WEEKDAYS of the 2^nd to 7^th JANUARY

According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages; saying to the prisoners: Come out; to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves.

Brethren, let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come, but the real body is Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the Body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances: "Touch not; taste not; handle not"? These all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men. These things appear to have a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body, but do not in any way honour but to the satisfying of the flesh.

If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.

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According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

Say to the daughter of Zion: See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. They shall be called: a holy People, the redeemed of the Lord.

Brethren, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. In the which you also walked some time, when you lived in them. But now you also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or non-circumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ who is all and in all.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be you thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thanksgiving and grace in your hearts to the Lord.

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According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other! By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth righteousness, and my word shall not return: to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Brethren, whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through him.

You, wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Then you, husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

You children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

You, fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

You, servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ. But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done: and there is no respect of persons.

You, masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

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According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

Wisdom is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of His goodness. Though but one, Wisdom can do all things; and while remaining within itself, can renew all things. In every generation Wisdom passes into holy souls, and makes them friends of God and the prophets.

Brethren, continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; also praying for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds. That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.

All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner salutes you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (about whom you received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him), and Jesus, who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus: Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfil it.

The salutation by my hand, Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

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According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Thus says the Lord God, who created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath to people upon it, and spirit to them who walk therein:

"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

"I am the Lord, that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

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According to day of the 1st Week with Christmas-tide antiphons

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called: Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

They shall build anew the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But you shall be named "Priests of the Lord", men shall call you "Ministers of our God". You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast yourselves.

For your shame ye shall have double^•; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothe me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

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