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Double Major Feast ![]() |
"Is it not right," says Leo XIII., "that we should celebrate the royal birth of the Son of the Sovereign Father, the House of David, and the glorious names of that ancient lineage ? It is more pleasing to us, however, to recall the little House of Nazareth and the humble existence which they led there; it is more pleasing to celebrate the obscure life of Jesus.
"There the Divine Child serves His apprenticeship to the humble trade of Joseph, there in the seclusion of the home He grows in age and shows Himself happy to share in the work of the carpenter.
"His tender mother keeps with Him, the devoted wife with her husband she is happy to be able to soothe their troubles and their labours with loving care".
In the humble house of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph sanctified their family life by the exercise of' the domestic virtues (Collect). There they practised, as the Epistle and the Gospel tells us, charity, mutual help, respect and obedience (Gospel). There they always found joy and peace in meditation and prayer in common. May we, after leading a life like theirs, on. earth, deserve to share their holy company in Heaven (Collect).
The special devotion which proposes the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the model of virtue of all Christian households began in the XVIIth century. It started almost simultaneously in Canada and France. -- The Association of the Holy Family being founded in Montreal in 1663, and the Daughters of the Holy Family in Paris in 1674. Numerous other congregations and associations under the Patronage of the Holy Family have been established, since that time, and they are spread over the world.
The Archconfraternity was established by Pius IX in 1847. In 1893 Leo XIII approved a feast for Canada, and Benedict XV, wishing to assure to the souls of the faithful the benefit to be derived from meditation on and imitation of the virtues of the Holy Family, extended the Feast to the whole Church and ordered its celebration to be kept on the Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany or, by anticipation, on Saturday, January 12, when the Epiphany and its Octave fall on a Sunday.
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The father of the just rejoiceth greatly, let Thy father and Thy mother be joyful, and let her rejoice that bore Thee. (Ps. 83: 2,3) How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! my soul longeth an fainteth for the courts of the Lord.
v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat The father of the just rejoiceth... |
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The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who when Thou wast subject to Mary and Joseph didst sanctify the home life with ineffable virtues: grant that by their assistance, we may be instructed by the example of Thy Holy Family and become partakers of their eternal happiness: Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one GodForever and ever. R.Amen.
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Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Colossians. Brethren: Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, , and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: bearing with on eanother and forgiving one another if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdo, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, givingf thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Thanks be to God. |
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One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. V. (Ps. 88: 5) Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, 0 Lord: they shall praise Thee for ever and ever.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Isaias: 45: 15) Verily Thou art a hidden King, the God of Israel, the Savior. Alleluia. |
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The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Luke. R. Glory to Thee, O Lord
At that time, when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and His parents knew it not. And thinking that He was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. And it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His wisdom, and His answers. And when they saw Him they wondered. And His mother said to Him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did ye not know that I must be about My Father's business? And they understood not the word which He spoke to them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth: and was subject to them. And His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men.
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The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. The parents of Jesus carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. |
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We offer to Thee, O Lord, this sacrifice of propitiation, hmbly entreating that through the intercession of the virgin Mother of God and blessed Joseph, Thou wouldst firmly establish our families in Thy peace and grace. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
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The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts. R.We have lifted them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is meet and just. It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: for when Thine only-begotten Son was manifested in the substance of our mortal flesh, with the new light of His own Immortality He restored us. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY... |
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| Communicating, and keeping this most holy day on which Thine only-begotten Son, who is coeternal with Thee in Thy glory, showed Himself in true flesh and with a visible body like unto us; and also reverencing the memory first of the same glorious Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of the same our God and Lord Jesus Christ: as also of the blessed Apostles and Martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon, and Thaddeus; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Xystus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian, and of all Thy Saints, through whose merits and prayers, grant that we may in all things be defended by the help of Thy protection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. |
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| Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. |
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The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Make us, O Lord Jesus, whom Thou dost refresh with heavenly sacraments, ever to follow the example of Thy Holy Family: that in the hour of our death, the glorious Virgin Thy Mother with blessed Joseph may come to our aid, and we may be found worthy to be received by Thee into everlasting tabernacles. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
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Feast of HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY (1st Sunday after Epiphany)
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