Joseph Kenny OP: Readings Tuesday after Epiphany

READINGS TUESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (or 8 Jan)

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

Psalm 37: Hebrew English Then BACK
שַׁבְּחִי יְרוּשָׁלַםִ אֶת־יְהוָה — הַשֹּׁלֵחַ אִמְרָתוֹ אָרֶץ

Even Years: Isaiah 55:1-13
1 הוֹי כָּל־צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם וַאֲשֶׁר אֵין־לוֹ כָּסֶף לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ וֶאֱכֹלוּ וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלוֹא־כֶסֶף וּבְלוֹא מְחִיר יַיִן וְחָלָב׃
2 לָמָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶסֶף בְּלוֹא־לֶחֶם וִיגִיעֲכֶם בְּלוֹא לְשָׂבְעָה שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ אֵלַי וְאִכְלוּ־טוֹב וְתִתְעַנַּג בַּדֶּשֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶם׃
3 הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם וּלְכוּ אֵלַי שִׁמְעוּ וּתְחִי נַפְשְׁכֶם וְאֶכְרְתָה לָכֶם בְּרִית עוֹלָם חַסְדֵי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים׃
4 הֵן עֵד לְאוּמִּים נְתַתִּיו נָגִיד וּמְצַוֵּה לְאֻמִּים׃
5 הֵן גּוֹי לֹא־תֵדַע תִּקְרָא וְגוֹי לֹא־יְדָעוּךָ אֵלֶיךָ יָרוּצוּ לְמַעַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְלִקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי פֵאֲרָךְ׃ ס
6 דִּרְשׁוּ יְהוָה בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ קְרָאֻהוּ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ קָרוֹב׃
7 יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ וְאִישׁ אָוֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָיו וְיָשֹׁב אֶל־יְהוָה וִירַחֲמֵהוּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהֵינוּ כִּי־יַרְבֶּה לִסְלוֹחַ׃
8 כִּי לֹא מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם וְלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם דְּרָכָי נְאֻם יְהוָה׃
9 כִּי־גָבְהוּ שָׁמַיִם מֵאָרֶץ כֵּן גָּבְהוּ דְרָכַי מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַי מִמַּחְשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם׃
10 כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵרֵד הַגֶּשֶׁם וְהַשֶּׁלֶג מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמָּה לֹא יָשׁוּב כִּי אִם־הִרְוָה אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהוֹלִידָהּ וְהִצְמִיחָהּ וְנָתַן זֶרַע לַזֹּרֵעַ וְלֶחֶם לָאֹכֵל׃
11 כֵּן יִהְיֶה דְבָרִי אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִפִּי לֹא־יָשׁוּב אֵלַי רֵיקָם כִּי אִם־עָשָׂה אֶת־אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִּי וְהִצְלִיחַ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתִּיו׃
12 כִּי־בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וּבְשָׁלוֹם תּוּבָלוּן הֶהָרִים וְהַגְּבָעוֹת יִפְצְחוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם רִנָּה וְכָל־עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה יִמְחֲאוּ־כָף׃
