Advent Ember Wednesday

Catholic Groundhog Days!

Did you know that it is a Catholic custom to predict the weather with these Ember Days? The weather today foretells the weather of January, the weather Friday foretells February, and Saturday foretells March. We're going to mark the weather today on the calendar to see if it comes true.

The Ember Days are one of those mysterious customs of the Church that are hard to appreciate. For a long time, I just thought they were a nuisance. For one thing, I always seem to miss them. I know that they're due to come up every season of the year, but there's little fanfare about their iminent approach, save Father's reminder the previous Sunday morning. By the time Wednesday comes along, it has just slipped right out of my mind! And fast and abstinence can be such a bother. No, more than that; let's face it ~ it's a pain. But, the more I have come to understand, not only the origin and use of these days, but their application to our health and the universal good of the discipline, the more I've come to appreciate the wisdom of the Church.

First of all, it's good during Ember Week to be shaken out of my stupor and forced to focus on heavenly things. Heaven knows, there's nothing like being deprived of food to get my attention. And, as good as it is for our souls to offer the sacrifice of fast and abstinence, we've learned that both are equally good for our physical well-being! Among other benefits, fasting gives our bodies the chance to rest and repair without the hard work of digesting, and I'm sure we've all heard the benefits of abstaining from meat ~ or at least cutting back on our consumption

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But, even if we can't appreciate the invisible benefits to body and soul, we can soothe our hunger with the interior joy of doing good for others. Did you know that the flipside of our deprivation is the custom of almsgiving during Ember Week? In times past, the poor depended upon this quarterly observation to remind the faithful of their charitable responsiblity to those less fortunate.

One of the chief devotions of thse days is also to give thanksgiving to God for the blessings of nature. A nature walk to drink in the beauty of this winter season is a good idea during Ember Week, but these seasonal feasts are good times, as well, to remember our spiritual ( not political) responsibility to care prudently for the good earth that God has given us.

These days have also been traditionally used to pray for priests and vocations and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, as well as for mothers to pray for their children and for safe deliveries. So, all you expectant moms out there ~ these days are for you! Most especially, as we remember Our Blessed Mother, nine months pregnant, now on her way to Bethlehem, it's an easy, happy thought to pray for all the mothers soon to give birth. We might also offer our prayers and sacrifices for the unborn who are so tragically vulnerable in our day.

That's well worth a little tummy grumbling!

There's nothing like a little fast and abstinence, too, to give us practice in the fine art of self control. Our world has been so overtaken with the priority of self gratification, that many have lost the capacity to "tighten their belts" in times of necessity. We don't have to look far to find the many sad results of a society that has not learned self discipline. The fast and abstinence of the Ember Days, and of Advent and Lent are meant to train us to have mastery over our bodies ~ and therefore our minds and souls as well. It truly is a good thing. Something our world could much benefit by practicing.

So, here are the fast and abstinence rules for the Ember Days in a nutshell: Today and Saturday, the fast requires us to eat one main meal, at which meat may be served, and two smaller meatless meals that, together, do not exceed the size of the main meal. On Friday there is complete abstinence from meat and the fast rules remain the same ~ two small meals, one normal size meal. And no snacking. (Coffee and other drinks are ok, though, thank goodness!) And we can't grumble and complain or we lose points! (That's the hardest part!)

Yeah, it's a pain. (Oops, I'm complaining, aren't I?) But how pleasing it must be to Our Lord when we make this small effort!

You can go here for a wonderful, thorough explanation of the Ember Days ~ and here to find some study aids to share with the children this week.

Spring Ember Days!

The Ember days are here again already!  Like hands on a clock or turning pages on the calendar, they remind us of the passing of time, particularly by way of the passing of seasons.    There are four Ember weeks during the year: one in Advent, the winter Ember Days, which we observe after the Feast of St. Lucy (Dec 8th); in spring, during Lent, falling on the first full week after Ash Wednesday; in summer, the week after Pentecost Sunday; and in autumn, following the Feast of the Holy Cross (Sept. 14th). On the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of Ember Weeks, all those above the age of reason observe a day of partial abstinence on Wednesday and Saturday, and full abstinence (as usual) on Friday.  All three days are days of fasting for everyone between the ages of 21 and 59.  More about the particulars can be found .here.   And here.

These are the days that we praise God and thank Him for the beauty and bounty of the beautiful earth He's provided for us.  It's during the Ember Days that farmers, particularly, petition Heaven for good harvests, and the health of their livestock.  These days it might be a really good idea for all of us to beg for good weather, in general!  Maybe a little early spring for those suffering such a hard winter this year?  A relief from the droughts many parts of the country and world have been experiencing would be a blessing!  A year free of dangerous flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes might be a good petition, too!

Br. Philip, a couple Christmases ago...

But, aside for gratitude and petitions regarding our natural world, the Ember Days have traditionally been the time for ordinations, good reminders to us four times a year to pray for our priests and seminarians.  God bless all our wonderful priests!  And, most especially, prayers going up for all our seminarians -- some very dear to us shortly to be ordained in Omaha -- and our own son, Br. Philip (pictured on the right), who continues on his journey toward the priesthood with his compatriots at Mater Dei.  Our prayers and thoughts are with them always, but especially during Ember Week!


Sharing some good prayers for our seminarians and priests:

Daily Prayer for a SeminarianUntil his Ordination to the PriesthoodO Jesus, Eternal High Priest,
I offer You through Your Immaculate Mother Mary,
Your own Precious Blood, in all the Masses throughout the world, as petition for graces for all seminarians, Your future priests, especially for............

Give them humility, meekness, prudence, and a burning zeal for soul. Fill their hearts with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.Teach them to know and love the church, that they may always and everywhere speak, act, and think with her, the glorious spouse of Christ.

