Today in the Church Year: Jan. 5, 2012

Today is a Thursday in Christmas. The liturgical color is white.

Note: Tomorrow, in some parts of the world (but not the United States), is a holyday of obligation (Epiphany). If it is a holyday of obligation in your area, be sure to go to Mass either this evening or tomorrow. (In the U.S. we celebrate Epiphany this Sunday.)

 

Saints & Celebrations:

Today, January 5, in the Ordinary Form in the United States, we celebrate St. John Neumann, bishop. It is a memorial.

In the Extraordinary Form, we celebrate St. Telesphorus, pope and martyr, who died in A.D. 137. It is a commemoration.

If you’d like to learn more about St. John Neumann, you can click here.

If you’d like to learn more about St. Telesphorus, you can click here.

For information about other saints, blesseds, and feasts celebrated today, you can click here.

 

Readings:

To see today’s readings in the Ordinary Form, you can click here.

Or you can click play to listen to them:

 

Devotional Information:

According to the Holy See’s Directory on Popular Piety:

14. While conserving its simplicity and spontaneity, the verbal and gestural language of popular piety should be careful to ensure the transmission of the truth of the faith together with the greatness of the Christian mysteries.

Gestures

15. Popular piety is characterized by a great variety and richness of bodily, gestural and symbolic expressions: kissing or touching images, places, relics and sacred objects; pilgrimages, processions; going bare-footed or on one’s knees; kneeling and prostrating; wearing medals and badges… . These and similar expressions, handed down from father to son, are direct and simple ways of giving external expression to the heart and to one’s commitment to live the Christian life. Without this interior aspect, symbolic gesture runs the risk of degenerating into empty customs or mere superstitions, in the worst cases.

Texts and Formulae

16. While drawn up in terms less exacting than those employed for the prayers of the Liturgy, devotional prayers and formulae should be inspired, nonetheless, by Sacred Scripture, the Liturgy, the Fathers of the Church and the Magisterium, and concord with the Church’s faith. The established public prayers attached to pious devotions and the various acts associated with pious exercises must always be approved by the local Ordinary.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

5 thoughts on “Today in the Church Year: Jan. 5, 2012”

  1. Dear Mr. Akin,
    For those interested in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, the F.S.S.P. (Fraternal Society of Saint Peter) has its Ordo found at this link. Note that for January 5th, several Masses can be said and they vary according to “Class” or rank. Since today is Thursday, the Votive Mass of Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest could be celebrated.
    The Propers for the EF Mass can also be found using various sites. These links vary day by day as not all agree totally with the F.S.S.P. Ordo. I try to post links each day and always go the day ahead for those in Australia, for example, who would be desiring the Propers for the Epiphany for today’s Mass.
    PS: Love your blog and have a signed copy of “Mass Revision!”

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