Christmas Weekday
Liturgical Color: White
Rosary Mysteries: Luminous Mysteries
Daily Readings
First Reading: 1 John 4: 19 – 5: 4
19 Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.
20 If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not?
21 And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother.
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. And every one that loveth him who begot, loveth him also who is born of him.
2 In this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy.
4 For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.
19 Nos ergo diligamus Deum, quoniam Deus prior dilexit nos.
20 Si quis dixerit: Quoniam diligo Deum, et fratrem suum oderit, mendax est. Qui enim non diligit fratrem suum quem vidit, Deum, quem non vidit, quomodo potest diligere?
21 Et hoc mandatum habemus a Deo: ut qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum.
1 Omnis qui credit quoniam Jesus est Christus, ex Deo natus est. Et omnis qui diligit eum qui genuit, diligit et eum qui natus est ex eo.
2 In hoc cognoscimus quoniam diligamus natos Dei, cum Deum diligamus, et mandata ejus faciamus.
3 Hæc est enim caritas Dei, ut mandata ejus custodiamus: et mandata ejus gravia non sunt.
4 Quoniam omne quod natum est ex Deo, vincit mundum: et hæc est victoria, quæ vincit mundum, fides nostra.
Gospel: Luke 4: 14-22a
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit, into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, and was magnified by all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: and he went into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read.
17 And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart,
19 To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.
20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.
22 And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph?
14 Et regressus est Jesus in virtute Spiritus in Galilæam, et fama exiit per universam regionem de illo.
15 Et ipse docebat in synagogis eorum, et magnificabatur ab omnibus.
16 Et venit Nazareth, ubi erat nutritus, et intravit secundum consuetudinem suam die sabbati in synagogam, et surrexit legere.
17 Et traditus est illi liber Isaiæ prophetæ. Et ut revolvit librum, invenit locum ubi scriptum erat:
18 Spiritus Domini super me: propter quod unxit me, evangelizare pauperibus misit me, sanare contritos corde,
19 prædicare captivis remissionem, et cæcis visum, dimittere confractos in remissionem, prædicare annum Domini acceptum et diem retributionis.
20 Et cum plicuisset librum, reddit ministro, et sedit. Et omnium in synagoga oculi erant intendentes in eum.
21 Cœpit autem dicere ad illos: Quia hodie impleta est hæc scriptura in auribus vestris.
22 Et omnes testimonium illi dabant: et mirabantur in verbis gratiæ, quæ procedebant de ore ipsius, et dicebant: Nonne hic est filius Joseph?
A Daily Question from the Summa Theologica
Whether the baptism of John was from God? (Article 2 of 6 of Question 38. Of the Baptism of John from the Treatise on the Incarnation)
Objection 1: It would seem that the baptism of John was not from God. For nothing sacramental that is from God is named after a mere man: thus the baptism of the New Law is not named after Peter or Paul, but after Christ. But that baptism is named after John, according to Mat. 21:25: “The baptism of John . . . was it from heaven or from men?” Therefore the baptism of John was not from God.
Objection 2: Further, every doctrine that proceeds from God anew is confirmed by some signs: thus the Lord (Ex. 4) gave Moses the power of working signs; and it is written (Heb. 2:3, 4) that our faith “having begun to be declared by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him, God also bearing them witness by signs and wonders.” But it is written of John the Baptist (Jn. 10:41) that “John did no sign.” Therefore it seems that the baptism wherewith he baptized was not from God.
Objection 3: Further, those sacraments which are instituted by God are contained in certain precepts of Holy Scripture. But there is no precept of Holy Writ commanding the baptism of John. Therefore it seems that it was not from God.
On the contrary, It is written (Jn. 1:33): “He who sent me to baptize with water said to me: ‘He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit,’” etc.
I answer that, Two things may be considered in the baptism of John—namely, the rite of baptism and the effect of baptism. The rite of baptism was not from men, but from God, who by an interior revelation of the Holy Ghost sent John to baptize. But the effect of that baptism was from man, because it effected nothing that man could not accomplish. Wherefore it was not from God alone, except in as far as God works in man.
Reply to Objection 1: By the baptism of the New Law men are baptized inwardly by the Holy Ghost, and this is accomplished by God alone. But by the baptism of John the body alone was cleansed by the water. Wherefore it is written (Mat. 3:11): “I baptize you in water; but . . . He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost.” For this reason the baptism of John was named after him, because it effected nothing that he did not accomplish. But the baptism of the New Law is not named after the minister thereof, because he does not accomplish its principal effect, which is the inward cleansing.
Reply to Objection 2: The whole teaching and work of John was ordered unto Christ, who, by many miracles confirmed both His own teaching and that of John. But if John had worked signs, men would have paid equal attention to John and to Christ. Wherefore, in order that men might pay greater attention to Christ, it was not given to John to work a sign. Yet when the Jews asked him why he baptized, he confirmed his office by the authority of Scripture, saying: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,” etc. as related, Jn. 1:23 (cf. Is. 40:3). Moreover, the very austerity of his life was a commendation of his office, because, as Chrysostom says, commenting on Matthew (Hom. x in Matth.), “it was wonderful to witness such endurance in a human body.”
Reply to Objection 3: The baptism of John was intended by God to last only for a short time, for the reasons given above (A[1]). Therefore it was not the subject of a general commandment set down in Sacred Writ, but of a certain interior revelation of the Holy Ghost, as stated above.
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