Teach them generosity and detachment from worldly goods; but above all, teach them to know You and to love the One and Only Eternal Priest. good Shepherd of Souls, hear this my prayer for saintly priests.
Amen

Prayer of St. Therese of Lisieux for Priests
1. 0 Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of your divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the cross; priests, who as a pledge of your own most tender love will lovingly give your divine Son to the souls of men.

May your priests be faithful guardians of your Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother's care and thoughtfulness towards your children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with you through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of your divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.

Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for your beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in your school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of your own spotless love.'


2.
O Jesus,
I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;

for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way
(especially …).
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

3.
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, 
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world’s contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation
here and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.

Because You Ashed...

All About Ashes

* Lent has been observed by the Church from the very earliest days, but the tradition of using ashes on the first day of Lent only showed up some time in the 10th century.  In 1091, at the council of Benevento, Pope Urban II ordered the local custom extended to the church in Rome, and soon thereafter we find liturgical writers of the time generally referring to the day as "Feria Quarta Cinerum" (Ash Wednesday) 

* "Why ashes?" you might ask.  Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief, and are found throughout the Old Testament, as well in numerous references in the New Testament, symbolizing grief or penance. It's recorded that in the 4th century (possibly even before) penitents dressed in sackcloth and sprinkled themselves with ashes to show sorrow for sin as imposed penances.

*  And where do those ashes come from?  The actual ashes, blessed, and applied to foreheads on Ash Wednesday are created by burning the palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday.  

*  Why on our heads?  The head is generally considered the "seat of pride," and the smudging or sprinkling of ashes thereon, the imposition of humility, a sign of penance for our sins, and a reminder of our mortality -- implicit in the words of the priest as he applies the ashes.

*  The words.  Where did they come from? "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return." This verse can be found in Genesis 3:19:  "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken: for dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return." This, of course, was God speaking to Adam and Eve.  Here's how Father says it to us on Ash Wednesday: Meménto, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris.


* When the distribution of ashes was first common in western Europe, they were literally distributed-- or strewn -- over men's heads, but, because women's heads were covered, they were placed more carefully by the priest upon their foreheads.  Eventually, this became the common method among men and women. (I expect the "strewing" made rather a mess.) The common  method in most places...

* Throughout many ages of the Church, the pope on Ash Wednesday has taken part in a penitential procession from the Church of Saint Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina, where, as is still the custom

in Italy and many other countries, ashes are sprinkled on top of his head, not smudged on his forehead. But not strewn, either.  He, in turn, places ashes on the heads of others in this way.

* Anyone may approach the altar on Ash Wednesday to receive ashes. Unlike its discipline regarding the Sacraments, the Church doesn't exclude anyone from receiving sacramentals, such as blessed ashes.  Non Catholics and even those not baptized may receive ashes.

Lenten Terminology

* The word "Lent" used by English speakers comes from the Old English "lencten," meaning "springtime."

*  The Latin name for Lent, Quadragesima, means forty and refers to the forty days Christ spent in the desert which is the origin of the Season.

* The Latin name Quadragesima gives rise to the words for Lent in other languages, for instance:  Spanish - cuaresma; Portuguese - quaresma; French - carême; Italian - guaresima; Croatian - korizma; Irish - carghas; and Welsh - carawys.

* In German (where the word for Lent is Fastenzeit), as well as in most Slavic languages, the common name for Lent is simply a phrase meaning "fasting time." A Czech would refer to this season as postní doba or "great fast,"  someone from Poland would say wielki, and Lent would be fasten or fastetid in Norway.

*  Known as Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent marks the halfway point between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday and has been so-called due to the first word in the Introit, Laetare, meaning Rejoice!  This is the Sunday when the priest wears rose color vestments signifying joy (at being half-way to Easter!).

* The fourth Sunday in Lent has traditionally been known as Mothering Sunday in the United Kingdom, corresponding to the American custom of Mothers' Day (2nd Sunday in May) and originated in the sixteenth century celebration of Holy Mother Church on this half-way marker in Lent.

* The last two weeks of Lent are known as Passiontide, made up of Passion Week and Holy Week

* The sixth Sunday in Lent, known as Palm Sunday, begins Holy Week, the final week of Lent

* Wednesday of Holy Week, also called Holy Wednesday or Spy Wednesday, commemorates Judas' spying of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, before giving Him the kiss of betrayal the next day.

* Thursday in Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday (Why it's called Maundy here) and is the day on which we remember the Last Supper, the first Mass, as it was shared by Christ with His disciples

* The last three days of Holy Week -- Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday -- are known as the Sacred Triduum.

 The Basic Specs

* There are 44 days of Lent in the Roman Catholic Church, but many other churches, which celebrate Lent vary both the span of time and the beginning and end dates.

• The Ambrosian Rite begins the Sunday after Ash Wednesday, includes all Sundays, but not Holy Thursday
•  The Eastern Rites begin Lent on the Monday after Ash Wednesday ("Clean Monday") and include all Sundays, but ends on the Friday before Sunday and is followed by a separate and distinct period of fasting up until Easter
• The Oriental Rites observe eight weeks of Lent in which Saturdays and Sundays are exempted (and the fasts themselves have quite different rules, as well).

* Also observing Lent among Non Catholic Christian sects: Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists, as well as some evangelical sects and Anabaptists.

What Catholics Do in Lent

* In preparation for the greatest feast of the year, Jesus' resurrection at Easter, Catholics follow a forty day program of prayer and discipline designed to fine tune their spiritual lives, distancing themselves from worldly things in order to move closer to God.  We sacrifice in Lent in union with Christ's sacrifice on Calvary.

* In the effort to distance themselves from the world, most Catholics choose to sacrifice small things voluntarily -- in addition to the fasting and abstinence required of the Church.  These little sacrifices range from giving up sweets, to abstaining from television or social media.  Going out of the way to perform charitable acts or to read spiritual books are also good ways to grow spiritually during Lent. Sometimes little penances can be devised just to elicit mindfulness of the Lenten season. One of our daughters chose to wear purple every day during Lent; one of our sons ate oatmeal for breakfast every single day (and may not have let a spoonful pass his lips since!)  But these are the voluntary mortifications, personal pacts between ourselves and God.  They're not required, not mandatory, and there is no penalty for not making your own sacrifices during Lent, and slipping up on them is a lost opportunity, not a sin (unless it's done with spite, of course). But...

