Matins readings for the Vigil of the Epipnay

 (1953 rubrics - responsories are of the corresponding Nocturn for Jan I)

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.

Nocturn I 

Ant. In princípio, et ante sǽcula Deus erat Verbum, et ipse natus est hódie Salvátor mundi.

In the beginning, and before the worlds, the Word was God, and this day is He born the Saviour of the world.

 Psalms of the day 

V. Tamquam sponsus. R.  Dominus procedens de thalamo suo.

V. The Lord is as a bridegroom. R. Coming out of his chamber.

 

Lectio 1: Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum - In illo témpore: Defúncto Heróde, ecce Angelus Dómini appáruit in somnis Joseph in Ægýpto, dicens: Surge, et áccipe púerum et matrem ejus, et vade in terram Israël. Et réliqua.   Homilía sancti Hierónymi Presbýteri - Ex hoc loco intellígimus non solum Heródem, sed et sacerdótes et scribas eódem témpore necem Dómini fuísse meditátos. Qui surgens accépit púerum, et matrem ejus. Non dixit: Accépit fílium suum et uxórem suam, sed Púerum et matrem ejus; quasi nutrítius, non marítus.

From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew - In that time: When Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. And so on.   Homily by St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem - From the words, they are dead, (in the Plural), which are used in this passage of the Gospel, we may understand that there were others beside Herod which sought the young Child's life probably the Priests and Scribes. And he Joseph arose, and took the young Child and His Mother. It is not written, He took his wife and child, but he took the young Child and His Mother; whence it is clear that the holy Evangelist means to imply that Joseph was not the father, but the Guardian of Jesus, not the husband, but the Betrothed of Mary.

 

R. Congratulámini mihi, / omnes qui dilígitis Dóminum: † Quia, cum essem párvula, plácui Altíssimo, * Et de meis viscéribus génui Deum et hóminem. V. Beátam 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]

 

Lectio 2 - Audiens autem quod Archeláus regnáret in Judǽa pro Heróde patre suo, tímuit illo ire. Multi labúntur erróre propter ignorántiam históriæ, putántes eumdem esse Heródem, a quo in passióne sua Dóminus irridétur, et qui nunc mórtuus esse referátur. Ergo Heródes ille qui cum Piláto póstea amicítias fecit, hujus Heródis fílius est, frater Archelái.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. There are some persons so grossly ignorant of history that they confuse themselves over the two Herods, as if the one mentioned here were the same who afterwards set our Lord at nought during His Passion, and they cannot understand how he should now be said to be dead. The Herod who was made friends with Pilate over Christ's death, was the son of the Herod who massacred the infants of Bethlehem, and the brother of Archelaus.

 

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 forever, 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 forever, brought forth for us God and man.

 

Reading 3: Quóniam Nazarǽus vocábitur. Si fixum de Scriptúris posuísset exémplum, numquam díceret: Quod dictum est per prophétas: sed simplíciter: Quod dictum est per prophétam. Nunc autem pluráliter prophétas vocans, osténdit se non verba de Scriptúris sumpsísse, sed sensum. Nazarǽus sanctus interpretátur; sanctum autem Dóminum futúrum omnis Scriptúra commémorat. Possumus et aliter dicere; quod etiam eisdem verbis, juxta Hebraicam veritatem, in Isaia scriptum sit; Exiet virga de radice Jesse, et Nazraeus de radice ejus conscendet.

He shall be called a Nazarene. The Evangelist, in quoting these words, says that they were spoken by the Prophets. If he had been citing any one precise passage he would have said by the Prophet, in the singular. But he is citing the sense of the Prophets, and not any individual passage in any of their writings. He seems to refer to the fact that in Hebrew the word Nazarene signifies holy, and that Christ is the Holy One of God is the common declaration of all the Scriptures. We can even state in a different way that which is written in the same words, according to the Hebrew text, in Isaiah: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and the Nazarene shall rise up out of his root.”

 

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. V. Gloria Patri… 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.

 

Nocturn II 

Ant. Nato Dómino, Angelórum chorus canébat, dicens: Salus Deo nostro, sedénti super thronum, et Agno.

When the Lord was born the Angels sang together, saying: Salvation to our God, Which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Psalms of the day

 Chapter (Gal 4:4-5) and versicle 

At ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere, factum sub lege, ut eos, qui sub lege erant, redimeret, ut adoptionem filiorum reciperemus.	But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: that he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.
V. Notum fecit Dóminus, alleluia R. Salutáre suum, Alleluia	V. He hath remembered, alleluia R. His mercy, alleluia

 

Collect 

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, dírige actus nostros in beneplácito tuo: ut in nómine dilécti Fílii tui mereámur bonis opéribus abundáre:Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

O Almighty and everlasting God, do Thou order all our actions in conformity with thy good pleasure, that through the name of thy well-beloved Son, we may worthily abound in all good works. Who with thee liveth and reigneth, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen