Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord

And by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴He who saith that he knoweth him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But he that keepeth his word, in him in very deed the charity of God is perfected; and by this we know that we are in him. ⁶He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk, even as he walked. ⁷Dearly beloved, I write not a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard. ⁸Again a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true both in him and in you; because the darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth. ⁹He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is no scandal in him. ¹¹But he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth; because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

¹A canticle for David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord, all the earth. ²Sing ye to the Lord and bless his name: shew forth his salvation from day to day. ³Declare his glory among the Gentiles: his wonders among all people. ⁵For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens. ⁶Praise and beauty are before him: holiness and majesty in his sanctuary.

℟ Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad.

And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: ²³As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: ²⁴And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons: ²⁵And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. ²⁶And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. ²⁷And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: ²⁹Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; ³⁰Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, ³¹Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: ³²A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. ³³And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; ³⁵And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.