 The Church, knowing human nature and how easily we slip out of doing what's good for us has, indeed, mandated some certain Lenten sacrifices for all Catholics (without impediments like ill health or age, etc.).  Like a mother who  has rules of the house, requiring her children to brush their teeth, clean their rooms, and eat healthy food, Mother Church has rules, too, ones she requires us, as Catholics to follow.  Here are the rules for Lent:

  * Fast and Abstinence

(The uniform norms for fast and abstinence adopted in 1951 by the bishops of the United States, modified at their November 1956 meeting' as observed by most traditional Catholics in our country.  All rules of fast and abstinence can be modified by a local bishop.)

Abstinence (of meat)

1. Everyone over 7 years of age is bound to observe the law of abstinence.

2. Complete abstinence is to be observed on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. On days of complete abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may not be used at all.

3. Partial abstinence is to be observed on Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and the Vigil of Pentecost. On days of partial abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may be taken only once a day at the principal meal.

Fasting

1. Everyone 21 - 59 years of age is bound to observe the law of fast.

2. The days of fast are all the days in Lent except Sundays, the Ember Days and Vigils of Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

3. On days of fast, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs; but together they should not equal another full meal.

4. Meat may be taken at the principal meal on a day of fast except on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

5. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.

6. Where health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. In doubt concerning fast or abstinence, a parish priest or confessor should be consulted.

* There is no obligation for fast or abstinence on a holy day of obligation, even if it falls on a Friday.

* Confession and Holy Communion

* Catholics are required to make a good Confession at least once during the Season of Lent to fulfill the precept of the Church that we go to Confession at least once a year, and having made a good Confession, we must receive the Eucharist at least once a year during Eastertide (the time between Shrove Tuesday and Pentecost).

* Shrove Tuesday, incidentally, refers to the day immediately preceding Ash Wednesday. Many of the faithful go to Confession to be "shriven," or forgiven of all sins in preparation for a pious Lent on this day.  It's not required to confess on Shrove Tuesday, though; any time during Lent and Eastertide works for making the Catholic "Easter Duty,"  

* A beautiful old custom, NOT by any means mandated by the Church has to do with with Lenten Confession: before going to see the priest for "shriving," Catholics used to bow before each member of the household (and to anyone they've sinned against), and say, "In the Name of Christ, forgive me if I've offended you." The response would have been: "God will forgive you." Note that confessing sins to a priest is a Sacrament which remits mortal and venial sins; confessing sins to those you've offended is a sacramental which does not take the place of true Confession before a priest (Auricular Confession), but is, nevertheless, good for the soul.

So, here goes:  All my reading public, friends, and family: 

 In the Name of Christ, do please forgive me if I've offended you!

By long wordy posts
By too many posts

I really am truly sorry.
I'll try to do better.

By too few posts
By quotes and facts not properly attributed or images borrowed without permission
By poor self-editing: improperly placed commas, typos, run-on sentences, fragments, & misspellings
By not always checking to be sure all my links work
By sounding like a know-it-all
By sounding like an ignoramus
By neglecting to follow up on comments
By being snarky
By posting on my kids without making sure they were OK with it first
By being so absent at my friends' blogs this year
By not always triple-checking all my facts
By anything I may have written, said or done that offended anyone --



Hope everyone was able to kick off Lent 2015 in the best way possible today and that it's a blessed and fruitful season!

Following the Path to the Cross

with Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.  in the Liturgical Year

Wednesday of Holy Week (Spy Wednesday)

The chief priests and the ancients of the people have met today in one of the rooms adjoining the temple, for the purpose of deliberating on the best means of putting Jesus to death.  Several plans are discussed.  Would it be prudent to lay hands upon Him at this season of the feast of the Pasch, when the city is filled with strangers, who have received a favourable impression of Jesus from the solemn ovation given to Him three days back?  Then, too, are there not a great number of inhabitants of Jerusalem, who took part in that triumph and whose enthusiastic admiration of Jesus might excite them to rise up in His defence? These considerations persuade them not to have recourse to any violent measure, at least for the present, as a sedition among the people might be the consequence, and its promoters, even were they to escape being ill-treated by the people, would be brought before the tribunal of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.  They therefore come to the resolution of letting the feast pass quietly over, before apprehending Jesus.

But these blood-thirsty men are making all these calculations as though they were the masters.  They are, if they will, shrewd assassins, who put off their murder to a more convenient day; but the divine decrees, which from all eternity have prepared a Sacrifice, for the world's salvation, have fixed this very year's Pasch as the day of the Sacrifice, and tomorrow evening the holy city will re-echo with the trumpets which proclaim the opening of the feast.  The figurative lamb is now to make way for the true one; the Pasch of this year will substitute the reality for the type; and Jesus' Blood, shed by the hands of wicked priests, is soon to flow simultaneously with that of victims, which have been hitherto acceptable to God only because they prefigured the Sacrifice of Calvary.  The Jewish priesthood is about to be its own executioner, by immolating Him, whose Blood is to abrogate the ancient Alliance, and perpetuate the new one.

But how are Jesus' enemies to get possession of their divine Victim, so as to avoid a disturbance in the city?  There is only one plan that could succeed, and they have not thought of it: it is treachery.  Just at the close of their deliberations, they are told that one of Jesus' disciples seeks admission.  They admit him, and he says to them:  'What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?' (1)  They are delighted at this proposition:  and yet, how is it that they, doctors of the law, forget that this infamous bargain between themselves and Judas has all been foretold by David, in Psalm cviii?  They know the Scriptures from beginning to end:  how comes it that they forget the words of the Prophet, who even mentions the sum of thirty pieces of silver? (2)  Judas asks them what they will give; and they give him thirty pieces of silver! 

