Sunday Bible Readings January 4 2008 Epiphany of the Lord

January 4 2009 Sunday
The Epiphany of the Lord

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/090104.shtml – Note. The Official Liturgical readings may not match the current NAB you may have.

Isaiah 60:1-6
Douay-Rheims Challoner

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.

Psalm 71:1-2, 7-8, 10-13 (Ps 72 Heb)
Douay-Rheims Challoner Text Only

Give to the king thy judgment, O God,
and to the king’s son thy justice:
To judge thy people with justice,
and thy poor with judgment.
In his days shall justice spring up,
and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.
And he shall rule from sea to sea,
and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents:
the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:
And all kings of the earth shall adore him:
all nations shall serve him.
For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty:
and the needy that had no helper.
He shall spare the poor and needy:
and he shall save the souls of the poor.

Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Haydock NT

If yet you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me towards you: How that, according to the revelation, Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles, and prophets, in the Spirit. That the Gentiles should be coheirs, and of the same body, and joint partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the Gospel.

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew 2:1-12
Haydock NT

Now when Jesus 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 we are come to adore him.

And Herod the king 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 ruler, who shall rule my people Israel.”

Then Herod privately calling the wise men, inquired of them diligently the time of the star’s appearing to them: And sending them into Bethlehem, said:

Go, and search diligently after the child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him.

And when they had heard the king, they 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, 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 own country.

Haydock Commentary Isaiah 60:1-6

• Ver. 1. O Jerusalem, is not in Heb. or S. Jer. but in the Sept. Some few things may refer to the terrestrial Jerusalme, though the prophet speaks chiefly of the celestial and of the Church.—Lord, very great. Christ came to save us. C.—God prevents by his grace, but man must co-operate to be justified. W.
• Ver. 2. People. Babylon shall suffer, while thou art relieved. C.—The Gentiles continue in darkness till they embrace the faith. v. 3. H.—Only those who are in the Church receive the light of truth. W.
• Ver. 3. Rising. The three wise men were the first.
• Ver. 4. Rise up. S. Jerome “suck,” as the Hebrew may imply. C.—Septuagint “shall be carried on the shoulders.” H.—This may refer to the captives and to the Church.
• Ver. 5. Wonder. Heb. and Sept. in S. Jerome “fear.” This senstaiton is often mixed with joy. Mat. 28:8.—Thee. No such nations joined the Jews as they did the Church.
• Ver. 6. Epha. Abraham’s grandson, who dwelt near his father, Madian, in Arabia, which was famous for camels. C.—Saba. India mittit ebur, molles sua thura Sabæi? Geor. i.—The Arabians embraced the gospel, but never broughrt their treasure to Jerusalem. C.—The three kings came on swift beasts to adore Christ, and fulfilled his prophecy. Mat. 2. W.

Haydock Commentary Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

• Ver. 2. If yet you have heard. If yet doth not imply a doubt, but is the same as, for you have heard the dispensation. This word, dispensation, is divers times taken by S. Paul to signify the manner by which a thing is done, or put in execution; the sense therefore here is, for you have heard how by the grace of God I have been made your apostle. Wi.
• Ver. 3. What’s here deals with something no included in this so I will save it for later to prevent confusion. They separated verses in a proper manner according to the section they needed, but it’s nonsensical to include the actual explanation. This only applies for the readings for 1/6/2008. If you see this at another date please say so.
• Ver. 5. As it is now revealed. S. Paul, as both S. Jerome and S. Chrysostom take notice, does not absolutely say that this mystery was not known, but only not known as it was afterwards to the apostles. For whether by this mystery we understand the incarnation of Christ, o rhte uniting of the Jews and Gentiles into one Church, we cannot dobut but both were revealed to Abraham, to David, to many prophets and just men in the time of the law; but now it was revealed and made known to all. Wi.
• Ver. 6. That the Gentiles should be coheirs, &c. This is the mystery which was heretorefore unknown, and now revealed. This is what the greatest part of the Jews could never be brought to believe, that the Gentiles should be equally sharers with them of God’s promises and blessings. They were strangely scandalized that S. Peter should receive Cornelius, an uncircumcised man, into the same communion. On the like account they persecuted S. Paul. Wi.

