Sunday 3 January 2021
The Epiphany of the Lord - Solemnity
Spiritual Reading
Your Second Reading from the Office of Readings:
The Epiphany of the Lord
The Adoration of the Magi, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c.1657.
From a sermon of Saint Leo the Great, pope
The Lord has made his salvation known to the whole world
The loving providence of God determined that in the last days he would aid the world, set on its course to destruction. He decreed that all nations should be saved in Christ.
A promise had been made to the holy patriarch Abraham in regard to these nations. He was to have a countless progeny, born not from his body but from the seed of faith. His descendants are therefore compared with the array of the stars. The father of all nations was to hope not in an earthly progeny but in a progeny from above.
Let the full number of the nations now take their place in the family of the patriarchs. Let the children of the promise now receive the blessing in the seed of Abraham, the blessing renounced by the children of his flesh. In the persons of the Magi let all people adore the Creator of the universe; let God be known, not in Judaea only, but in the whole world, so that his name may be great in all Israel.
Dear friends, now that we have received instruction in this revelation of God’s grace, let us celebrate with spiritual joy the day of our first harvesting, of the first calling of the Gentiles. Let us give thanks to the merciful God, who has made us worthy, in the words of the Apostle, to share the position of the saints in light, who has rescued us from the power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. As Isaiah prophesied: the people of the Gentiles, who sat in darkness, have seen a great light, and for those who dwelt in the region of the shadow of death a light has dawned. He spoke of them to the Lord: The Gentiles, who do not know you, will invoke you, and the peoples, who knew you not, will take refuge in you.
This is the day that Abraham saw, and rejoiced to see, when he knew that the sons born of his faith would be blessed in his seed, that is, in Christ. Believing that he would be the father of the nations, he looked into the future, giving glory to God, in full awareness that God is able to do what he has promised.
This is the day that David prophesied in the psalms, when he said: All the nations that you have brought into being will come and fall down in adoration in your presence, Lord, and glorify your name. Again, the Lord has made known his salvation; in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
This came to be fulfilled, as we know, from the time when the star beckoned the three wise men out of their distant country and led them to recognise and adore the King of heaven and earth. The obedience of the star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace that invites all men to find Christ.
Dear friends, you must have the same zeal to be of help to one another; then, in the kingdom of God, to which faith and good works are the way, you will shine as children of the light: through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
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On this date in other years:
The Most Holy Name of Jesus
From the sermons of St Bernardine of Siena
The Name of Jesus, great foundation of faith
This indeed is that most Holy Name which was so desired by the patriarchs of old, so anxiously longed for, so long awaited with so much suffering, so much invoked with so many sighs, so begged for with so many tears, but then mercifully given in the time of grace. Hide, I plead, the name of power, may the name of vengeance not be heard, the name of justice be held back. Give us the name of mercy, may the Name of Jesus sound in my ears, because truly then sweet is your voice, and beautiful your face.
Great therefore is the Name of Jesus, foundation of the faith, making us children of God. For the faith of the Catholic religion consists in bringing us the knowledge of Jesus Christ and light: he is the light of the soul, the door to life, the foundation of eternal salvation. So if a man does not have this light or has left it, he walks through the darkness of the night as one without light and, with eyes closed, rushing among dangers and, however bright the excellence of his reason may be, he is following a blind guide in seeking to understand the heavenly mysteries with his own intellect; or in trying to build a house but neglecting the foundation; or, forgetting the door, wanting to enter through the roof. Jesus is, therefore, this foundation, light and door, who, to show himself as the way to those who had gone astray, brought to everyone the light of faith, by which the unknown God can be sought and, sought, can be believed and, believed, can be found. This foundation sustains the Church, built in the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the splendour of preachers, because with luminous splendour it announces his word and makes it heard. How do you think the light of faith spread across the globe so much, so quickly and so fervently, if not by Jesus being preached? Did not God call us into his admirable light by the light and taste of this name? Because we have been enlightened and have seen the light in that light, Paul rightly says: “Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord: walk as children of light”.
O, therefore, glorious name, O gracious name, O lovable and virtuous name! Through you crimes are forgiven, through you enemies are defeated, through you the weak are set free, through you those suffering adversities are comforted and cheered. You, honour of believers; you, teacher of preachers; you, strengthener of those who work; you, sustainer of those who weaken. Thanks to your burning fervour and warmth desires are enkindled, petitions made, contemplating souls intoxicated and, through you, all are glorified triumphing in heavenly glory. With them, O most sweet Jesus, make us reign through this your most holy Name.
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In other parts of the world and other calendars:
Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Priest
From a note written by Fr Leopold Becarro, spiritual director of St Kuriakose Elias Chavara
Day and night he fought to arrest the spread of schism
Today, Tuesday, January, 3, 1871, at 7:15 in the morning, Fr Cyriac (Kuriakose) Elias of the Holy Family, the first Prior, died after a life of great innocence. He could declare before his death he had never lost his baptismal innocence. He was exercising himself in the practice of virtues, especially in simplicity of heart, living faith, tender obedience, and devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to St Joseph. He has undergone immense hardships for the good of the Christians of Malabar, especially during the time of the schism of Rochos, when he, having been appointed vicar general of the Syrians, showed his extraordinary devotion to the Holy See. He fought day and night to arrest the spread of schism from which he would save no less than forty parishes. On this account the Holy Father Pope Pius IX sent him a letter expressing his great satisfaction. He was the founder and the first Prior of the Carmelites of Malabar. He founded also the convent of nuns after undergoing many hardships. On account of his endearing virtues, learning and profound knowledge of the Syriac language he enjoyed great influence among the Syrians of Malabar. He was always greatly loved by the Vicars Apostolic of Malabar, and even more by the people of Malabar, the gentiles and Nestorians not excluded. He endured his last illness for two years in a spirit of great resignation, nay with joy. He was detached from all disorderly affections for earthly things, which was all the more true in the last days of his life. Having received the last sacraments with extraordinary piety and devotion, in a heavenly joy, and amidst the tears of all who knew him, especially my own, who knew him even as myself, he breathed his last at the age of sixty-five and was buried in the church of St Philomena at Koonammavu. O holy and beautiful soul, pray for me.
Copyright © 1996-2020 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.