13 תַּחַת הַנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְרוֹשׁ תַחַת הַסִּרְפַּד יַעֲלֶה הֲדַס וְהָיָה לַיהוָה לְשֵׁם לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת׃
Odd Years: Isaiah 62:1-12
1 לְמַעַן צִיּוֹן לֹא אֶחֱשֶׁה וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלַםִ לֹא אֶשְׁקוֹט עַד־יֵצֵא כַנֹּגַהּ צִדְקָהּ וִישׁוּעָתָהּ כְּלַפִּיד יִבְעָר׃
2 וְרָאוּ גוֹיִם צִדְקֵךְ וְכָל־מְלָכִים כְּבוֹדֵךְ וְקֹרָא לָךְ שֵׁם חָדָשׁ אֲשֶׁר פִּי יְהוָה יִקֳּבֶנּוּ׃
3 וְהָיִיתְ עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּיַד־יְהוָה וּצְנוֹף מְלוּכָה בְּכַף־אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃
4 לֹא־יֵאָמֵר לָךְ עוֹד עֲזוּבָה וּלְאַרְצֵךְ לֹא־יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שְׁמָמָה כִּי לָךְ יִקָּרֵא חֶפְצִי־בָהּ וּלְאַרְצֵךְ בְּעוּלָה כִּי־חָפֵץ יְהוָה בָּךְ וְאַרְצֵךְ תִּבָּעֵל׃
5 כִּי־יִבְעַל בָּחוּר בְּתוּלָה יִבְעָלוּךְ בָּנָיִךְ וּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל־כַּלָּה יָשִׂישׂ עָלַיִךְ אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃
6 עַל־חוֹמֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלַםִ הִפְקַדְתִּי שֹׁמְרִים כָּל־הַיּוֹם וְכָל־הַלַּיְלָה תָּמִיד לֹא יֶחֱשׁוּ הַמַּזְכִּרִים אֶת־יְהוָה אַל־דֳּמִי לָכֶם׃
7 וְאַל־תִּתְּנוּ דֳמִי לוֹ עַד־יְכוֹנֵן וְעַד־יָשִׂים אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם תְּהִלָּה בָּאָרֶץ׃
8 נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ אִם־אֶתֵּן אֶת־דְּגָנֵךְ עוֹד מַאֲכָל לְאֹיְבַיִךְ וְאִם־יִשְׁתּוּ בְנֵי־נֵכָר תִּירוֹשֵׁךְ אֲשֶׁר יָגַעַתְּ בּוֹ׃
9 כִּי מְאַסְפָיו יֹאכְלֻהוּ וְהִלְלוּ אֶת־יְהוָה וּמְקַבְּצָיו יִשְׁתֻּהוּ בְּחַצְרוֹת קָדְשִׁי׃ ס
10 עִבְרוּ עִבְרוּ בַּשְּׁעָרִים פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ הָעָם סֹלּוּ סֹלּוּ הַמְסִלָּה סַקְּלוּ מֵאֶבֶן הָרִימוּ נֵס עַל־הָעַמִּים׃
11 הִנֵּה יְהוָה הִשְׁמִיעַ אֶל־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ אִמְרוּ לְבַת־צִיּוֹן הִנֵּה יִשְׁעֵךְ בָּא הִנֵּה שְׂכָרוֹ אִתּוֹ וּפְעֻלָּתוֹ לְפָנָיו׃
12 וְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם עַם־הַקֹּדֶשׁ גְּאוּלֵי יְהוָה וְלָךְ יִקָּרֵא דְרוּשָׁה עִיר לֹא נֶעֱזָבָה׃

Even Years: Fulbert of Chartres, Letter 5 (PL 141, 198-199)
Nobis vero hanc substantiarum diversitatem ex hoc perpendere promptum est quod alia est illa nativitas, vel natura, in qua, juxta Apostolum, Factus est ex muliere, factus sub lege; alia qua erat in principio apud Deum, alia qua creatus ex virgine Maria, humiliatus in terra, alia qua sine initio manens creavit coelum et terram; alia qua dicitur in moerore doluisse, in lassitudine dormisse, inedia esurisse flevisse, alia qua dicitur paralyticos curasse, per quam nesciens gressum jubetur incedere, solutus in muliere sanguis venarum sistitur, caecus a nativitate illuminatur, imperio tumentes fluctus solidantur, mortui suscitantur.
