21 Jan – Memorial for St Agnes, Virgin, Martyr At the age of 12 or 13, Agnes was ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods and lose her virginity by rape. She was taken to a Roman temple to Minerva (Athena), and when led to the altar, she made the Sign of the Cross. She was [...]
20 Jan – Memorial for St Fabian, Pope, Martyr; Memorial for St Sebastian, Martyr Pope St. Fabian (d. 250) was a layman and a farmer. He came into Rome on a day when a new pope was to be elected. A dove flew in and settled on his head. The gathered clergy and laity took [...]
19 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 16:1-13 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel [...]
18 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 15:16-23 Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’ Saul said, ‘Tell me.’ Samuel continued, ‘Small as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king over Israel. [...]
17 Jan – Second Sunday of Ordinary Time The Church’s Bridegroom The Church rejoices in her Bridegroom who will cherish her, lavish upon her the many gifts of his Spirit, and transform her into a new creation as he transformed water into wine. – The Sunday Missal ____________________ Isaiah 62:1-5 About Zion I will not [...]
16 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 9:1-4.17-19; 10:1 Among the men of Benjamin there was a man named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah; a Benjaminite and a man of rank. He had a son named Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Of all the Israelite [...]
15 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 8:4-7.10-22 All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ‘Look,’ they said to them ‘you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So give us a king to rule over us, like the other nations.’ It displeased Samuel that they should say, [...]
14 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 4:1-11 It happened that the Philistines mustered to fight Israel and Isarel went out to meet them in battle, encamping near Ebenezer while the Philistines were encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up their battle line against Israel, the battle was hotly engaged, and Israel was defeated by the Philistines [...]
13 Jan – Memorial for St Hilary, Bishop, Doctor of the Church St. Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) was known as Athanasius of the West. He was born to wealthy polytheistic, pagan nobility. His early life was uneventful as he married, had children (one of whom was St. Abra), and studied on his own. Through his [...]
12 Jan ____________________ 1 Samuel 1:9-20 After they had eaten in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before the Lord, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and [...]
