found Him That lay in a manger, they~
fell down and worshipped Him.

[Lectio5]
Who is the King of the Jews? The Poor and the Rich, the Lowly and the Exalted~
One. Who is the King of the Jews? He Who, being carried at the breast, is adored~
as the Eternal; He Who lieth tiny in the manger, and is He Whom the heavens~
cannot contain; He Who is meanly wrapped in swaddling clothes, and is more~
glorious than all the stars. Why art thou troubled, O Herod? He that is born~
King of the Jews cometh not by carnal warfare to conquer other kings, but by a~
marvellous working, by dying, to subdue them to Himself. He is not born to be~
thy successor, but that the world may faithfully believe in Him. He cometh, not~
that He may fight in the flesh, but that He may conquer through the suffering of~
death.

[Lectio6]
The little Child, Whom the wise men call the King of the Jews, is the Maker and~
Lord of Angels. If thou fearest Him at His birth, thou hast more reason to fear~
Him as the Almighty Judge. Fear Him, not as a pretender to thy kingdom, but fear~
Him as Him Who will pass a most just sentence of condemnation on thee because~
thou hast not believed in Him. Go, said Herod, and bring me word again, that I~
may come and worship Him also. We know thy cunning lying, thy godless unbelief,~
thine iniquitous treachery. The blood of the innocents which thou didst cruelly~
shed, is witness to us of what thou wouldst have done to Him.

[Lectio7]
From the holy Gospel according to Mattheew.
!Matt 2:1-12
When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod,~
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that~
is born king of the Jews? And so on.
_
Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop (of Milan.)
!Book ii. on Luke ii.
What are the gifts of the faithful and true? Gold to our King, frankincense to~
our God, and myrrh to Him Who died for us. The first is that whereof are made~
the royal honours of kings, the second is that mystic offering which is used in~
the worship of the Divine Power, and the third is that wherewith we pay respect~
to the dead, whose bodies it keepeth from corruption. My brethren, let us who~
hear and read these things, make offering out of what treasures we have albeit~
we have it in earthen vessels. (2 Cor. iv. 7.) If we confess that all that we~
have, we have, not from ourselves, but from Christ, how much more should we~
confess that whatever we have is not our own, but Christ's?

[Lectio8]
The wise men out of their treasures presented unto Him gifts. Wilt thou know how~
pleasing to Him they were? The star appeared to them, but disappeared when it~
came near Herod. Then it appeareth to them again, leading them on the way that~
led to Christ. This star then was the way, and we know that Christ calleth~
Himself the Way. (John xiv. 6.) And truly also in the mystery of His Incarnation~
He is called a Star; as it is written There shall come forth a Star out of~
Jacob, and a Man shall rise out of Israel. Where Christ is, there is a Star;~
yea, He is Himself the bright and morning Star. (Apoc. xxii. 16.) And the light~
that leadeth to Jesus is His own.

[Lectio9]
Remark another point. The wise men came by one way and departed by another. They~
that had seen Christ, knew Christ, and they departed better than they came.~
There are two ways, the one which leadeth to destruction, the other which~
leadeth to the kingdom; the one is the way of sin, which leadeth to Herod; the~
other is Christ, the true Way, Who leadeth us home to the fatherland, from that~
journeying here, whereof it is said My soul hath long dwelt as an exile. (Ps.~
cxix. 5.)
&teDeum

[Ant 2]
They that despised thee * shall come unto thee, and shall bow themselves down~
at the Soles of thy Feet.

[Ant 3]
The wise men being warned * in a dream, departed into their own country another~
way.

