Daybreak

Ash Wednesday; the beginning of Lent; a day of fast and abstinence Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/17/21 Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Juliana of Nicomedia; as a Christian convert, she refused to marry a pagan; she was imprisoned, tortured, and martyred in about 304 A.D.; patroness for safe delivery of women in labor, and for protection from fever and contagious diseases Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/16/21 Gospel: Mark 8:14-21

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Claude de la Colombiere, 1641-1682; friend and spiritual companion of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and helped promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; sent to England where he was imprisoned, and then banished Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/15/21 Gospel: Mark 8:11-13

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/14/21 Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Catherine de Ricci, 1522-1589; became a Dominican nun at a very young age, and was eventually elected perpetual prioress of her community; known for her sanctity; experienced the “Ecstasy of the Passion” every Thursday and Friday for twelve years Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/13/21 Gospel: Mark 8:1-10

Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Julian the Hospitaler; born around 7 A.D.; legend says that he killed his parents in a case of mistaken identity; he and his wife went to Rome and received absolution; Julian built an inn and a hospital for the poor; patron of boatmen, innkeepers, and travelers Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/12/21 Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes; the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, and has since revitalized the faith of many of the people of France, and throughout the world Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/11/21 Gospel: Mark 7:24-30

Memorial of St. Scholastica, 480-542; twin sister of St. Benedict; founded a religious community of women near Monte Cassino, near Benedict’s monastery; met with her brother once per year to discuss spiritual matters Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/10/21 Gospel: Mark 7:14-23

Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alto; arrived near Augsburg, Germany about 743 A.D., lived in a hut in wild lands; became reputed for holiness and austerity; founded an abbey on land given him by King Pepin; died 760 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/9/21 Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, 1486-1537; imprisoned while a soldier; learned to pray, and when released, studied for the priesthood; founded the Clerks Regular of Somasca, dedicated to the care of orphans and the education of youth; died from a disease caught while tending the sick Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/8/21 Gospel: Mark 6:53-56

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/7/21 Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Memorial of St. Agatha, 230-251; arrested as a Christian and sent to a house of prostitution to be mistreated; she was preserved from being violated, but was sentenced to death Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/5/21 Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph of Leonissa, 1556-1612; Capuchin who ministered to Christian galley slaves working under Turkish masters; sentenced to death, but miraculously freed; reconciled families and cities in Italy Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/4/21 Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; lived as a hermit to escape persecution; captured, and while being sent to prison, he was approached by a woman whose son was choking on a fishbone; at Blaise’s command, the boy coughed up the bone; throats are customarily blessed, to this day, on the feast of St. Blaise; he was martyred in 316 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/3/21 Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/2/21 Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Brigid of Ireland, 451-525; there are many stories of her purity in childhood; her father intended to sell her to the king of Leinster, but the king saw that “her merit before God is greater than ours”; made a vow of chastity, and prayed that her beauty would be taken so that nobody would want to marry her; her beauty was restored when she made her final vows Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/1/21 Gospel: Mark 5:1-20

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/31/21 Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Bathildis, 626-680; born in England, enslaved, and taken to the Frankish kingdom; married King Clovis II in 649; founded a Benedictine convent and St. Denis Monastery Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/30/21 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Dallan Forgaill; kinsman of St. Edan of Ferns; great scholar who became blind; wrote a poem honoring St. Columba, and when it was published, his sight was restored; murdered by pirates in 598 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/29/21 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274; priest and Doctor of the Church; his greatest contribution was his writings; the unity, harmoney and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/28/21 Gospel: Mark 4:21-25