 All is arranged; tomorrow, Jesus will be in Jerusalem, eating the Pasch with His disciples.  In the evening He will go, as usual, to the garden on Mount Olivet.  But how shall they, who are sent to seize Him, be able to distinguish Him from His disciples?  Judas will lead the way; he will show them which is Jesus, by going up to Him and kissing Him!

Such is the impious scheme devised on this day, within the precincts of the temple of Jerusalem.  To testify her detestation at it, and to make atonement to the Son of God for the outrage thus offered Him, the holy Church, from the earliest ages, has consecrated the Wednesday of every week to penance.  In our own times, the fast of Lent begins on a Wednesday;  and when the Church ordained that we should commence each of the four seasons of the year with fasting (Ember Days), Wednesday was chosen to be one of the three days thus consecrated to bodily mortification...

At Rome, the Station for today is in the basilica of St. Mary Major.  Let us compassionate with our holy Mother, whose heart is filled with poignant grief at the foresight of the Sacrifice which is preparing.
1. St. Matt. xxvi. 15
2. Ibid. xxvii. Zach. xi. 12

The Office of Tenebrae

On this and the two following days, the Church anticipates the night Office;  she celebrates it on the previous evening of each day, and this in order that the faithful may be present at it.  The Matins and Lauds of Maundy Thursday, are, therefore, said this afternoon.  The faithful should make every effort to assist at this solemn Office, seeing it is on their account that the Church has changed her usual hours.  As to the merit there is in joining in it, there can be no doubt that it is to be preferred to any private devotions.  The surest means for obtaining favours from God, and winning Him to our requests, is to approach Him through the Church...

The Form of the Night Office

The Office of Matins and Lauds, for the last three days of Holy Week differs, in many things, from that of the rest of the year.  All is sad and mournful, as though it were a funeral service: nothing could more emphatically express the grief that now weighs down the heart of our holy mother the Church.  Throughout all the Office of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, she forbids herself the use of those formulas of joy and hope, wherewith, on all other days, she begins her praise of God...

The name of Tenebrae* has been given to the Matins and Lauds of the last three days of Holy Week, because this Office used formerly to be celebrated during the night; and even when the hour was anticipated, the name of Tenebrae was kept up for another reason, namely, that it began with daylight, but ended after the sun had set.  there is an impressive ceremony, peculiar to this Office, which tends to perpetuate its name. 

There is placed in the sanctuary, near the altar, a large triangular candlestick holding fifteen candles.  These candles, and the six that are on the altar, are of yellow wax, as in the office for the dead.  At the end of each psalm or canticle, one of these fifteen candles is extinguished; but the one which is placed at the top of the triangle is lighted.  During the singing of the Benedictus, at Lauds;  the six candles on the altar are also put out.  Then the master of ceremonies takes the lighted candle from the triangle, and holds it upon he altar, on the epistle side, while the choir repeats the antiphon after the canticle:  after which he hides it behind the altar during the recitation of the Miserere and the prayer which follows the psalm.  As soon as this prayer is finished, a noise is made with the seats and stalls in the choir, which continues until the candle is brought from behind the altar and shows, by its light, that the Office of Tenebrae is over..

Following is an audio (the screen remains blank throughout) which illustrates what is meant by "a noise is made with the seats and stalls in the choir"...



This pandemonium which signals the end of Tenebrae is called the strepitus, which is Latin for "great noise." :)

*  Definition/Etymology of Tenebrae: Tenebrae \Ten"e*br[ae]\, noun. Latin expression, plural, darkness.

Candlemas Day!

Today celebrates Our Blessed Mother's obedience to the ancient Jewish law requiring mothers to come to the temple forty days after the birth of a child for a ritual purification and the customary presentation of the infant to the temple leaders. As you might imagine, Mary, perfect in body and soul didn't actually require any purification, but she teaches us humility, obedience, and respect for tradition by submitting to this mosaic law.

The parallel custom in the Catholic church today is the Churching ceremony, which is not required of mothers as Mary's purification was in her day, but is a wonderful blessing for mothers to receive after the birth of children. Isn't it wonderful the care that the Church has always taken of us wives and mothers? One of the chief prayers of the marriage blessing is meant especially for our benefit as wives and future mothers, and we can receive the benefit of the mother's blessing from our priest during our pregnancies (Ask him!), as well as the special ritual of thanksgiving and petition at the Churching ceremony, after our children are born. God knows our job is not an easy one, and provides for us with many prayers and helps!

This day also commemorates the fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation of the Infant Jesus at the Temple, and is the day upon which one of the chief blessings of the Church takes place. We have the blessing of the palms on Palm Sunday, the blessing of the ashes on Ash Wednesday, the holy water is blessed on Holy Saturday, and the blessing of candles, today, on Candlemas Day (aka: the Feast of the Purification).

It was on this day that Mary and Joseph met both the holy widow, Anna and the prophet, Simeon at the temple. Simeon prophesied the coming sorrows of the Blessed Mother, saying, "Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed."

This quote is familiar to most of us, but, upon first seeing the Infant Savior, he also spoke the following words, which prompted the Church's choice of this day for the blessing of candles:

"Now dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, In peace, according to Thyword: For mine own eyes hath seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared inthe sight of all the peoples, A light to reveal Thee to the nations And theglory of Thy people Israel."

So, we remember today at the blessing of candles that Christ is this light that Simeon is talking about.

It's on this day that we bring to the church our beeswax candles (at least 51%) to be blessed for home use. Every home should have blessed candles. They can be used at the home altar or for Advent candles, for instance, but are usually reserved for the most special occasions, due to the expense of the beesewax variety. They are generally used in the home for Extreme Unction, at dusk on all Saint's Day (according to this custom) and in the case of severe storms or other trouble or danger.