Haydock Commentary Matthew 2:1-12

• Ver. 1. King Herod the Great, surnamed Ascalonite, was a foreigner, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion. S. Jerome.—This city is called Bethlehem of Juda, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem, which was situated in the division of the tribe of Zabulon. A.—Wise men. Both the Latin and Greek text may signify wise philosophers and astronomers, which is the common exposition. The same word is also many times taken for a magician or soothsayer, as it is applied to Simon, (Acts viii. 9,) and to Elymas, Acts xiii, v. 6. and 8. Some ancient interpreters think these very men might have been magicians before their conversion. See a Lapide, &c.—From the east. Some say from Arabia, others from Chaldea, others from Persia. Divers interpreters speak of them as if they had been kings, princes, or lords of some small territories. See Baron. an. i. sect. 29. Tillemont, note 12. on Jesus Christ. The number of these wise men is uncertain. S. Leo, in his sermons on the Epiphany, speaks of them as if they had been three, perhaps on account of their three-fold offerings. What is mentioned in later writers as to their names, is still of less authority, as Bollandus observed. There are also very different opinions as to the time that the star appeared to these wise men, whether before Christ’s birth, or about the very time he was born, which seems more probable. The interpreters are again divided as to the year, and day of the year, when they arrived at Bethlehem, and adored the Saviour of the world. Some think not till two years after Christ’s birth. See S. Epiphan. haer. xxx. num. 29. p. 134. And S. Jerome puts the massacre of the Holy Innocents about that time in his chronicle. But taking it for granted that the wise men came to Jerusalem and to Bethlehem the same year that Christ was born, it is not certain on what day of the year they adored him at Bethlehem. It is true the Latin Church, ever since the 4^th or 5^th age, has kept the feast of the Epiphany on the 6^th day of January. But when it is said in that day’s office, This day a star led the wise men to the manger, it may bear this sense only, this day we keep the remembrance of it; especially since we read in a sermon of S. Maximus (appointed to be read in the Roman Breviary on the 5^th day within the octave of the Epiphany) these words: What happened on this day, he knows that wrought it; whatever it was, we cannot doubt but it was done in favour of us. The wise men, by the 11^th verse, found Jesus at Bethlehem, where his blessed mother was to remain forty days, till the time of her purification was expired. And it seems most probable that the wise men came to Bethlehem about that time, rather than within the thirteen days after Christ’s birth: for had they come so soon after Christ was born, and been directed to go, and make a diligent inquiry at Bethlehem, which was not above five miles from Jerusalem, it can scarcely be imagined that so suspicious and jealous a prince as Herod was, would have waited almost a month for their return without searching for the new-born king. But it is likely, being again alarmed by what happened when Jesus was presented in the temple at his mother’s purification, he thereupon gave those cruel and barbarous orders for the massacre of those innocent infants. Wi.
• Ver. 2. We have seen his star. They knew it to be his star, either by some prophecy among them, or by divine revelation. This star was some lightsome body in the air, which at last seemed to point to them the every place where the world’s Redeemer lay. We know not whether it guided them during the whole course of their journey from the East to Jerusalem. We read nothing more in the gospel, but that it appear to them in the East, and that they saw it again, upon their leaving Jerusalem to go to Bethlehem. Wi.—The wise men, in the Syrian tongue maguscha, are supposed to have come from Stony Arabia, near the Euphrates. They might have preserved in this country the remembrance of the prophecy of Balaam, which had announced the coming of the Messias by the emblem of a star, (Num. xxiv. 17.) which was to arise from Jacob. The star which appeared then, was the symbol of the star which Balaam had predicted. A.
