Presentation of the Lord - Feast

Book of Malachi

Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner's fire, or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying (silver), and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old, as in years gone by.

Psalms

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"
and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

St. Theophane Venard(Priest and Martyr (1829-1861))

SAINT THEOPHANE VENARD Priest and martyr (1829-1861) St. Theophane was a French missionary born on November 21, 1829, in the Diocese of Poitiers. As an adult, he entered the Foreign Missions and was ordained a priest on June 5, 1852. He departed for the Far East on September 19 that year. After 15 months in Hong Kong, he arrived at his mission in West Tonkin where Christians had been persecuted several times under Minh-Menh. Shortly after his arrival, a new edict was issued against Christians. As a result, bishops and priests were forced to seek refuge in caves, dense woods and elsewhere. Fr. Venard, whose constitution had always been delicate, suffered almost constantly. Nonetheless, he exercised his ministry day and night. On November 30, 1860, Fr. Venard was betrayed and captured. After he refused to apostatize, he was sentenced to beheading. He remained a captive, chained in a cage for months, from where he wrote consoling letters to his family - joyfully anticipating his crown. His bishop, Msgr. Retord, wrote of him at this time: "Though in chains, he is as gay as a little bird." St. Theophane Venard was martyred on February 2, 1861, and joined the Church Triumphant in Heaven. The miracles granted through his intercession confirm that he attained the beatific vision. St. Theophane Venard was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

St. Catherine de Ricci(Mystic (c.1520-1589))

SAINT CATHERINE OF RICCI (1520-1589) St. Catherine of Ricci was baptized Alessandra de' Ricci. She was from a noble Florentine family. At 13 years old, she entered the Third Order of St. Dominic in the monastery of Prato. She received the name Catherine after the patron saint of Siena. St. Catherine's special devotion was to the Passion of Christ, which she miraculously participated in. During the Lent of 1541, at the age of 21, St. Catherine had a vision: the impact of which was so severe that she was confined to bed for three weeks. She was restored to full health on Holy Saturday by an apparition of Jesus Christ and St. Mary Magdalene. For twelve years, she experienced ecstasies every Friday. She received the stigmata, the Five Sacred Wounds, and the crown of thorns. The mystical experiences that caused St. Catherine continual and intense suffering reflected her loving sympathy for the spiritual afflictions of souls. On our behalf, she offered all her prayers and penances. Her charity toward people became so famous throughout Tuscany that friends of the deceased hastened to secure her prayers. St. Catherine offered many prayers, fasts and penances for a certain great man, and thus obtained his salvation. It was revealed to her that he was in purgatory; and such was her love of Jesus crucified that she offered to suffer all his pains. Her prayer was granted: The man's soul entered heaven; and for forty days, Catherine suffered indescribable agonies. Her body was covered with blisters: emitting heat so great that her cell seemed on fire. Her flesh appeared as if roasted and her tongue like red-hot iron. Amid all, she was calm and joyful, saying, "I long to suffer all imaginable pains, that souls may quickly see and praise their Redeemer." She knew by revelation the arrival of a soul in purgatory and the hour of its release. St. Catherine sometimes encountered the saints in glory. She also conversed with St. Philip Neri in Rome without ever leaving her convent in Prato. Fr. Padre Pio and other saints had the same gift.She passed away in 1589, but continues receiving prayers in Heaven.

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