January 9th WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EPIPHANY; SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY; SAINTS JULIAN AND BASILISSA

 

JANUARY 9th

FERIA
WITHIN THE OCTAVE

Saint Adrian of Canterbury

Saints Julian & Basilissa

SIMPLE / WHITE

Introit

Upon a high throne I saw a man sitting, Whom a multitude of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold Him, the name of Whose empire is forever.
Ps 99:1
Sing joyfully to God, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Upon a high throne I saw a man sitting, Whom a multitude of angels adore, singing in unison: Behold Him, the name of Whose empire is forever.

COLLECT

O Lord, we beseech You, in Your heavenly goodness, hear Your people who pray to You; that they may perceive what they ought to do, and have the strength to fulfill what they have seen.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

EPISTLE 

Rom 12:1-5
Brethren: I exhort you, by the mercy of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living, holy, pleasing to God - your spiritual service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed in the newness of your mind, that you may discern what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. By the grace that has been given to me, I say to each one among you: let no one rate himself more than he ought, but let him rate himself according to moderation, and according as God has apportioned to each one the measure of faith. For just as in one body we have many members, yet all the members have not the same function, so we, the many, are one body in Christ, but severally members, one of another, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 71:18, 3.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone does wondrous deeds.
V. The mountains shall yield peace for the people, and the hills justice. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 99:1
Sing joyfully to God, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness. Alleluia.

GOSPEL (Luke 2:42-52)

And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: "Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." And he said to them: "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my father's business?"

And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON 
Ps 99:1-2
Sing joyfully to God, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song. Know that the Lord is God.

 

SECRET

May this sacrifice that we offer You, O Lord, ever give us new life and protection.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Luke 2:51)

Son, why have You done so to us? In sorrow Your father and I have been seeking You. How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?

POSTCOMMUNION

O Almighty God, grant, we humbly beseech You, that those whom You refresh with Your sacrament may also worthily serve You in a way that is well pleasing to You.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

 

SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY

Archbishop

(Historical)

We all know about men and women who travelled to China and Africa and South Seas Islands as missionaries, to bring the Word of Christ to these distant lands. But many centuries ago, when the Church was still young and hadn't spread to Europe, people would travel from Judea or Egypt to other lands as missionaries. Saint Adrian was born in Africa, but ended his days as a missionary to the people of England.

Saint Adrian was an Abbot of a monastery near Naples, Italy when the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 664. Pope Vitalian asked Adrian to travel to Canterbury as the next Archbishop. (Adrian was then an Abbot of a monastery near Naples.) Adrian refused, saying that he was not good enough for the job and suggested that the Pope send Saint Theodore of Tarsus instead. Saint Adrian offered to go to Canterbury as Saint Theodore's assistant.

Once they arrived in England, Theodore and Adrian went about teaching the Gospel. Most of England was still pagan, and There was much work to be done, to build the Christian Church in England. Adrian's job consisted mainly of establishing monasteries and schools. Together, they successfully spread the Christian faith in England so that it soon became a Christian country.

Saint Adrian died in the year 710. Saint Adrian's feast day is on the 9th on January.

SAINTS JULIAN & BASILISSA

Martyrs

(Historical)

Saint Julian and Saint Basilissa, though married, lived by mutual consent in perpetual chastity. They sanctified themselves by the most perfect exercises of an ascetic life, and employed their revenues in relieving the poor and the sick. For this purpose they converted their house into a kind of hospital, in which they sheltered up to a thousand poor people. Basilissa attended those of her sex in separate lodgings, and Julian, who for his charity is known as the Hospitaler, cared for the men.

Egypt, where they lived, was in those days blessed with persons who, either in the cities or in the deserts, devoted themselves to the most perfect exercises of charity, penance, and mortification. Conversions were numerous, and persecutions by furious pagans followed as the numbers of Christians increased. Basilissa, after having survived seven of those, died in peace, foretelling to her husband that he would die a martyr. Julian lived afterwards for a number of years, but eventually received the crown of a glorious martyrdom in 313. His interrogation and his tortures were accompanied by astonishing prodigies and numerous conversions.

With him died thirty-one other persons, including a priest named Anthony, a new Christian named Anastasius, Celsus, the seven-year-old son of the judge who sentenced Julian, Marcianilla, the mother of Celsus, who when she came to visit her son was won over to the faith, and many other Christians. Spared by fire and wild beasts, Saint Julian finally was decapitated. His tomb became illustrious by many great miracles, including the cure of ten lepers on the same day.

Many churches and hospitals, in both the East and in the West, bear the name of one or another of these martyrs. Four churches at Rome and three in Paris are dedicated to Saint Julian.