January 3 /Octave Day of St John

In the 1960 calendar, January 3 is a feria in Nativitytide; in the earlier calendar, the Octave Day of St John the Evangelist.

1960:

Invitatory antiphon

Christus natus est nobis: * Veníte, adorémus.

Unto us a Christ is born, * O come, let us worship Him.

LR 54

Hymn

Christe, Redémptor ómnium, Ex Patre, Patris Unice, Solus ante princípium Natus ineffabíliter,	Christ, the Father's only Son, Whose death for all redemption won, Before the worlds, of God most high, Begotten all ineffably.
Tu lumen, tu splendor Patris, Tu spes perénnis ómnium, Inténde quas fundunt preces Tui per orbem fámuli.	The Father's Light and Splendor Thou their endless Hope to Thee that bow: Accept the prayers and praise today That through the world Thy servants pay.
Meménto, salútis auctor, Quod nostri quondam córporis, Ex illibáta Vírgine Nascéndo, formam súmpseris.	Salvation's author, call to mind how, Taking the form of humankind, Born of a Virgin undefiled, Thou in man's flesh becamest a Child.
Sic praesens testátur dies, Currens per anni círculum, Quod a solus sede Patris Mundi salus advéneris;	Thus testifies the present day Through every year in long array, That Thou, salvation's source alone Proceedest from the Father's Throne.
Hunc caelum, terra, hunc mare, Hunc omne quod in eis est, Auctórem advéntus tui Laudans exsúltat cántico.	Whence sky, and stars, and sea's abyss, and earth, And all that therein is, shall still, With laud and carol meet, The Author of thine Advent greet.
Nos quoque, qui sancto tuo Redémpti sánguine sumus, Ob diem natális tui Hymnum novum concínimus.	And we who, by Thy precious Blood From sin redeemed, are marked for God, On this, the day that saw Thy Birth, Sing the new song of ransomed earth.
Glória tibi, Dómine, Qui natus es de Vírgine, Cum Patre et Sancto Spíritu, In sempitérna sǽcula. Amen.	Glory to you O Lord, Who wast born of the Virgin; Whom with the Father we adore, and Holy Ghost Forevermore. Amen.

LR54-5

[For St John: Invitatory and hymn as for the feast, from the Common of Apostles; psalms, antiphons and versicle of the day]

Nocturn I

Versicle

V. Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum. R. Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis.

V. Thou art fairer than the children of men. R. Grace is poured into thy lips.

Reading 1: De Epístola ad Romános - Quid ergo dicémus? permanébimus in peccáto ut grátia abúndet? Absit. Qui enim mórtui sumus peccáto, quómodo adhuc vivémus in illo? An ignorátis quia quicúmque baptizáti sumus in Christo Iesu, in morte ipsíus baptizáti sumus? Consepúlti enim sumus cum illo per baptísmum in mortem: ut quómodo Christus surréxit a mórtuis per glóriam Patris, ita et nos in novitáte vitæ ambulémus. Si enim complantáti facti sumus similitúdini mortis eius: simul et resurrectiónis érimus.

From the letter of blessed Apostle Paul to the Romans - What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. For we that are dead to sin, how shall we live any longer therein?  Know you not that all we, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in his death?  For we are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

R. Congratulámini mihi, / omnes qui dilígitis Dóminum: † Quia, cum essem párvula, plácui Altíssimo, * Et de meis viscéribus génui Deum et hóminem. V. Beatam me dicent omnes generatiónes, quia ancíllam húmilem respéxit Deus. R. Et de meis viscéribus génui Deum et hóminem.

R. Rejoice with me, all ye that love the Lord. For while I was yet little I pleased the Most High, * And from my womb have I brought forth God and man. V. All generations shall call me blessed, for God hath regarded the lowliness of His hand-maiden. R. And from my womb have I brought forth God and man.

NR [159]

Reading 2: Hoc sciéntes, quia vetus homo noster simul crucifíxus est, ut destruátur corpus peccáti, et ultra non serviámus peccáto. Qui enim mórtuus est, iustificátus est a peccáto. Si autem mórtui sumus cum Christo, crédimus quia simul étiam vivémus cum Christo, sciéntes quod Christus resúrgens ex mórtuis iam non móritur: mors illi ultra non dominábitur. Quod enim mórtuus est peccáto, mórtuus est semel: quod autem vivit, vivit Deo. Ita et vos existimáte vos mórtuos quidem esse peccáto, vivéntes autem Deo, in Christo Iesu Dómino nostro.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer. For he that is dead is justified from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live also together with Christ:  Knowing that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him. For in that he died to sin, he died once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God: So do you also reckon, that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

R. Confirmátum est / cor Vírginis, in quo divína mystéria, Angelo nuntiánte, concépit: † tunc speciósum forma præ fíliis hóminum castis suscépit viscéribus: * Et benedícta in ætérnum, † Deum nobis prótulit et hóminem. V. Domus pudíci péctoris templum repénte fit Dei: † intácta nésciens virum, verbo concépit Fílium. R. Et benedícta in ætérnum, † Deum nobis prótulit et hóminem.

