The rain has finally stopped...

For who knows how long; the weather forecasters are saying that it is still raining and that I should expect rain throughout the rest of the day-- hmm. 

Ecce, advénit dominátor Dóminus: et regnum in manu ejus et potéstas et impérium.

The introit of today's Mass, today being of course the feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. In its origins in the East, this is Christmas, the feast of the Three Kings, and the Baptism of Our Lord all in one: the manifestation of His Glory in his birth in the flesh, of His Glory for all the nations, not only for His own people of Israel, of His Glory in the hearts of all who will receive Him in Spirit and in truth, in the waters of Holy Baptism. It's one of the greatest pities and scandals of the modern era that we in the West have so trivialised this festival. The antiphon at the Benedictus from Lauds:

Ant. Hódie * cælésti Sponso juncta est Ecclésia, quóniam in Jordáne lavit Christus ejus crímina: currunt cum munéribus Magi ad regáles núptias, et ex aqua facto vino lætántur convívæ, allelúja.

Today the Church is wed to her heavenly Bridegroom Who washed her of her crimes in Jordan, the Magi hastened with their gifts to the royal nuptial feast, whereat the banquet is made joyful by wine transformed from water.

And the hymn at Lauds, O sola magnarum urbium, four strophes taken from Liber XII of Prudentius's Cathemerinon.

There's an interesting post here at Liturgical Arts Journal about the great reliquary of the Three Kings, the Dreikönigenschrein, at the Cathedral of Cologne. 

LDVM