Quae cum ita sint, Christum in duabus substantiis consistentem unum eumdemque Deum verum, eumdemque hominem verum esse fateatur necesse est, quisquis religionis Christianae non vult inaniter, imo damnabiliter portare vocabulum. Ita utriusque naturae veritate servata, verum Christum in virtutibus et passionibus nec confundat fides vera nec dividat, quia personalis unitas in eo divisionem non recipit, et utriusque naturae veritas inconfusa persistit. Non enim alter Deus, alter homo, sed unus idemque Christus Deus homo. Profecto idem Deus Christus est, qui mortem sua divinitate destruxit. Idem quippe Dei Filius, qui divinitate mori non potuit, carne mortuus est, quam mortalem Deus immortalis accepit; et idem Christus Dei Filius carne mortuus resurrexit, quia immortalitatem suae divinitatis carne mortuus non amisit.
Sed de hoc dictum satis pro modulo nostro aestimamus, non quibuslibet, sed quibus in Scripturis versatur studiosa devotio. Nobis plane ea singularis instat intentio, ut, quoniam comperimus aliquos nimis carnaliter intuentes quaedam horum in quibus nostrae salutis mysterium constat, tanquam inania aut otiosa deputare, hos a tam perniciosae opinionis vanitate revocatos permoneremus in rebus sacramentariis non tantum quae videntur spectare, quantum invisibilem mysteriorum potentiam fideliter aestimare. Quid enim ad fidem venientes proficere arbitramur, si nihil ultra quam quod visibilibus motibus agitur, regenerantis gratiae praestet effectus? Scimus et vere scimus, nos prima nativitate pollutos, secunda nativitate mundatos; prima nativitate captivos, secunda nativitate liberos; prima nativitate terrenos, secunda nativitate coelestes; primae nativitatis vitio carnales, secundae nativitatis beneficio spirituales; per illam filios irae, per istam filios gratiae. Proinde quidquid pravum quisque concipit adversus sacri baptismi reverentiam, sciat refundi in Dei injuriam, qui ait: Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu non potest introire in regnum Dei.
Salutaris igitur disciplinae gratia est, baptismi rationem nosse vel causam, sicut Apostolus ait: Si enim mortui sumus cum Christo, credimus quia simul vivemus cum Christo. Commori enim cum Christo, et sepeliri ad hoc tendit, ut cum illo resurgere possimus, et cum illo vivere.
Odd Years: St. Hippolytus, Sermon on the Holy Theophany
Ἤκουες γὰρ ἀρτίως πῶς ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ἐβαπτίσθη ὑπ αὐτοῦ. Ὦ παραδόξων πργμάτων· πῶς ὁ ἀπερίγραπτος ποταμὸς ὁ εὐφραίνων τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν ὀλίγῶ ὕδατι ἐλούετο; ἡ ἀκατάληπτος πηγὴ, ἡ ζωὴν βλαστάνουσα πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις καὶ τέλος μὴ ἔχουσα, ὑπὸ πενιχρῶν καὶ προσκαίρων ὑδάτων ἐκαλύπτετο... Καὶ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ οὐρανοὶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ κατέρχεται ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπαὐτόν. Καὶ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκυσα... Jesus came to John, and received baptism at his hands. Could anything be more wonderful? The boundless river that gladdens the City of God is washed by a few drops of water. The source without limits that engenders life for all mankind and is beyond all understanding is covered by the poor waters of this world. He who is present everywhere and is absent nowhere, incomprehensible to the angels and withdrawn from the gaze of man, has come to baptism as was his good pleasure, And behold the heavens were opened to him, and a voice was heard saying: This is my beloved Son with whom am well pleased.