R. The heart of the Virgin was fixed, when the Angel declared unto her the mystery of God, and she conceived, then did she receive in her pure womb Him That is fairer than the children of men.* And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man. V. Soon rises, in that modest shrine, The Temple of the Lord Divine The stainless and unwedded one, Within her womb conceived the Son. R. And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man.

NR 208-9

Reading 3: Non ergo regnet peccátum in vestro mortáli córpore ut obediátis concupiscéntiis eius. Sed neque exhibeátis membra vestra arma iniquitátis peccáto: sed exhibéte vos Deo, tamquam ex mórtuis vivéntes: et membra vestra arma iustítiæ Deo. Peccátum enim vobis non dominábitur: non enim sub lege estis, sed sub grátia. Quid ergo? peccábimus, quóniam non sumus sub lege, sed sub grátia? Absit. Nescítis quóniam cui exhibétis vos servos ad obediéndum, servi estis eius, cui obedítis, sive peccáti ad mortem, sive obeditiónis ad iustítiam? Grátias autem Deo quod fuístis servi peccáti, obedístis autem ex corde in eam formam doctrínæ, in quam tráditi estis. Liberáti autem a peccáto, servi facti estis iustítiæ.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of iniquity unto sin; but present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of justice unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice. But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart, unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered.  Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice.

R. Benedícta / et venerábilis es, Virgo María, † quæ sine tactu pudóris invénta es mater Salvatóris: * Iacébat in præsépio, et fulgébat in cælo. V. Dómine, audívi audítum tuum, et tímui: † considerávi ópera tua, et expávi: † in médio duórum animálium. R. Iacébat in præsépio, et fulgébat in cælo.

R. Blessed and worshipful art thou, O Virgin Mary; from thee, still maiden undefiled, the Saviour came a little Child. * He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger. V. O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid; I considered thy works and trembled. O Thou That dwellest between the two living creatures! R. He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.

NR 209

[Or, For St John:

 

Reading 3: Ex Tractatu sancti Augustíni Epíscopi in Joánnem - In quátuor Evangéliis, vel pótius quátuor libris uníus Evangélii, sanctus Joánnes Apóstolus non immérito secúndum intelligéntiam spiritálem áquilæ comparátus, áltius multóque sublímius áliis tribus eréxit prædicatiónem suam: et in ejus erectióne étiam corda nostra érigi vóluit. Nam céteri tres Evangelístæ tamquam cum hómine Dómino in terra ámbulant, et de divinitáte ejus pauca dixérunt: istum autem quasi pigúerit in terra ambuláre, sicut ipso exórdio sui sermónis intónuit, eréxit se non solum super terram, et super omnem ámbitum áëris et cæli, sed super omnem étiam exércitum Angelórum, omnémque constitutiónem invisibílium Potestátum: et pervénit ad eum, per quem facta sunt ómnia, dicéndo: In princípio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum.

A lesson is from a treatise of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo - Of the Four Evangelists, or, rather, the Four Writers of the one Evangel, the holy Apostle John has not unworthily been compared by spiritual writers to an eagle, because of the lofty and glorious flight of his teaching, soaring above the other three; a flight that raises not himself alone, but also the hearts of all, whosoever will hear him. The other three writers walk with the Lord upon earth, as with a man, and enlarge little upon His Godhead; but John, as though it had wearied him to walk upon earth, in the very first words of his writing, rises not above the earth only, or above the firmament, and the heavens, but above every angel, and above every power of things unseen, and flies directly to him by whom all things were made, saying In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

R. Valde / honorándus est beátus Ioánnes, † qui supra pectus Dómini in cena recúbuit: * Cui Christus in cruce Matrem vírginem vírgini commendávit. V. Virgo est eléctus a Dómino, atque inter céteros magis diléctus. R. Cui Christus in cruce Matrem vírginem vírgini commendávit. V. Gloria... R. Cui Christi...

R. Very worshipful is blessed John, which leaned on the Lord's Breast at supper. * To Him did Christ upon the Cross commit His mother, maiden to maiden. V. The Lord chose him for his clean maidenhood, and loved him more than all the rest. R. To him did Christ upon the Cross commit His mother, maiden to maiden.

Nocturn II

Chapter and versicle

Et: Tu in príncipio, Dómine, terram fundásti: * et ópera mánuum tuárum sunt caeli.	And: Thou in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of thy hands are the heavens.
V. Vidérunt omnes fines terrae, allelúia. R. Salutáre Dei nostri, allelúia.	V. All the ends of the earth have seen. R. The salvation of our God, alleluia.

[Or, For St John, chapter and versicle of an apostle, collect of the feast.]