The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Originally related to the epistle appointed for this Sunday of Matthew 8:1-13 where Jesus put forth his hand Is 41:8, Psalms 20, 21 | 27, 29 Romans xii. 16 & St. John ii. 1
Homilies
Isaiah 41:8-1 & 17-20
Romans xii. 16 St. John ii. 1.
The fact that the Lord was pleased be asked and thereupon to go to the marriage. sheweth plainly enough (apart from any mystical significance in his act) that he is the Author and Blesser of marriage. For there were those of whom the Apostle hath warned us, who were yet to come, which same were to prohibit marriage, and to say that matrimony is a bad thing in itself, and a work of the devil. As against any such teaching, we read in the Gospel that when the Lord was asked, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? he answered that cause of fornication. In which answer ye will remember that he used these words: What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
They who are well instructed in the Catholic religion know that God is the Author and Blesser of marriage; and that even as union in marriage is of God, so divorce is of the devil. But it is lawful for a man to put away his wife in case of fornication, because she herself hath refused to be a wife in that she keepeth not wedded-faith with her husband [But even a separation between man and wife, such as is here contemplated, doth not of itself give the right to remarry.] They also who have made a vow of their virginity to God, and have thereby attained to a higher degree of holy honour in the Church, are not to be considered as unmarried, for they are a special part of the marriage of the whole Church, which is the Bride of Christ.
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the
seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy
God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry
land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Augustine on Psalm XX | XXVII
Homily of Augustine
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