Other interesting tidbits about Candlemas Day:

* In Mexico, the person who got the hidden ring in the traditional Three Kings Cake on the Epiphany is responsible for throwing a party on this day. Tamales and hot chocolate are the traditional fare! (So that means my husband should be throwing us a part tonight, since he got the coveted ring. &:o) Are you reading this, dear?)

*But in many European countries, crepes are the order of the day, either sweet or savory. Catholic Cuisine has a great crepe recipe for today, as well as some wonderful ideas for cakes shaped like candles to celebrate the feast.

*Aussie Annie has some wonderful craft ideas for today, all involving candles, and Kimberly, at Catholic Family Vignettes has posted a wealth of ideas and links today!

*We've always got to have at least one coloring page, so here is one with St. Simeon and the Holy Family.

*Tomorrow, on the Feast of St. Blaise, two of the blessed candles from today will be used by priests to bless throats in parishes around the world.

*It's Groundhog Day in the saecular world today, while Catholic tradition places the custom of determining (guessing!) the weather of the last three winter months on the Ember Days of Winter.  You can backtrack at the National Weather Center Archives to locate what the weather was in your area on the Ember Days and see if it holds true for you where you live.

* The German Catholic custom, from which Punxatawny Phil derives is best described by this little poem:

If Candlemas is mild and pure,

Winter will be long for sure.

When it storms and snows on Candlemas Day,

Spring is not far away;

If it's bright and clear,

Spring is not yet near.

* The symbol for this day, other than candles, is snowdrops, the earliest of the flowering bulbs. According to my favorite source, Fisheaters, snowdrops "are known as "Candlemas Bells" because, being the usual earliest blooming flower of all, they often bloom before Candlemas (some varieties bloom all winter long in some places). Legend says that they sprang up by the hand of an angel, who then pointed them out as a sign of hope to Eve, who was weeping in repentance and in despair over the cold and death that entered into the world after she and her husband sinned. Because our Hope is Christ, the Light of the World as Simeon says in his canticle today, it is providential that the snowdrop should bloom by this Feast! If possible, gather some Candlemas Bells to bring inside (folk belief is that bringing them indoors before this date is bad luck, and bringing them indoors today "purifies" one's house.) These flowers, along with carnations, are also the "birth flower" for those born in January."

* This is the last day of Christmas ~ officially! If you haven't taken your tree and house decorations down by now, you can't defend yourself if you're called a slacker. For a little homemaking inspiration, here is an old poem that ties together our liturgical year with home decorating, gardening and an appreciation for the rightful passing of the seasons:

CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE

by Robert Herrick

DOWN with the rosemary and bays,

Down with the misletoe ;

Instead of holly, now up-raise

The greener box (for show).

The holly hitherto did sway ;

Let box now domineer

Until the dancing Easter day,

Or Easter's eve appear.

Then youthful box which now hath grace

Your houses to renew ;
Grown old, surrender must his place
Unto the crisped yew.
When yew is out, then birch comes in,

And many flowers beside ;

Both of a fresh and fragrant kin

To honour Whitsuntide.

Green rushes, then, and sweetest bents,
With cooler oaken boughs,

Come in for comely ornaments
To re-adorn the house.

Thus times do shift ; each thing his turn does hold ;

New things succeed, as former things grow old.

Happy Candlemas Day, Friends!

BTW: This is another re-post, this time from 2009.  

Celebrating the Liturgical Year: February at a Glance

February is the month of
The Sacred Passion

Surely I'm not the only one who sees February coming up on the calendar and grimaces. It's a rough slog, February, but it's the month of the Sacred Passion of Jesus, and one we can get through with merit and a sense of accomplishment remembering Our Lord's road to Calvary, the toughest slog in history, and how love made it doable. It's appropriate somehow that Lent almost always begins in this month. There's a lot to offer up, ipso facto.

A favorite children's book of ours, The Forty-six Little Men, features (or, well, doesn't feature) a character called "Dull and Dreary." His name could also be February. Smack in the middle of winter, gray and cold and bleh, February feels chiefly penitential (unless you're a skiier or are in the Valentine's card business). What we can usually expect from February is all the best of: 

1) snow and/or  

2) mud;

 3) diet food (salad and beets and cabbage), or 

4) broken diet resolutions from last month. 

It's one of those perfectly appropriate happenstances (definitely not an accident in the Divine plan) that Ash Wednesday almost always falls somewhere in February. This can be a good thing, of course, practically speaking, citing February Feature #4 (above). There's nothing better than accountability to God for adding a spark of conscience to all those New Year's Resolutions! But, still. (==I sigh==) Lent. I get how a person might like the  Long Forty  for its effects -- but, seriously, you're in line for sainthood behind St. Simon Stylites if you charge gleefully into Lent because you actually enjoy the process. That's tantamount to enjoying getting your teeth cleaned. Or childbirth. The results are great! Getting to the results, not so much.

We've always told the kids: if you like Lent, you're not doing it right. 

And we're only half kidding. (Or maybe one quarter kidding,) There are Lenten sacrifices and there are Lenten Sacrifices. Giving up enough to make it a challenge isn't fun. Giving up chocolate if you rarely have chocolate does not impress me. Sorry. But, giving up coffee when your friends don't recognize you without a coffee cup in your hand? That's something. Something hard.  And, like my Marine son tells his children, "Doing a hard thing is a good thing!"  And doing a hard thing out of love for God is a great thing! (I can say this right now as I have a coffee cup at my elbow, but ask me again a month from now how impressed I am with myself.... It pains, the very thought.)

Typical of God's wisdom, too, is that the Church, which encourages us to make these extra sacrifices during this penitential season, cautions us not to go overboard and gives us the Lord's Day off every week. And let me tell you, after a rigorous week of good Catholic Lenting, a Sunday of innocent off-Lent pleasures is the best thing that happens all year! Man, oh man, does that cuppa coffee after Mass on a Lenten Sunday taste good! 