Ἀγαπητὸς ἀγάπην γεννᾷ, καὶ φῶς ἄϋλον, φῶς ἀπρόσιτον... Οὗτός ἐστιν ὀ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ὀνομαζόμενος υἱὸς, καὶ ἐμὸς Μονογενὴς κατὰ τὴν θεϊκὴν οὐσίαν. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς· ὁ πεινῶν, καὶ τρέφων μυριάδας· καὶ κοπιῶν, καὶ ἀναπαύων τοὺς κοπιῶντας· ὁ μὴ ἔχων ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλῖναι, καὶ πάντα ἐν τῇ χειρὶ βαστάζων· ὁ πάσχων, καὶ τὰ πάθη ἰώμενος· ὁ ῥαπιζόμενος, καὶ ἐλευθερίαν τῷ κόσμῳ δωρούμενος· ὁ τὴν πλευρὰν νυττόμενος, καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ δορθούμενος. One who is loved generates love, and an immaterial light generates light inaccessible. This is he who is called the son of Joseph, and he is my only-begotten according to the divine essence. This is my beloved Son. Hungry is he who nourished unnumbered thousands, toiling is he who refreshes the toilers; he has nowhere to lay his head but controls all things by his hand; he suffers and yet heals all suffering; he is buffeted by blows and presents the world with freedom; he is pierced in his side and restores the side of Adam.
Ἀλλὰ συντείνατέ μοι τὸν νοῦν, παρακαλῶ, μετὰ ἀκριβείας· βούλομαι γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ζωῆς ἀναδραμεῖν, καὶ θεάσασθαι τὴν πηγὴν τῶν ἰαμάτων πηγάζουσαν. Ὁ τῆς ἀθανασίας Πατὴρ, τὸν ἀθάνατον Υἱόν καὶ Λόγον ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον· ὃς ἀφικόμενος εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, λούσασθαι ὕδατι καὶ Πνεύματι· καὶ ἀναγεννήσας πρὸς ἀφθαρσίαν ψυχῆς τε καὶ σώματος, ἐνεφύσησεν ἡμῖν πνεῦμα ζωῆς, περιαμφιάσας ἡμᾶς ἀφθάρτῳ πανοπλίᾳ. Εἰ οὖν ἀθάνατος γέγονεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἔσται καὶ θεός. Εἰ δὲ θεὸς δι ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου μετὰ τὴν τῆς κολυμβήθρας ἀναγέννησιν γίνεται, εὑρίσκεται καὶ συγκληρονόμος Χριστοῦ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν. Διὸ κηρύσσω λέγων Δεῦτε, πᾶσαι αἱ πατριαὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀθανασίαν... But attend carefully to me, I pray, for I wish to return to the fountain of life, and contemplate the fountain which gushes forth and brings its remedies. The Father of immortality sent his immortal Son and Word into the world. He came to men to wash them with the Spirit. To regenerate us to incorruptibility, of mind and body, he breathed into us the spirit of life, and clothed us with the armour of incorruptibility. If then a man has been made immortal, he will also be divine. If indeed he becomes divine by water and by the Holy Spirit by regeneration from the font, he is also found to be joint heir with Christ after the resurrection from the dead. Therefore I proclaim with the voice of the herald: Come, all ye tribes of the nations, to the immortality of baptism.
Ὁ γὰρ καταβαίνων μετὰ πίστεως εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀναγεννήσεως λουτρὸν διατάσσεται τῷ πονηρῷ, συντάσσεται δὲ τῷ Χριστῷ· ἀπαρνεῖται τὸν έχθρὸν, ὁμολογεῖ δὲ τὸ Θεὸν εἶναι τὸν Χριστόν· ἀποδύεται τὴν δουλείαν, ἐνδύεται δὲ τὴν υἱοθεσίαν· ἀνέρχεται ἀπὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος λαμπρὸς ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, ἀπραστράπτων τὰς τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀκτῖνας· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, ἄνεισιν υἱὸς Θεοῦ, καὶ συγκληρονόμος Χριστοῦ. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ἀγαθῷ καὶ ζωοποιῷ αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς σύμπαντας αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. For he who descends with faith into this laver of regeneration renounces the devil and commits himself to Christ; he denies the enemy and confesses Christ to be God; he lays aside slavery, he puts on adoption; he returns from his baptism gleaming like the sun, pouring out rays of righteousness, and, what is the most important point, he is returning as a son of God and a joint heir with Christ. To him be glory and power with his sacred, good and quickening Spirit, both now and always and to all ages of eternity. Amen.

Prayer