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February, 2008 - Overview for the Month
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The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family. The first five of February fall during the liturgical season known as 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. The liturgical color changes to purple — a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a contrite heart.
General: That the mentally handicapped may not be marginalized but respected and lovingly helped to live in a way worthy of their physical and social condition.
Missionary: That Institutes of Consecrated Life, so flourishing in mission countries, may rediscover the missionary dimension and, faithful to the radical choice of Gospel counsels, be generous in bearing witness to Christ and proclaiming Him to the ends of the earth.
The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated
during the month of February are:
The Gospel readings for the Sundays in February are taken from St. Matthew and St. John and are from Year A, Cycle 2.
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 beginning 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. Agatha (February 5), St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8), Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11), Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14), The Chair of St. Peter (February 22) and St. Polycarp (February 23). The feasts of St. Blaise (February 3), St. Paul Miki & Companions (February 6) and St. Scholastica (February 10) will not be celebrated this year because they are superceded by Sunday and Ash Wednesday.
The Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord 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 6) 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.
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Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Highlights
February 2
Presentation of the Lord  This
feast is a festival of light. The procession, in which the blessed
candles are carried by clergy and faithful, recalls by its symbolism
the manifestation of Christ, the Light of the world, received in
the temple. "A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the
glory of Thy people Israel." St. Valentine's Day is a joyful feast, and there's
no better way to observe it than by exchanging sweet, heart-shaped
confections.
The family, who with lighted candles goes in
spirit to the Temple with our Lady, will learn a wonderful lesson
of her humility.
Symbols
The bishop of Smyrna was condemned to death by burning. The flames refused to do their task, billowing about like sails, exposing the bishop's figure in a radiant light. A soldier used his spear to end the spectacle.
The sister of St. Benedict, and founder of a Benedictine convent not far from Monte Cassino. It is related that St. Benedict had a vision of a dove rising just before he received word of her death.
During the Decian persecution, St. Agatha, a Sicilian of noble birth, died under torture rather than break her vow of lifelong consecration to Christ.
The patroness of gardens is particularly well known in the little villages of southern Europe. Her feast is locally celebrated on Feb. 6. The symbol is descriptive of her zeal for the Faith.
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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.
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.
