February 2022 - Overview for the Month
Description
The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family.
Highlights
February 2
Presentation
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."
Recipe of the Month
Heart Cakes
St. Valentine's Day is a joyful feast, and there's no better way to observe it than by exchanging sweet, heart-shaped confections.
Activity of the Month
Candlemas Ceremony
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.
Jesus, who hast made Thyself obedient to Thy parents, to Thee be ever glory, with the supreme Father and with the Spirit.
Publisher & Date
Catholic Culture, July 6, 2021
The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of February 2022
Religious Sisters and Consecrated Women: We pray for religious sisters and consecrated women; thanking them for their mission and their courage; may they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times. (See also Apostleship of Prayer)
Feasts for February
2. Feast of Presentation of the Lord, Feast3. Blaise; Ansgar, Opt. Mem.
5. Agatha, Memorial
6. Paul Miki and Companions, Memorial
7. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday
8. Jerome Emiliani; Josephine Bakhita, Opt. Mem.
10. Scholastica, Memorial
11. Our Lady of Lourdes, Opt. Mem.
14. Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday
21. First Sunday of Lent, Sunday
22. Feast of Chair of St. Peter, Feast
23. Polycarp of Smyrna, Opt. Mem.
28. Second Sunday of Lent, Sunday
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 6th - Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time | This Gospel is about the miraculous catch of fishes after Peter and the Apostles had fished all night. |
February 13 - Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time | The Gospel is about the Sermon on the Mount. |
February 20 - Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time | Jesus says "the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you" |
February 27 - Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time | Jesus says to remove the wooden beam from your own eye before removing the splinter in your brother's eye. |
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 (February 2) 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 saints that we will focus on this month and try to imitate are St. Blaise (February 3), St. Agatha (February 5), St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8), St. Scholastica (February 10), Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11), Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14), Seven Founders of the Orders of Servites (February 17), St. Peter Damian (February 21), the Chair of St. Peter (February 22) and St. Polycarp (February 23).
The feast of St. Paul Miki & Companions (February 6) is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.
From Feast to Fast
Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity. It 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 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 prepare to accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (March 2) and plunge ourselves into anticipating 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. This item 12539 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
