Friday, January 31, 2014
Saint John Bosco, Confessor
At the close of the month dedicated to honoring the infancy of our Savior, St. John Bosco leads to the Child Jesus—to Jesus the worker—the multitude of young people and workers to whom he dedicated his life. Let us turn our attention to the Lessons which abbreviate this holy man’s life and work. Joannes Bosco, […]
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Thursday, January 30, 2014
Saint Martina, Virgin and Martyr
A third Roman Virgin, wearing on her brow a Martyr’s crown, comes today to share the honors given to Agnes and Emerentiana, and offer her palm to the Lamb. Her name is Martina, which the pagans were wont to give to their daughters in honor of their god of war. Her sacred relics repose at […]
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Saint Francis of Sales, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church
The angelical Bishop Francis of Sales has a right to a distinguished position near the Crib of Jesus, on account of the sweetness of his virtues, the child-like simplicity of his heart, and the humility and tenderness of his love. He comes with the luster of his glorious conquests upon him—seventy-two thousand heretics converted to […]
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Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Saint Peter Nolasco, Confessor
The Ransomer of Captives, Peter Nolasco, is thus brought before us by the Calendar, a few days after having given us the Feast of his master, Raymund of Pegnafort. Both of them offer to the Divine Redeemer the thousands of Christians they ransomed from slavery. It is an appropriate homage, for it was the result […]
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Saint Agnes, Her Second Feast
Five days after the martyrdom of the Virgin Emerentiana, the parents of the glorious Saint Agnes visited the tomb of their child during the night, there to weep and pray. It was the eighth day since her martyrdom. While they were thinking upon the cruel death, which, though it had enriched their child with a […]
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Monday, January 27, 2014
Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Before our Emmanuel came upon this our earth, men were as sheep without a shepherd; the flock was scattered, and the human race was hastening on to perdition. Jesus would, therefore, not only be the Lamb that was to be slain for our sins; he made himself, moreover, a Shepherd, that so he might bring […]
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Sunday, January 26, 2014
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
The variation of Easter Sunday necessitates almost every year a different arrangement of the Sundays after the Epiphany from that in which they stand in the Missal. Septuagesima often comes in January and the Feast of the Purification is occasionally later than Quinquagesima Sunday; hence the office of these four last Sundays may have to […]
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Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr
Amidst the sweetness he is enjoying from the contemplation of the Word made Flesh, John, the Beloved Disciple, beholds coming towards him his dear Polycarp, the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, all resplendent with the glory of martyrdom. This venerable Saint has on his soul the fervent love that made him say, in the […]
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Saturday, January 25, 2014
The Conversion of Saint Paul
We have already seen how the Gentiles, in the person of the Three Magi, offered their mystic gifts to the Divine Child of Bethlehem, and received from him, in return, the precious gifts of faith, hope, and charity. The harvest is ripe; it is time for the reaper to come. But who is to be […]
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Friday, January 24, 2014
Saint Timothy, Bishop and Martyr
Before giving thanks to God for the miraculous Conversion of the Apostle of the Gentiles, the Church assembles us together for the Feast of his favorite Disciple. Timothy—the indefatigable companion of St. Paul—the friend to whom the great Apostle, a few days before shedding his blood for Christ, wrote his last Epistle—comes now to await […]
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