The word Lent may conjure in my minds words like Dull and Dreary and Painful and Prickly, but there's consolation, looking forward to a day of sweet relief every seven days -- followed, after forty days, by the Big Blast of Awesome Wonder at Easter! There's nothing better than Easter after a good hard Lent! Nothing on earth! I imagine it's a little tiny glimpse of what heaven must be like after a long life of frustration and deprivation and sacrifices aimed in the right direction. Times a bazillion. Something to look forward to at the end of our days, hopefully, and if we make for ourselves a good challenging Lent, we get to enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done -- on April 4th this year!

So, anyway... What to be thinking about in the meantime, at the beginning of February: Yeah. Lent is coming. That's the first thing. But that's not all. Here's a quick look ahead to all the other moving parts of the Liturgical Year:

February 1st

St. Ignatius of Antioch

If you've ever heard an allusion (in early Christian writings) to a man known as Theophorus, this is St. Ignatius of Antioch. The third bishop of Antioch (modern day Turkey), St. Ignatius was a native of Syria, but died in Rome between 98 and 117 AD. After a life of trials and persecutions as an important leader of the Eastern Church, he continuously exhorted his people to have courage in the face of trial and very possible death. Always preparing himself for the same likelihood during the great persecutions at that time and expecting trouble in an upcoming visit to the capital city of the empire, he wrote to the Christians of Rome begging them to not try to be heroes in his defense and deprive him of his own opportunity of martyrdom.

As much as the Roman Christians may have wanted to save the pious and courageous bishop, they obeyed his request and Ignatius was martyred soon after arriving in Rome. His relics were brought home to Antioch and translated twice within Syria before ending up at St. Clement's Church in Rome, where they rest to this day.

 St. Ignatius is known for being the first to refer in writing to the early Christians as Catholics -- this term acknowledging and celebrating the universality of the Faith of Christ -- as early as the first century AD.

Two quotes of St. Ignatius:

• We recognize a tree by its fruit, and we ought to be able to recognize a Christian by his action.
• Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips, and the world in your heart.

 St. Brigid of Ireland

* A thorough overview of St. Brigid (with the slightest N.O. intro) can be found --- Here.

* She is the patroness of: babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, brewers, cattle, poultry raisers, children born out of wedlock, children living with abuse, dairy workers, the state of Florida, the city of Kildare, Ireland, fugitives, mariners, midwives, Religious Sisters, poets, printing presses, sailors, scholars, travelers, watermen.

* During one of her travels, St. Brigid went to visit a dying pagan chieftain. As she sat near his bed, she picked up some rushes on the floor and began weaving a Cross. He asked her about what she was doing and, in explaining, she told him about Christ and the meaning of the Cross. He came to faith and was baptized. (As per Fish Eaters) How to make St. Brigid's Crosses out of wheat straw or grasses -- Here.

February 2nd 

The Feast of the Purification

* Aka: Candlemas Day! The official closing ceremony of Christmastide. Every little thing about this feast day from origin and ceremony to pancakes and groundhogs --- Here and Here. Candlemas Day and "Churching" --- Here.

* Hopefully, you've already been able to procure some beeswax candles and will remember to take them with you to Mass today! These candles should have a place in every Catholic home; they are used during Sick Calls, Extreme Unction, funerals (when Baptismal candles are unavailable), during storms and inclement weather of any kind, and for private devotions after sunset on All Saints' Day.

February 3rd

St. Blaise

* Blessing of Throats Day! (Wash behind the kids' ears this morning!)

*  The story of this popular saint, with the script of the ceremony, misc. facts and prayers --- Here.

* St. Blaise is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. A venerable old Catholic list from tradition, patronage of these fourteen saints goes back to the Black Plague when their intercession was especially called upon.

The 14 Holy Helpers
St. George, Martyr, April 23
St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, February 3
St. Pantaleon, Martyr, July 27
St. Vitus, Martyr, June 15
St. Erasmus (Elmo), Bishop and Martyr, June 2
St. Christopher, Martyr, July 25
St. Giles, Abbot, September 1
St. Cyriacus (Cyriac), Martyr, August 8
St. Achatius, Martyr, May 8
St. Dionysius (Denis), Bishop and Martyr, October 9
St. Eustachius (Eustace), Martyr, September 20
St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr, November 25
St. Margaret of Antioch, Virgin and Martyr, July 20
St. Barbara, Virgin and Martyr, December 4

February 5th

St. Agatha 

Born circa 231 AD, St. Agatha was born in  Catania -- or Palermo, Sicily. She was martyred during the persecution of Decius in approximately 251 AD. She is one of several virgin martyrs who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.^[5]

Agatha in front of the judge as depicted in a
stained glass window from 1515 in Notre-Dame

Her story in a nutshell: according to the Golden Legend (by  Jacobus de Voragine, 13th c.), fifteen-year-
old Agatha, the child of a rich and noble family, rejected the amorous propositions of the Roman prefect Quintianus. Knowing she was a Christian and having no regard for her vow of virginity, Quintianus, persisted, until after multiple refusals, he reported her to the authorities, expecting her to give in when she was faced with torture and possible death. Instead, she reaffirmed her belief in God by praying: "Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil." (from the Golden Legend) With the intention of corrupting Agatha, Quintianus imprisoned her in a brothel, but Agatha, heroic as ever and buoyed by constant prayer never lost her confidence in God and remained unsullied and determined.

Enraged, Quintianus sent for her again, argued, threatened, and after her constant refusal to deny her faith, had her imprisoned and tortured. She was stretched on a rack to be torn with iron hooks, burned with torches, and whipped. Among the tortures she underwent was the cutting off of her breasts. Finally, though half-dead, Agatha remaining steadfast, was sentenced to be burnt burned at the stake, but an earthquake saved her from that fate. She was sent once again to prison where St. Peter, the first pope, appeared to her, healing her wounds, and she soon thereafter died in prison, about the year 251AD.

St. Agatha is the patron saint of Catania as well as several other principalities in Italy and Spain. She is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients, martyrs, wet nurses, bell-foundries, and bakers, and she invoked against fire, earthquakes, and eruptions of Mount Etna.

