Friday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Winebald, 701-768; Eighth Century Benedictine abbot and missionary; evangelized in Germany and Holland Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/18/20 Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. John of Martha, 1160-1213; founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, which ransomed Christian prisoners from Muslims Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/17/20 Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Adelaide, 931-999; married Otto of Germany, and the two became rulers of the Holy Roman Empire; she established many monasteries and churches Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/16/20 Gospel: Luke 7:18-23

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Maria Crocifissa Di Rosa, 1813-1855; foundress of the Handmaids of Charity of Brescia, an order whih cared for the sick Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/15/20 Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

Monday of the Third Week of Advent Memorial of St. John of the Cross, 1542-1591; mystic-poet, theologian, priest, and Carmelite reformer; author of “Ascent of Mount Carmel,” “Dark Night of the Soul,” and “Living Flame of Love” Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/14/20 Gospel: Matthew 21:23-27

Third Sunday of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/13/20 Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Saturday of the Second Week of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/12/20 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Friday of the Second Week of Advent Optional Memorial of Pope St. Damasus I, 304-384; survived the controversy of an antipope elected by a minority; lived a simple lifestyle; fiercely denounced heresies; during his pontificate, Latin became the principal liturgical language Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/11/20 Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19

Thursday of the Second Week of Advent Saint of the Day: Pope St. Gregory III, 690-741; battled iconoclasm, which was promoted by the Byzantine emperor; supported St. Boniface in his missionary work in Germany; died in a war with the Lombards Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/10/20 Gospel: Matthew 11:11-15

Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego, 1474-1548; the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him in 1531; it was his cloak which bore–and continues to bear–the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/8/20 Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30