Epiphany of the Lord; Saints Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar

  

THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

Image by Wonderlane via Flickr

SAINTS CASPAR, MELCHIOR

& BALTHASAR

(The Three Wise Men)

[Historical]

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / WHITE

The mystery of the Christ-birth is a rich and glorious beginning, splendid with promise. Today we worship a partial fulfillment when Jesus, as an Infant King, is manifested to wise men of the Gentile world and through them to all peoples. His royalty is neither frightening nor pompous, for the kingly majesty of the sovereign Redeemer is robed in babyhood. Coming in the simplicity of true greatness, Jesus makes Himself acceptable and at home to the little and the great of every nation under heaven.

INTROIT Mal. 3:1; 1 Par. 29:12

Behold, the Lord, the Ruler, is come. He has dominion over all, and in His hand is power and might. 
Ps. 71:2. O God, with Your judgment endow the king, and with Your justice, the kings son.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT

O God, who by the star this day revealed Your only-begotten Son to all nations, grant that we, who know You now by faith, may be brought one day before the vision of Your majesty. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

LESSON Isa. 60:1-6

Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about, and see: all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side. Then shalt thou see, and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense: and shewing forth praise to the Lord.

GRADUAL Isa. 60:6, 1

All they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and showing forth praise to the Lord. 
V. Arise and be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

Alleluia, alleluia. V. Matt. 2:2

We have seen His star in the East and have come with gifts to worship the Lord.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL Matt. 2:1-12

Now 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? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him." And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. But they said to him: "In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet: '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.' " Then Herod, privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them; 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.

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. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, (here, genuflect) and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 71:10-11

The kings of Tharsis and the isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Saba shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him.

SECRET

O Lord, look with favor upon the gifts offered by Your Church. It is not gold, frankincense, and myrrh that is offered now, but the King, God and Saviour, who was signified by these gifts, is Himself our Sacrifice and our Food, Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord; who lives and rules with You . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 2:2

We have seen His star in the East and have come with gifts to worship the Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Almighty God, grant that we may understand with pure minds the revelation of Christ which we here solemnly commemorate. Through Our Lord . . .

Biblical Magi. (2023, January 4). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi

Biblical Magi stained glass window, ca. 1896, Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)

 

January 6 is the feast of these three Magi, who brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Magi brought Jesus gold to show that He was a king; frankincense to honor Him as God; and myrrh to greet Him as man. These Magi first saw the star which led them to Bethlehem on the previous March 25, the day, and at the moment, that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb. It took the Magi nine months and twelve days to reach Bethlehem, guided by the star. The star left them when they were in Jerusalem. But it shone again after the Magi left Jerusalem, and led them to the cave of Bethlehem. Our Lady let each of the Magi hold Jesus in his arms. They were given some of His baby clothes to bring back to the East by way of relics. The Magi returned to the East, to Persia and later were baptized there by Saint Thomas the Apostle, in the year 40. All three of the Magi were martyred for the Catholic Faith. Their names are now, and should always be called, Saint Gaspar, Saint Melchior and Saint Balthasar. The bodies of Saint Gaspar, Saint Melchior and Saint Balthasar were first brought to Constantinople, and then to Milan, and in the twelfth century they were placed in the Cathedral of Cologne, in Germany, where they are venerated with much love by the Christians who worship there.^[1]

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[1] Original source credit https://catholicism.org/saint-gaspar-saint-melchior-and-saint-balthasar-first-century.html