• Ver. 3. Through fear of losing his kingdom, he being a foreigner, and had obtained the sovereignty by violence. But why was all Jerusalem to be alarmed at the news of a king so long and so ardently expected? 1. Because the people, well acquainted with the cruelty of Herod, feared a more galling slavery. 2. Through apprehension of riots, and of a revolution, which could not be effected without bloodshed, as the Romans had such strong hold. They had also been so worn down with perpetual wars, that the most miserable servitude, with peace, was to the Jews an object rather of envy than deprecation. A.
• Ver. 6. And thou Bethlehem, &c. This was a clear prophecy concerning the Messias, foretold by Micheas; (c. v. 2,) yet the words which we read in the evangelist are not quite the same as we find in the prophet, either according to the Hebrew or to the Greek text of the Sept. The chief difference is, that in the prophet we read: And thou Bethlehem art little; but in the evangelist, thou art not the least. Some answer that the words of the prophet are to be expounded by way of an interrogation, art thou little? It is certain the following words, both in the prophet and in the gospel, out of thee shall come forth a leader or a captain, &c. shew that the meaning is, thou art not little. S. Jerome’s observation seems to clear this point: he tells us, that the Jewish priests, who were consulted, gave Herod the sense, and not the very words of the prophet; and the evangelist, as an historian, relates to us the words of these priests to Herod, not the very words of the prophet. Wi.—The testimony of the chief priests proves that this text of Micheas was even then generally applied to the Messias, and that to Him alone it must be referred according to the letter. V.
• Ver. 11. And going into the house. Several of the Fathers in their homilies, represent the wise men adoring Jesus in the stable, and in the manger. Yet others, with S. Chrys. take notice, that before their arrival, Jesus might be removed into some little house in Bethlehem.—Prostrating themselves, or falling down, they adored him, not with a civil worship only, but enlightened by divine inspiration, they worshipped and adored him as their Saviour and their God.—Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Divers of the ancient Fathers take notice of the mystical signification of these offerings; that by gold was signified the tribute they paid to him, as to their king; by incense, that he was God; and by myrrh, (with which dead bodies used to be embalmed) that now he was also become a mortal man. See Amb. 1. 2. in Luc. c. ii. S. Greg. &c. Wi.—The Church sings, “hodie stella Magos duxit ad praesepium,” but it is not probable that the blessed Virgin should remain so long in the open stable, and the less so, because the multitude, who hindered Joseph from finding accommodations either among his relatives or in the public caravansaries, had returned to their own homes. E.—They adored Him. Therefore, in the Eucharist also, Christ is to be adored. For it is of no consequence under what appearance he is pleased to give himself to us, whether that of a perfect man, a speechless child as here, or under the appearance of bread and wine, provided it is evident that he is there; for in whatever manner or place he appears, he is true God, and for that alone he is to be adored. Frivolous is the objection of certain sectarists, that Christ does not give himself to us in the blessed Eucharist to be adored, but to be eaten. For Christ was not in Bethlehem, nor did he descend from heaven to be adored: He tells us in the 20^th chap of Matthew, v. 28, that the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister; yet he was adored on earth, even while he was in his mortal state, by the magi, by his disciples, by the blind man that was cured of his blindness, &c. &c. “Let us imitate the magi. Thou seest him not now in the crib, but on the altar; not a woman holding him, but the priest present, and the Holy Ghost poured out abundantly upon the sacrifice.” S. Chrys. hom. xxiv. 1 Cor. Hom. vii. de Sancto Philog.