In honor of their patroness, February 3rd through 5th are days of great celebration in Catania, Sicily, full of ancient traditions. Go here to check it out!

The Martyrs of Japan

Their story:

In August, 1549,St. Francis Xavier (see above) sent his first Jesuit envoys,  Fr. Cosmo de Torres and Fr. Juan Fernandez to Kagoshima, Japan.  Following standard protocol of the time, a contingent of the Religious visited the "daimyo" (powerful local leader) of Kagoshima asking for permission to build  their mission within the boundaries of his territory, particularly as this would be first Catholic mission in Japan). Hoping that the presence of the mission would help create a trade relationship with Europe, Kagoshima assented.

Initially, the "shoguns" (the next rung up in Japanese leadership), as well as the imperial government initially supported these Catholic missionaries; in addition to promoting trade, they hoped that a little competition would reduce the power of the Buddhist monks in Japan that had begun to become problematic to the civil leadership. It didn't take long, however, before this theory was replaced by suspicion of the Jesuits' influence, as well. Fearing the global example of foreign takeovers by the west(known at the time as "colonialism"), the Japanese government aimed to nip the problem in the bud, outlawed Catholicism, and started persecuting Catholics. All Japanese converts who refused to abandon their faith were killed.

The Christian martyrs of Nagasaki. 16th-17th century Japanese painting.

In October, 1596, a Spanish galleon, the San Felipe, wrecked off the coast of Japan and the local daimyo seized the valuable cargo. In the aftermath of the incident, the captain of the ship, in an effort to regain the cargo (or in an effort to save his own life) injudiciously claimed that the purpose of Catholic missionaries was to prepare for inevitable invasion, thus cementing in the minds of the Japanese leaders, what had been ongoing rumors. Subsequently, the daimyo escalated the persecutions to include the missionaries, and 26 Catholics – four Spaniards, one Mexican, and one Portuguese from India (all Franciscan missionaries), three Japanese Jesuits, and 17 Japanese members of the Third Order of St. Francis, including three young boys – were executed by crucifixion in Nagasaki on February 5, 1597. Their feas tday remains on this date in commemoration of their steadfast bravery in the Faith.

Persecutions in Japan continued sporadically until the arrival of Western missionaries in the 19th century, but not before hundreds more Japanese Catholics earned the crown of martyrdom.

February 7th

Sexagesima Sunday

* Remote preparation for Easter, "Sexagesima" literally meaning "sixty" falls sixty days before Easter. It follows the first "heads up" feast day, Septuagesima (meaning "seventy"), on January 31st. Pretty good overview can be found --- Here.

February 10th

St. Scholastica

* Reflections on the Feast of St. Scholastica, twin sister of St. Benedict, by Dom Gueranger in The Liturgical year --- Here.

* Lovely St. Scholastica coloring page --- Here.

February 11th

Our Lady of Lourdes

* St. Bernadette's entire story of the apparitions at Lourdes can be found here. And another lovely version here.

* Here is a coloring page of Our Lady of Lourdes, courtesy of wonderful, talented Charlotte.

* Movies to watch: The1943 classic, The Song of Bernadette, And a new version, the one that is shown at Lourdes, Bernadette, and its sequel, The Passion of Bernadette,

* Books: A Holy Life: St. Bernadette of Lourdes,
Bernadette Speaks: A Life of Saint Bernadette Soubirous in Her Own Words
St. Bernadette Soubirous

* Many posts from AWTY over the years on St. Bernadette and Lourdes, if you click here.

* Websites to check out: the official Lourdes Sanctuary
official Saint Bernadette-Nevers site and tons of  photos of St. Bernadette

February 14th

Quinquagesima Sunday

* Meaning "fifty," Quinquagesima is the last Sunday of the remote preparation for Lent, preceding Ash Wednesday. If you haven't already started pondering what you want to give up for Lent this year, now is the time.  time to put a bug in the children's ears, too (so to speak). In years past, we had a special family meeting on this Sunday and either on this day or by Wednesday, at the latest, the children were required to write down their sacrifices on little bits of papers (sometimes especially decorated and placed in handmade envelopes, if I was being a creative kind of homeschool Mom at that time) and then they all slipped them under our Pieta statue, which is specially decorated for the season. This made each child's decision a commitment about which there were no "backsies," and placed the accountability exactly where it needed to be for a good Lent. (And also in case of memory loss or contention with siblings, Mom or Dad could just look it up. Came in handy more often than you would think, having it written down!)

and St. Valentine

* Prayer to St. Valentine for our children's choice of spouse 

Heavenly Father, we ask You to guide our children in the choice of spouse. Don't let them be carried away by false charms or be fascinated by mere outward glamour, but guide their minds to look beneath and beyond all external attractiveness for the deeper things which alone are worth while.

Especially let the choice be of one who is a fervent Catholic, true in thought and word and deed to those ideals which are Yours, especially the value of their purity.

Dear Father of us all, give Your guiding help to our children, who are Your children, too. We will be letting them go soon, but please don't ever let our children go from you. Amen

St. Valentine, patron of romantic love, pray for us!

* St. Valentine Day posts throughout the years (that might interest my family, especially -- as they show the children when they were so little), but there's other information of general interest, as well, including the history of the feast.

February 17th

Ash Wednesday

* All the factoids (lots of really neat stuff) concerning Ash Wednesday --- Here.

* What Catholics Need to Know Regarding Fast and Abstinence

(The uniform norms for fast and abstinence adopted in 1951 by the bishops of the United States, modified at their November 1956 meeting' as observed by most traditional Catholics in our country.  All rules of fast and abstinence can be modified by a local bishop.)

Abstinence (of meat)

1. Everyone over 7 years of age is bound to observe the law of abstinence.

2. Complete abstinence is to be observed on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. On days of complete abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may not be used at all.

