From CNA, USCCB and Catholic Online:
Daily and Festal Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: the Ninth Day of Christmas,
the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord, St. Basil the Great
St. Basil the Great
Feastday: January 2
Patron of hospital administrators
379
St. Basil the Great was born at Caesarea of Cappadocia in 330. He was one of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia. Several of his brothers and sisters are honored among the saints. He attended school in Caesarea, as well as Constantinople and Athens, where he became acquainted with St. Gregory Nazianzen in 352. A little later, he opened a school of oratory in Caesarea and practiced law. Eventually he decided to become a monk and found a monastery in Pontus which he directed for five years. He wrote a famous monastic rule which has proved the most lasting of those in the East. After founding several other monasteries, he was ordained and, in 370, made bishop of Caesaria. In this post until his death in 379, he continued to be a man of vast learning and constant activity, genuine eloquence and immense charity. This earned for him the title of "Great" during his life and Doctor of the Church after his death. Basil was one of the giants of the early Church. He was responsible for the victory of Nicene orthodoxy over Arianism in the Byzantine East, and the denunciation of Arianism at the Council of Constantinople in 381-82 was in large measure due to his efforts. Basil fought simony, aided the victims of drought and famine, strove for a better clergy, insisted on a rigid clerical discipline, fearlessly denounced evil wherever he detected it, and excommunicated those involved in the widespread prostitution traffic in Cappadocia. He was learned, accomplished in statesmanship, a man of great personal holiness, and one of the great orators of Christianity. His feast day is January 2.
St. Adelard
Feastday: January 2
Adelard was the grandson of Charles Martel, nephew of King Pepin and first cousin to Charlemagne. He became a monk at Corbie in Picardy in 773. Eventually he was chosen abbot, and became Charlemagne's counselor. He was forced by the king to quit the monastery and work for him as chief minister for his son Pepin. He was accused of supporting a rival power (Bernard) against Emperor Louis the Debonair and was banished to a monastery on the island of Heri. Five years later he was recalled to the king's court (821). He later retired to the Abbey at Corbie and died January 2 after an illness. Miracles were reported after his death. When Adelard first became monk at Corby in Picardy (in 773), his first assignment was gardener of the monastery. He did his job humbly and piously, praying throughout the day. His great virtues eventually helped him become Abbot.
St. Caspar del Bufalo
Feastday: January 2
St. Caspar del Bufalo was the Founder of the Missioners of the Precious Blood. His feast day is January 2nd. Caspar, who was born in Rome, the son of a chef, in 1786, was ordained a priest in 1808. Shortly after this, Rome was taken by Napoleon's army, and he, with most of the clergy was exiled for refusing to abjure his allegiance to the Holy See. He returned after the fall of Napoleon to find a wide scope for work, as Rome had for nearly five years been almost entirely without priests and sacraments.
In 1814 he founded the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood and in 1815, it was formally approved. The second foundation was made in 1819 and the third shortly afterwards at Albano. His wish was to have a house in every diocese, the most neglected and wicked town or district being chosen. The Kingdom of Naples in those days was a nest of crime of every kind; no one's life or property was safe, and in 1821 the pope asked del Bufalo to found six houses there. He joyfully responded but met with endless difficulties before subjects and funds were collected.
Grave difficulties arose under Pope Leo XII; but these were cleared up, and in 1824, the houses of the congregation were opened to young clergy who wished to be trained specially as missioners. In his lifetime, their work covered the whole of Italy.
Del Bufalo's biographer gives us a graphic account of a mission, describing its successive stages. Some of his methods were distinctly dramatic, e.g. the missioners took the discipline in the public piazza, which always resulted in many conversions. On the last day, forbidden irearms, obscene books, and anything else that might offend Almighty God, were publicly burnt. A cross was erected in memoriam, a solemn Te Deum sung, and the missioners went away quietly.
His last mission was preached in Rome at the Chiesa Nuova during the cholera outbreak of 1836. Feeling his strength failing, he returned at once to Albano, and made every preparation for death. He suffered terribly from cold, and at night from parching thirst, but he would not take anything to drink, so that he might be able to celebrate Mass. After the feast of St. Francis Xavier he went to Rome to die. On December 19, the doctor forbade him to say Mass; he received the last sacraments on December 28, and he died the same day.
Various miracles had been worked by Don Caspar during his lifetime, and after his death many graces were obtained by his intercession. He was canonized in 1954.
St. Adalard
Feastday: January 2
January 2, 827
Patron of French churches and towns. A nephew of Charles Martel, he was raised as a nobleman at the court of his cousin Charlemagne. At age twenty Adalard entered the monastery of Cordie in Picardy, but then went to Monte Cassino, staying there in seclusion until Charlemagne insisted he return to court. At Corbie, Adalard was elected abbot and then named Prime Minister to Pepin, Charlemagne's son, the King of Italy. He became involved in the political struggles of the royal family and in 814 he was banished to Hermoutier. After seven years of exile, Adalard was cleared of all charges and returned to the court of Louis the Pious. Adelard died on January 2, 827
St. Argeus
Feastday: January 2
320
A martyr with his brothers Narcissus and Marcellus at Tomi, in Pontus along the southern Black Sea. They are listed as soldiers in the armies of co-Emperor Licinius Licinianus. Argeus and Narcissus were beheaded. Marcellus, a young lad, was imprisoned for a long time after being flogged and was then drowned.
St. Aspasius
Feastday: January 2
560
Bishop who took part in the Councils of Orleans, in 533, 541, and 549. Aspasius was the bishop of Eauze, near Auch, France. He also held a provincial council in 551. The cities of Meaux and Melin, in France, have traditionally venerated Aspasius.
St. Blidulf
Feastday: January 2
630
Monk at Bobbio, Italy, also called Bladulph. He confronted King Arioald of the Lombards to denounce that monarch's heretical views and reformed the court and the area.
St. Seraphim of Sarov
Feastday: January 2
1833
Russian monk and mystic who received the high honorific title of starets (meaning in Russian, spiritual teacher). Born to a middle class family at Kursk, he was originally named Prokhor Moshnin, changing it to Seraphim upon entering a rnonastery at Sarov in 1777. Ordained in 1793, he soon embarked upon an eremitical life in a solitary hut in the forest near the abbey, resided for a time upon a pillar, and later was walled up. After twenty-five years, he once more entered the world owing to a mystical vision which he attributed to the Virgin Mary. He soon attracted disciples and followers who came from far and wide to receive his counsel and to partake of his spiritual program of contemplative prayer, monastic-like austerities, and rigorous self-discipline. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him in 1913, and his teachings have been the source of many books, making him well-known in the Western Churches.
St. Artaxus
Feastday: January 2
3rd-4th century
Martyr with Acutus, Eugenda, Maximianus, Timothy, Tabias, and Vitus. The martyrs were put to death at Syrmium, Pannonia.
St. Martinian
Feastday: January 2
Bishop of Milan, sometimes listed as Maternian. He was consecrated in 423 and served until his death. Martinian attended the Council of Ephesus and was an ardent foe of Nestorianism, a heresy of the time that, in part, denied that Mary was the Mother of God.
St. Munchin
Feastday: January 2
Patron of Limerick, Ireland
7th century
Patron of Limerick, Ireland, called “the Wise.” He may have been a bishop, but he is commonly known as Maincin, or “little monk.” It is believed that Munchin was born in County Clare.
Scriptural and Responsorial Readings:
January 2, 2011
Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
Reading 1
Is 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13Responsorial PsalmR. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6Reading 2Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Mt 2:1-12GospelWhen Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
Next Day
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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