Feast of the Holy Innocents; after meeting the astrologers and hearing of their search for the “newborn king of the Jews,” Herod ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under Fourth Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/28/20 Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18

Feast of the Holy Family Third Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/27/20 Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

Feast of St. Stephen; first Christian martyr, one of the first deacons; “a man filled with grace and power”; falsely accused of blasphemy, and stoned to death about 36 A.D. Second Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/26/20 Gospel: Matthew 10:17-22

Christmas Day; the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/25/20 Gospel: Luke 2:15-20

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent, Christmas Eve Saint of the Day: St. Emiliana; one of three aunts of St. Gregory the Great; lived with her sister, Tarsilla, as in a monastery; Tarsilla received a vision of her great-grandfather, Pope St. Felix II, who told her of her impending entry into heaven; Emiliana, in […]

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. John of Kanty, 1390-1473; after ordination became a professor of theology, and then a parish priest; he eventually returned to Krakow to teach scripture; known for his kindness to the poor, and his own austerity Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/23/20 Gospel: […]

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Hunger; Ninth Century bishop of Utrecht; when Utrecht was threatened by Vikings, he and the clergy fled to Sint Odilienberg; died in Prum, Germany, 866 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/22/20 Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

Monday of the Fourth Week of Adven Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius, 1521-1597; joined the Jesuits in the order’s infancy; became widely known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great; assigned to mission work in Germany, and packed churches with his eloquent preaching Office of […]

Fourth Sunday of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/20/20 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Anastasius I, 340-401; elected pope in 399; he was among the first to condemn the works of Origen; urged the church in North Africa to continue its struggle against the heresy of Donatism Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/19/20 Gospel: Luke […]