UPDATE: This blog and the work of Nomen Christi Apostolate will be undergoing changes this year. Please be patient as we work out these changes. The monthly theme posts will remain similar, including one idea as to how we might celebrate the focus of the month. The homeschooling suggestions will be replaced by one preparedness task each month. If you are conducting your children’s Catholic education at home, you might want to look at the “Homeschool Activities” topic to the right>>> to get some fresh ideas, but we will not be dealing with this topic as often. Please note, we always welcome the thoughts of our readers and may share them! We also appreciate a first name and city/country.
If you look at the past numerous years I’ve been doing the Catholic monthly dedications, you will see I have always done The Passion of Our Lord for February. This is because I was working with a certain calendar for many years and this is what it indicated. The monthly themes are not official, some months have more than one. These themes have developed over the centuries in different times and places. The consensus for the month of February is actually the Holy Family, so this will be our first presentation of this theme.
There is no feast of the Holy Family this month, but let us look at when the feasts are, in the post-conciliar and the trad calendars…
Vatican News mentioning both feasts:
The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is normally celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas. This feast developed at the beginning of the 19th century in Canada and then spread to the entire Church in 1920. At first, it was celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. It is a Feast that seeks to portray the Holy Family of Nazareth as the “true model of life”…from which our families can draw inspiration and know where to find help and comfort.
So in the trad, we celebrate the Holy Family in January and the newer calendar celebrates it in December. We can see the logic in keeping this triune family close to Baby Jesus’ birth and also near the visit of the Magi to them. Certainly honoring and meditating upon this most noble and of families, a reflection of the Most Holy Trinity, is greatly worthy…so holy Church in her traditions, has given us this month to do so. December was concerned with the Divine Infancy and January with the Holy Name of Jesus, both months containing those feasts. Now we move to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the environment chosen to bring this Divine Life into our world, to give Him His Name and to raise and nurture Him, until He came into His mission to proclaim the Good News…and to redeem us by His death. It is quite appropriate to honor the Holy Family in this month which usually closes the Cycle of Christmas (some years, this will be January, if it’s an early Easter).
The one feast this month which relates to the Holy Family is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Presentation of Our Lord (also known as Candlemas), on the 2nd. Certainly, Saint Joseph would have been with Our Lord and Our Lady in the Temple on that day, as they rejoiced together, observing the Jewish law.
One way to give honor to the Holy Family this month is to pray the beautiful…
LITANY OF THE HOLY FAMILY
…perhaps on Candlemas?
Oh, did I mention Septuagesima begins on the 1st? Every year, my penance begins during Septuagesima because I have to keep typing that word. That is not a joke, you try it. Septuagesima. That’s 3 times. Someone just got out of Purgatory.
Ash Wednesday is on the 18th, get ready for Lent! Wow, we also have the Ember Days of Lent, or Spring, on the 25th, 27th and 28th. See “Ember Days” topic to the right>>>. Let us pray for mercy and blessings upon the coming season.
Additional notable feasts of February, from both calendars:
3rd-Saint Blaise, Blessing of Throats
7th-First Saturday of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart
8th-Sexagesima Sunday
11th-OUR LADY OF LOURDES
14th-Saint Valentine, let us pray for chastity
15th-Quinquagesima Sunday
24th-Saint Matthias, Apostle
*** PREPPER TASK FOR FEBRUARY ***
Were you rushing to the store just before this past week’s big storm? Don’t be that person. Be the person who is sitting by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate laughing at all the people panicking and running to the store! Of course as preppers, we are not only concerned about the short term emergency, but also the longer term one, or even permanent societal change. So having a well-stocked and well-organized pantry is essential. Here is the task…
Throw out all the expired food in your cupboard. Arrange food roughly according to expiration date, oldest in the front, newest in the back. I have a “fast track” spot for almost expired items. (If you have children, this is a wonderful family activity and also a prepper lesson). You’ll be able to see what you are lacking, and make a shopping list for these things. This is your new lifestyle!
First be concerned about getting your everyday pantry organized. Then you can start on what we call “stocks.” (As opposed to “stockpiles.” We are not doing institutional prepping here.) These will be kept in a cool, dry, mouse-free area of your house (don’t assume mice won’t be able to tear through heavy packaging, believe me they can smell and tear through almost anything.) These will be food and other essential items that your family needs for longer term storage. There are many companies now that deal specifically in these types of items, just do a search. Of course, buying in bulk can be a great option too. Again, these have to be organized according to expiration date. One way to do this is to have a separate shelf for each expiration year.
Prepping is a lifestyle that requires work and commitment, there’s no getting around that. But the peace of mind it provides is more valuable than gold. Gold. That’s another topic! Look into it (but this is not financial advice).
Have a blessed February and a Lent that will bring you closer to the risen Christ.