Currently "Our Hearts Unhindered" is in the middle of reconsidering the bikini, which will resume on Thursday. But it's the first of February! A whole new month to wonder in.
February in the Roman Catholic Church is devoted to the Holy Family. The Holy Family is often held up before Catholics as the perfect example of piety, humility, obedience, and family life. It is hard to know what that means since so little is actually said about them in the Gospels. Fortunately, we do not have to know the details because we are allowed to pray to them for enlightenment and guidance.
But there are a few clues to help us out. For example, there is only one story of Jesus' childhood after the Nativity story, and what was the holy family doing then? They were traveling to the holy city for an important religious feast. That this is the only story indicates that the holy family most likely spent Jesus' childhood quietly and commonly – just making their little difference in the world. They probably just lived a simple life, helping their community and dealing temperately with misfortune. They were essentially nobodies, but they lived. And they were also pious and devoted. The one big story of Jesus' childhood tells of the family traveling all together to Jerusalem for the Passover. Their religion was a family matter, and an important matter.
The feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple – kind of like his baptism – is on the 2nd of February. It would have been a significant day to Joseph and Mary. Jesus had been born just a short time ago, and then here in the temple, as if to remind Mary and Joseph of their great privilege and responsibility, two wise pious people recognized their small child as the promised Messiah and proclaimed his greatness. (It is also on this day that the Church traditionally blesses candles.)
Saint Blaise is a popular feast, set on the third of the month. The candles that were blessed the day before are now used to bless throats, based on the tradition that Blaise once healed a boy with a fish bone stuck in his throat. He is also said to have healed wild animals while he hid from persecution, and even talked to them.
The feast day of Saint Agatha seems to especially speak to me this year for some reason. Not much is factually known about her, but by tradition, she dedicated herself to God and would not marry. For this reason, a man had her arrested for being Christian, but when she didn't submit to him, he imprisoned her in a brothel and then in prison, where she was tortured. Supposedly, among the torture, her breasts were cut off, so she is often depicted carrying her breasts on a plate. She is the patron of some obscure things, some of which can only be speculated about. These include bread, bell makers, and against the outbreak of fire. I would strongly encourage looking into the tales about her.
Our Lady of Lourdes is remembered on the 11th of this month. This miraculous appearance to dear Bernadette is one of my favorites of the Marian apparitions. Bernadette was so simple and humble, and I love to hear her story.
Of course, everyone is familiar with Valentines Day. Some Catholics and even Christians will insist on calling it St. Valentines day. But the usual celebration of this day has little to do with the saint himself. It is believed that in England and France, the day came to be regarded as a special day for lovers because the middle of the month is when the birds come out again (supposedly to mate). Not much is known about any of the actually three St. Valentines who share this day.
But the day is also dedicated to saints Cyril and Methodius.
February 22nd is the feast of the Chair of Saint Peter. The focus of this feast is what truly sets Catholicism apart from all other religions, especially other Christian sects. Not only does the Catholic Church have a spiritual father, the pope's powers have been directly passed down from Peter. But besides being a continuation of the church found in the Gospels and epistles, Peter has the infallibility of the Holy Spirit. He alone has the privilege to teach about the dogmas without error. This responsibility is not taken lightly, even though many popes have been corrupt. Never once has dogma been changed or altered, even when it would have justified the corruption of the holy father.
February is a short month – which I've heard is because the Romans hated it so much and days were subtracted and added to other months. I'm going to use it to refocus on the wonder and beauty of the world, and rediscover my devotion, especially in light of the Holy Family.
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