kong
02-16-2010, 12:41 PM
February, 2010 - Overview for the Month
The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/02_1.cfm. Half of February falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/ordinary_time/ which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green, the symbol of hope, is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The remaining days of February are the beginning of Lent http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/lent/. The liturgical color changes to purple a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart.
The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of February 2010
General: For all scholars and intellectuals, that by means of sincere search for the truth they may arrive at an understanding of the one true God.
Missionary: That the Church, aware of its own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples.
Feasts for February
The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated during the month of February are:
2. Presentation of the Lord, Feast http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-02
3. Blaise; Ansgar, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-03
5. Agatha, Memorial
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-05
6. Paul Miki and Companions, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-06
7. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-07
8. Jerome Emiliani; Josephine Bakhita, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-08
10. Scholastica, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-10
11. Our Lady of Lourdes, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-11
14. Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-14
21. First Sunday of Lent, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-21
22. Chair of St. Peter, Feast http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-22
23. Polycarp of Smyrna, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-23
28. Second Sunday of Lent, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-28
Focus of the Liturgy
The Gospel readings for the Sundays in February are taken from St. Luke and are from Year C Cycle 2 of the readings.
February 7th - Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Gospel is about call of the first four Apostles.
February 14th - Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Gospel is about the Sermon on the Mount.
February 21th - First Sunday of Lent
The Gospel is about Jesus' temptation in the desert.
February 28th - Second Sunday of Lent
The Gospel relates the story of the Transfiguration of Christ.
Highlights of the Month
The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.
The Feast of the Presentation or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. The middle of the month will find us on Ash Wednesday accepting the ashes that remind us of our mortality and our need for penance.
The saints that we will focus on this month and try to imitate are St. Blaise (February 3), St. Agatha (February 5), St. Paul Miki & Companions (February 6), St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8), St. Scholastica (February 10), Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11), The Chair of St. Peter (February 22) and St. Polycarp (February 23). The feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14) and will not be celebrated this year because it is superceded by Sunday.
From Feast to Fast
Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity, for it begins in one Liturgical Season (Ordinary Time), ends in another (Lent), and contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter)! In addition, the faithful may receive in February two of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats.
The Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2004-02-02 on February 2nd harkens back to the Christmas mystery of Light except that now, Christ, the helpless babe, is the Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save his people from their sins. Candles, symbolizing Christ our Light, will be carried in procession this day, as will be the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil Liturgy.
"The Light of Revelation" shines more brightly with each successive Sunday of Ordinary Time, until its magnificence exposing our sinfulness and need for conversion propels us into the penitential Season of Lent. We accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (February 25) and plunge ourselves into the major exercises of Lent fasting, prayer, almsgiving laying our thoughts and prayers on the heart of our Mother Mary. She, who offered her Son in the temple and on the Cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow after her Son.
Ideally, the members of the domestic church should try to have the candles for their home altar blessed on Candlemas Day (February 2nd); and the next morning, on the Feast of St. Blaise, all might receive the blessing of the throats. Always a solicitous Mother, the Church offers this sacramental during the wintry month of February, and also sets aside the World Day of Prayer for the Sick on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/02_1.cfm. Half of February falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/ordinary_time/ which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green, the symbol of hope, is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The remaining days of February are the beginning of Lent http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/lent/. The liturgical color changes to purple a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart.
The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of February 2010
General: For all scholars and intellectuals, that by means of sincere search for the truth they may arrive at an understanding of the one true God.
Missionary: That the Church, aware of its own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples.
Feasts for February
The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated during the month of February are:
2. Presentation of the Lord, Feast http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-02
3. Blaise; Ansgar, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-03
5. Agatha, Memorial
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-05
6. Paul Miki and Companions, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-06
7. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-07
8. Jerome Emiliani; Josephine Bakhita, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-08
10. Scholastica, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-10
11. Our Lady of Lourdes, Opt. Mem. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-11
14. Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-14
21. First Sunday of Lent, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-21
22. Chair of St. Peter, Feast http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-22
23. Polycarp of Smyrna, Memorial http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-23
28. Second Sunday of Lent, Sunday http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-02-28
Focus of the Liturgy
The Gospel readings for the Sundays in February are taken from St. Luke and are from Year C Cycle 2 of the readings.
February 7th - Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Gospel is about call of the first four Apostles.
February 14th - Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Gospel is about the Sermon on the Mount.
February 21th - First Sunday of Lent
The Gospel is about Jesus' temptation in the desert.
February 28th - Second Sunday of Lent
The Gospel relates the story of the Transfiguration of Christ.
Highlights of the Month
The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ's public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.
The Feast of the Presentation or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother's arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice. The middle of the month will find us on Ash Wednesday accepting the ashes that remind us of our mortality and our need for penance.
The saints that we will focus on this month and try to imitate are St. Blaise (February 3), St. Agatha (February 5), St. Paul Miki & Companions (February 6), St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8), St. Scholastica (February 10), Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11), The Chair of St. Peter (February 22) and St. Polycarp (February 23). The feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14) and will not be celebrated this year because it is superceded by Sunday.
From Feast to Fast
Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity, for it begins in one Liturgical Season (Ordinary Time), ends in another (Lent), and contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter)! In addition, the faithful may receive in February two of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats.
The Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2004-02-02 on February 2nd harkens back to the Christmas mystery of Light except that now, Christ, the helpless babe, is the Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save his people from their sins. Candles, symbolizing Christ our Light, will be carried in procession this day, as will be the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil Liturgy.
"The Light of Revelation" shines more brightly with each successive Sunday of Ordinary Time, until its magnificence exposing our sinfulness and need for conversion propels us into the penitential Season of Lent. We accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (February 25) and plunge ourselves into the major exercises of Lent fasting, prayer, almsgiving laying our thoughts and prayers on the heart of our Mother Mary. She, who offered her Son in the temple and on the Cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow after her Son.
Ideally, the members of the domestic church should try to have the candles for their home altar blessed on Candlemas Day (February 2nd); and the next morning, on the Feast of St. Blaise, all might receive the blessing of the throats. Always a solicitous Mother, the Church offers this sacramental during the wintry month of February, and also sets aside the World Day of Prayer for the Sick on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.