Daily Bible Readings Friday January 2 2009 Memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen

January 2 2009 Friday Memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen
Bishops and Doctors of the Church

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/090102.shtml

1 John 2:22-28
Haydock New Testament

Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, who denieth the Father, and the Son. Every one that denieth the Son, hath not the Father either. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also. Let that which you have heard from the beginning, abide in you, you also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise which he hath promised us, eternal life. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you. And let the unction, which you have received from him, abide in you. And you have no need that any one should teach you; but as his unction teacheth you concerning all things, and it is true, and is not a lie. And as it hath taught you: abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him: that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be confounded by him at his coming. If you know that he is just, know ye that every one also who doth justice is born of him.

Psalm 97:1-4 LXX/Latin or 98 Hebrew
Douay-Rheims Challoner
A psalm for David himself.

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
because he hath done wonderful things.
His right hand hath wrought for him salvation,
and his arm is holy.
The Lord hath made known his salvation:
he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.
He hath remembered his mercy
and his truth toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.

The Gospel According to Saint John 1:19-28
Haydock NT

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him:

Who art thou?

And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed:

I am not the Christ.

And they asked him:

What then? Art thou Elias?

And he said:

I am not.

They said:

Art thou the prophet?

And he answered:

No.

They said therefore to him:

Who are thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?

He said:

I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” and the prophet, Isaiah, said.

And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him:

Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?

John answered them, saying:

I baptize with water: but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.

These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Haydock Commentary 1 John 2:22-28

Ver. 22-23. He who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist: is in a special manner an adversary to Christ and the Christian religion, when he denies Jesus to be the Messiah, or to have been from eternity the true Son of God.—He who denieth him to be the Son, neither hath he the Father. He who denies either of these truths denieth both. He who denies the Son of God to be the eternal Son, denies the Father to be the eternal Father. Wi.

Ver. 24. Let that (faith) which you have heard from the beginning, abide in you: when you received the Christian faith, and were baptized in the name of the three divine Persons. The promise which was then made to you, was life everlasting. Wi.

Ver. 27. You have no need, &c. You want not to be taught by any of these men, who, under pretence of imparting more knowledge to you, seek to seduce you, (v. 26) since you are sufficiently taught already, and have all knowledge and grace in the Church, with the unction of the Holy Ghost, which tehse new teachers have no share in. Ch.—His unction teacheth you concerning all things. Unction here signifies the doctrine which they received together with the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God; in which he exhorts them to remain, as being sufficient for their instruction, and to make them avoid the new teachers of false doctrine. Wi.

Haydock Commentary John 1:19-28

Ver. 19. The Jews sent, &c. These men, who were priests and Levites, seem to have been sent and deputed by the sanhedrin, or great council at Jerusalem, to ask of John the Baptist, who was then in great esteem and veneration, whether he was not their Messiah; who, as they knew by the predictions of the prophets, was to come about that time. John declared to them he was not. To their next question, if he was not Elijah? He answered: he was not: because in person he was not; though our Saviour (Matt. xi. 14) says he was Elijah: to wit, in spirit and office only. Their third question was, if he was a prophet? He answered, no. Yet Christ (Matt. xi.) tells us, he was a prophet, and more than a prophet. In the ordinary acceptation only, they were called prophets who foretold things to come: John then, with truth, as well as humility, could say he was not a prophet; not being sent to foretell the coming of the Messiah, but to point him out as already come, and present with the Jews. Wi.

Ver. 23. The voice of one crying in the wilderness. See Matt. 3:3, Mark 1:3, Lk 3:4 and Isaiah 40:3 by all which John was his immediate precursor. Wi.

Ver. 26. Hath stood. S. John, by these words, which he spoke to the priests and Levites, sent to him by the Pharisees, did not mean to tell them, that Jesus was either at the present time standing amongst them, or that he had ever been in the presence of the self same people; but they may be understood two different ways, either with regard to his divinity; and in that sense, Jesus was always by his divine presence amongst them; or in regard to his humanity; either that he lived in the same country, and among their countrymen, or that he had stood actually amongst them, because Jesus was accustomed yearly to go up to Jerusalem on the festival of the Pasch. D. Dionysius. Carth.