3. Partial abstinence is to be observed on Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and the Vigil of Pentecost. On days of partial abstinence, meat and soup or gravy made from meat may be taken only once a day at the principal meal.

                                                                             Fasting

1. Everyone 21 - 59 years of age is bound to observe the law of fast.

2. The days of fast are all the days in Lent except Sundays, the Ember Days and Vigils of Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

3. On days of fast, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs; but together they should not equal another full meal.

4. Meat may be taken at the principal meal on a day of fast except on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigils of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

5. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.

6. Where health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. In doubt concerning fast or abstinence, a parish priest or confessor should be consulted.

* There is no obligation for fast or abstinence on a holy day of obligation, even if it falls on a Friday.

Also on February 17th

 

The Holy Family's Flight into Egypt

* Fascinating facts about the journey the Holy Family made from Bethlehem to Egypt. One of AWTY's most viewed posts, it has almost 8,000 hits! Go check it out --- Here.

February 21st

First Official Sunday of Lent

* We're free to lift our Lenten observances of fasting and other sacrifices on Lenten Sundays if we like. Some intrepid souls stick it out all the way through (more power to them!), but most of us appreciate the Church's Wisdom in allowing the break. 

For those who challenge themselves during Lent, this day off gains greater significance as the forty days progress, but this first Sunday can set the tone for the following six Sundays!  In an effort to encourage moderation (and discourage a pig-out free-for-all!), we've always allowed a prudent amount of snacking for the family, plus sweets and movies (we always gave up the latter two as a family), but we tried to make the day special by making a specific Lenten Sunday Grand Plan. Chief among the traditions in the Grand Plan was getting to watch an episode of the old "All Creatures Great and Small" series in the late afternoon, complete with a smorgasbord of popcorn, cheese, sliced fruit, and sausage.

 We still look forward to this annual tradition, even though Dan and I are the only ones home during Lent any more. We're especially excited this year, though, as we have a PBS remake of All Creatures to look forward to sampling! It's supposed to be family friendly... (Sure hope it is!) 

Take-away, not just for parents: It adds to the anticipation and feeling of reward for a week done well to personalize the day off (however you choose!) in a structured way! Instead of OD-ing on Forbidden Fruits of Lent, it's always helped us to add something different and special on Lenten Sundays that everyone will especially enjoy -- a new board game or a hike or ongoing series with wholesome themes, instead -- whatever works for you. Kids love the predictability -- and so do parents!

February 22nd

St. Peter's Chair at Antioch

* What on earth this feast day is all about --- Here.

* Interesting quote from Archbp Fulton J. Sheen  that somewhat correlates, as it pertains to the Chair of Peter today: "Is it any wonder then that St. Peter along with Ezekiel in the Old Testament speak of the destruction of the Temple and the persecution of the Church is coming from within. Ezekiel said, “Incipite a sanctuario meo,” and St. Peter; “Begin at my sanctuary.” Begin there in the sanctuary, and that was what was first destroyed when Titus and Vespasian took over Jerusalem. And Peter said that’s the way it will be at the end."  From Conference # 10 given by Archbishop Sheen for the Priests of the Archdiocese of Washington at Loyola,  (Aside: Say what you like about him, he was at least at one time, filled with the wisdom of the Holy Ghost. What happened during VII? Who knows?)

* Interesting interactive digital map that teaches about the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire --- Here.

February 24th

Ember Wednesday

* The Church gives us pause once every season of the year on Ember Days for remembering  to give thanks for all our blessings and to pray, in particular, our natural world (including weather), the custodians of our harvests, our farmers (and our own gardens), and the custodians of our souls -- our priests and seminarians. The Mass today reflects this focus. You can find some more explanation and some prayers for priests -- Here.

* Some Lenten Cheerleading to add some oomph to the last days before Holy Week and Easter -- Here.

and St. Matthias, the Apostle

* The apostle who replaced Judas! Reflections from The Liturgical Year about St. Matthias --- Here.

* The only apostle not directly chosen by Christ, this day is a good one to talk about Apostolic Succession, as here proven to be a fact of the earliest function of the Church. My Catholic Faith is a good source of information.

February 26th

Ember Friday

* Full abstinence is required today, as always on Fridays for all healthy Catholics between the ages of 7 and 59; for all Catholics between the ages of 21 and 59, fasting (as described above) is also the order of the day -- but, as it's Lent, it is rather a moot point, like watering a lawn while it's raining. 

and the feast of  St. Mechtilde

* Short Biography: "The Nightingale of Helfta," St Mechtilde, famous now as the mentor of St. Gertrude the Great, was known in her own time for the beauty of her voice and her gift for music, as well as for her academic ability, and her wise counsel. Eventually becoming the Abbess of the Cistercian Convent at Rodersdorf, Germany, where she had lived from the age of seven, St. Mechtilde was a mystic, as well, was a precursor to St. Gertrude and St. Margaret Mary as a devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and is known to have been the given by the Blessed Mother, herself, the devotion of the Three Hail Marys.

Having prayed for aid in the quest of her eternal salvation and especially for to come bringing her assistance at the hour of her death, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Mechtilde and reassured her, saying: "Yes, I will! But I wish, for your part, that you recite three Hail Marys every day, remembering in the first the Power received from the Eternal Father, in the second the Wisdom received from the Son, with the third one the Love that has filled the Holy Spirit". The Blessed Virgin taught her to pray and to understand especially how the three Hail Marys honor the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

* Today would be a good day to explore sacred music, especially from the time of St. Mechtilde and St. Gertrude (1240-1298)

* Have a listen --- here --- here --- and  Here (The Mass of St. Mechtilde by CMRI/OLS choir, Denver

February 27th

St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother

* Short biography (of one of our family patrons!) --- Here. St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, the Young Men's Little Flower.

* St. Gabriel Possenti is on our saints from large families list, the eleventh of thirteen children!

February 28th

2nd Sunday of Lent

* Last day of February and 30 days of Lent left to go!