February is the Month of the Passion of Our Lord

As of Septuagesima Sunday (this past Sunday), the traditional Liturgical Calendar moves from the Cycle of Christmas to the Cycle of Easter.  We remain in this second part for the rest of the year.  We have been meditating upon the Mystery of the Incarnation and now we contemplate the Mystery of the Redemption.  The Cycle of Christmas contained Advent, Christmastide and Time after Epiphany.  The Cycle of Easter contains Septuagesima, Lent, Passiontide, Easter Time and Time after Pentecost. 

As we begin our journey into the Redemption of our souls, we consider how to best conduct our approaching Lent.  This is the purpose of Septuagesima, to arrive at Lent fully prepared and ready to roll.  Otherwise, you wake up on Ash Wednesday and say, “Oh no, it’s Ash Wednesday already.  What am I giving up?  I just made coffee.  Should I give up coffee?  I don’t want to dump it now, that’s expensive coffee.”  Or…”Why did I buy all those cookies?”  You can laugh, but YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE! 

In terms of which Lenten practices you may wish to do, maybe think a bit creatively this year, instead of the “same old thing.”  As we discussed in our “Total Eclipse” post, the world is engulfed in sin and emerging chaos.  Prayer, fasting, penance and spiritual practices in general, are so needed at this time.  And being that February is a month devoted to the Passion of Our Lord, this may help point our exercises in that direction.  Of course, there are the Sorrowful Mysteries, which some say each day in Lent.  There are the litanies of the Passion and the Holy Cross.  Here also, is a Lenten Novena.

Following are some of the notable feasts of this month (we provide both trad and new feasts)…

2nd-Presentation of Our Lord (also known as Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Candlemas, when traditionally, candles are blessed)

3rd-St. Blaise (Blessing of Throats)

4th-Sexagesima Sunday

11th-Quinquagesima Sunday, Our Lady of Lourdes

13th-Shrove Tuesday (Holy Face of Jesus traditionally celebrated)

14th-Ash Wednesday (fast & abstinence), St. Valentine (wonderful day to offer up for the intention of chastity)

21st-Ember Wednesday of Lent/Spring

23rd-Ember Friday of Lent/Spring

24th-Ember Saturday of Lent/Spring, St. Matthias

Traditional Calendar for February

February is the Month of the Passion of Our Lord

This month we honor the sorrowful Passion of Our Blessed Lord as we enter the trad Season of Septuagesima on the 13th. Lent however, does not begin until March 2nd.

Looking at both old and new feasts: We have the Presentation of Our Lord on the 2nd, which took place forty days after his birth, along with His Mother’s ritual of purification. This is traditionally known as “Candlemas Day,” as a blessing of candles and procession takes place, honoring the Presentation of the Christ Child to His Father in the Temple, a momentous event in Judeo-Christian history. Saint Blaise and the traditional Blessing of Throats is on the 3rd. We celebrate 2 Doctors of the Church this month, 5th-century Egyptian Bishop Saint Cyril of Alexandria and 11th-century Cardinal Saint Peter Damian. Martyr Saint Apollonia, also of Alexandria, shares her feast with Saint Cyril on the 9th-she is invoked for dentistry problems. Let us not forget OUR LADY OF LOURDES on the 11th and Saint Bernadette on the 18th, a wonderful time to teach our children about the many miracles at Lourdes…and if you don’t have any Lourdes water, there are many sources online where it can be obtained. Let us celebrate a holy Saint Valentine’s Day, praying for the Capital Virtue and Fruit of the Holy Ghost, Chastity. Our dear Jacinta and Francisco Marto, sibling seers of Fatima, share a feast on the 20th.

How can we remember the Passion of Our Lord in the coming weeks? Of course, there are countless ways to do so-please pray and see where God is leading you. One way would be to observe a truly sincere Septuagesima, with confession and planning your Lenten spiritual exercises.

We will no longer be listing feasts, but you can GO HERE for your trad month of February. Wishing you blessings as we transition from the Mystery of the Incarnation to the Mystery of the Redemption!

Painting by Correggio, d 1534 from Wellington Collection

February: Month of the Passion of Our Lord

We are keeping track of where we are in the Liturgical Year. As of the last day of January, we have moved from “Season After Epiphany” to “Season After Septuagesima,” or simply “Septuagesima.” This is the brief time before Lent, when the vestments turn purple and we begin to contemplate the Mystery of the Redemption: The Cycle of Easter has begun! During Septuagesima, we prepare for Lent so we are not caught on Ash Wednesday with no plan. This year, roughly one year into a changed world, it is more important than ever, to be prepared for Lent and to give God our very best. We must do all we can to secure mercy for the world and Holy Church at this hour. In many places last Easter, the churches were closed (including New York, where I live) and people could not receive Our Blessed Lord on this greatest of all solemnities. Let us celebrate a worthy Lent this year, that we may joyfully attend Holy Mass on Easter this year!

It is also important though, to remain positive and not to stress ourselves too much. We are all traumatized from the past year and concerned about the state of the world. We must practice good self-care and stress reduction. So there needs to be a balance between our penitential practices and remembering the joy of life. The most important thing is love. Love for God, for self and for neighbor. When in doubt, just love!

Traditionally in Lent, meat is eaten at only one meal and of course, no meat on Fridays. Being that February is devoted to the Passion of Our Lord, we may wish to think about how we may integrate this into our Lenten activities. We also have the Ember Days this month-further opportunity for prayer and penance.

On the 2nd of the month, we celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord, a topic we dealt with in Lesson 4 of our Prepper Rosary Program. On Shrove Tuesday, we adore the Holy Face of Jesus, a wonderful contemplation as Lent is about to begin. This month also honors 2 Doctors of the Church, Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette, St. Apollonia and Francisco & Jacinto Marto, 2 of the Fatima children who died young. Following is a sampling of the feasts of February. Septuagesima* and Lenten blessings to all!

2/2-PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD, traditionally also known as the PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY and Candlemas

2/3-St. Blaise, Blessing of Throats

2/5-First Friday / St. Agatha, Martyr honored in Canon of Mass

2/6-First Saturday / St. Titus, Companion of St. Paul

2/7-Sexagesima Sunday

2/8-St. Josephine Bakhita, 20th Century Saint

2/9-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor, “Doctor of the Incarnation,” “Seal of the Fathers” / St. Apollonia, Martyr, Patroness of Dentistry

2/11-OUR LADY OF LOURDES

2/14-Quinquagesima Sunday / St. Valentine, Martyr, Patron of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers / Sts. Cyril & Methodius

2/16-HOLY FACE OF JESUS, Shrove Tuesday

2/17-ASH WEDNESDAY, fast & abstinence

2/18-St. Bernadette, Seer of Lourdes

2/20-Francisco & Jacinta Marto, Seers of Fatima, 20th Century Saints

2/21-St. Peter Damian, Doctor, “Monitor of the Popes” (new)

2/22-Chair of St. Peter

2/23-St. Polycarp, Martyr / St. Peter Damian (trad)

2/24-Ember Wednesday in Lent / St. Matthias, Apostle who replaced Judas, Martyr

2/26-Ember Friday in Lent

2/27-Ember Saturday in Lent

* I’ve typed this word so many times over the years, I just don’t care anymore! Of course, the spell check does not know of such things. Please don’t contact me to tell me I spelled it wrong:)

Image courtesy http://www.jesusdivinemercy.com