[Rank]
S. Thomae Episcopi et Martyris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C2

[Rank1570]
S. Thomae Episcopi et Martyris;;Semiduplex;;2;;vide C2

[Rank1960]
Die quinta post Nativitatem;;Duplex II class;;5;;ex Sancti/12-25

[RankNewcal]
S. Thomae Episcopi et Martyris;;Duplex optional;;2;;vide C2

[Rule]
vide C2;
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, in defence of Whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell by the swords~
of wicked men, grant, we beseech thee, that all that ask his help, may obtain~
wholesome fruit of their petition.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans
!Rom 1:1-7
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the~
gospel of God,
2 Which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures,
3 Concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the~
flesh,
4 Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of~
sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead;
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith, in~
all nations, for his name;
6 Among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all that are at Rome, the beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you,~
and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Responsory1]
@Sancti/12-25:Responsory2

[Lectio2]
!Rom 1:8-12
8 First I give thanks to my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, because your~
faith is spoken of in the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son,~
that without ceasing I make a commemoration of you;
10 Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a~
prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual grace, to~
strengthen you:
12 That is to say, that I may be comforted together in you, by that which is~
common to us both, your faith and mine.

[Responsory2]
@Sancti/12-25:Responsory3

[Lectio3]
!Rom 1:13-19
13 And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that I have often purposed to~
come unto you, (and have been hindered hitherto,) that I might have some fruit~
among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
14 To the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a~
debtor;
15 So (as much as is in me) I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are~
at Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God unto salvation~
to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and to the Greek.
17 For the justice of God is revealed therein, from faith unto faith, as it is~
written: The just man liveth by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and~
injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice:
19 Because that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God hath~
manifested it unto them.

[Responsory3]
@Sancti/12-25:Responsory4

[Lectio4]
Thomas was born in London, (in the year of our Lord 11 17,) and succeeded~
Theobald in the Archbishopric of Canterbury (in 1162). He had previously filled~
with great distinction the office of Lord Chancellor, and showed an indomitable~
firmness in his duty as Primate. When Henry II., King of England, in an assembly~
of the Bishops and great men of his realm, endeavoured to pass laws detrimental~
to the advantage and dignity of the Church, he opposed himself so steadily to~
the king's wishes, that, neither promises, nor threats availing to shake him, he~
was about to be cast into prison, had he not made good his escape in time. The~
whole of his kinsfolk without regard to age or sex, his friends, and his~
advisers, were then banished the kingdom, and those who were able, were bound by~
an oath to make their way to the presence of Thomas, in the hope that though~
careless of his own sufferings, he might yield at the sight of their misery. But~
neither flesh and blood, nor the pleadings of natural affection could make him~
swerve from the line of his pastoral duty.

[Lectio5]
Lie betook himself to Pope Alexander III., by whom he was graciously received,~
and who committed him to the care of the Cistercians at Pontigni. As soon as~
this came to the knowledge of King Henry, he sent threatening letters to the~
monks, in order to drive Thomas from this shelter. The saint was unwilling that~
the Cistercian Order should suffer on his account, and therefore voluntarily~
withdrew from Pontigni, and accepted the invitation of Lewis VII., King of~
France, to go to his court. He remained here, until his banishment was recalled~
at the intercession of the Pope and of the King of France, and he returned to~
England amid great public joy. He was quietly continuing the work of a faithful~
shepherd of souls, when certain calumniators denounced him to the king as a~
plotter against the crown and the public peace. Henry, deceived by these libels,~
cried out that it was hard that one priest should never let him have quiet in~
his kingdom.

[Lectio6]
Come wicked servants of the king, hearing his words, and thinking to do him~
pleasure, betook themselves to Canterbury to rid him of the Archbishop. They~
entered the cathedral in the evening as Thomas was proceeding to assist at~
Evensong. The clergy in attendance on him, conscious of the attempt about to be~
made, wished to bolt the doors. But the saint caused them to be again opened,~
saying, The Church of God is not to be made a castle of, and for the cause of~
God's Church I am willing to die. He then said to his murderers, I charge you in~
the name of the Almighty God to hurt none of my people. With these words he fell~
on his knees, and commended himself to God, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to St~
Denis, and to the other holy Patrons of the Church of Canterbury. He presently~
offered his sacred head for the stroke of death, and received it from the swords~
of those wicked men with the same constancy with which he had withstood the~
commands of the unrighteous king. The murderers pulled out his brains and~
strewed them all about the floor of the Church. He testified on the 29th day of~
December, in the (53rd) year of (his own age and of) our Lord 11 70, and, being~
afterwards honoured with many miracles, was canonised by Pope Alexander IIL (in~
1173).

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 10:11-16
In that time Jesus said to the pharisees: I am the good shepherd. The good~
shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. And so on.
_
Homily by St John Chrysostom, Patriarch (of Constantinople.)
!59th on John.
Dearly beloved brethren, the Bishops of the Church hold a great office, an~
office that needeth much that wisdom and strength whereof Christ hath given us~
an example. We must learn of Him to lay down our lives for the sheep and never~
to leave them; and to fight bravely against the wolf. This is the difference~
between the true shepherd and the hireling. The one leaveth the sheep and~
seeketh his own safety, but the other recketh not of his own safety, so as he~
may watch over the sheep. Christ then having given us the pattern of a good~
shepherd, warneth us against two enemies; first, the thief that cometh not but~
to kill and to steal, and, secondly, the hireling that standeth by, and~
defendeth not them that are committed to his charge.

[Lectio8]
Ezechiel hath said of old time, (xxxiv. 2): Woe be to the shepherds of Israel!~
do they not feed themselves? Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? But they~
did the contrary, a great wickedness and the root of many evils. Therefore, he~
saith, they brought not back that which was gone astray neither did they~
search for that which was lost neither did they bind up that which was broken,~
nor strengthen that which was sick; for they fed themselves, and not the flock.~
And Paul hath the same in other words, where he saith, (Phil. ii. 21): All seek~
their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

[Lectio9]
Christ showeth Himself very different from either the thief or the hireling;~
whereas the thief cometh to destroy, He came that they might have life, and that~
they might have it more abundantly. The hireling fleeth, but He layeth down His~
life for the sheep, that the sheep perish not. When then the Jews went about to~
kill Him, He ceased not to teach He gave not up them that believed in Him, but~
stood steadfast and died. Wherefore He hath good title often to say, I am the~
Good Shepherd. It was but a little while, and He showed us how He could lay down~
His life for the sheep. And if it appeareth not as yet how they have life, and~
have it more abundantly, (but it shall appear, in the world which is to come,)~
we may well be persuaded of the truth of the second promise, who have seen the~
fulfilment of the first.
&teDeum

[Ant Vespera 3]
Thine shall be the dominion in the day of thy power, amid the brightness of the saints * from the womb before the day-star have I begotten thee;;109
The Lord sent redemption unto His people, * He hath commanded His covenant for ever;;110
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness * the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous;;111
With the Lord there is mercy, * and with Him is plenteous redemption;;129
Of the fruit of thy body * will I set upon thy throne;;131

[Commemoratio]
@Sancti/12-25:Octava
@Sancti/12-26:Octava
@Sancti/12-27:Octava
@Sancti/12-28:Octava
