January is the first month of the leap year 2012.
January 1st is the feast of Mary the Mother of God.
On the 8th, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany when the Wise
Men came to worship Jesus Christ. We celebrate two
American saints this month == Elizabeth Ann Seton on the 4th and
John Neumann on the 5th. We celebrate the founder of the
Visitation Sisters, Francis de Sales, on the 24th and the founder
of the Salesians by John Bosco, on the 31st. The conversion
of the apostle Paul is celebrated on the 25th while his co-workers
Timothy and Titus are remembered on the 26th. We remember
Martin Luther King Jr on the 16th, Here are a few
thoughts for each week.
Week of January 1-7;
"If you gather and hold the gifts of the world with
one hand you should always hold fast with the other to your
heavenly Father's hand and turn toward Him from time to time to
see if your actions or occupations are pleasing to Him." -Francis de Sales
" Grace never fails us, never leaves us, unless we
leave it, Our good God waits for us patiently in our
delays. He increasingly calls us even though we don't
answer Him, He knocks at the very door of the heart that is shut
to Him."
- St. Jane de Chantal
Week
of January 8-14:
"The difference between love and devotion is just that
which exists between fire and flame. What devotion adds to the
fire of love is that flame which makes it eager, energetic and
diligent in obeying God's commands. "
- St. Francis de Sales
"Our good God is always ready to
be to us, Father, Mother, sweet and gentle spouse; this should
indeed make us happy.."
-St.
Jane de Chantal
Week
of January 15-21:
"Our Lord wants of us a humble and tranquil submission to His
most holy will. Everything is ordained by divine Providence for
His glory and for our gain. May our hearts desire only that His
holy will be accomplished in us"
- St. Jane de Chantal
"It is no great merit to serve one's king during times of
peace amid the delights of court life. To serve him during the
hardships of war and amid troubles and persecutions is a true mark of
constancy and fidelity."
- St. Francis de Sales
Week of January 22-28:
"The mark of our fidelity is when we are entirely
abandoned to God, when we wish for God only, when we are
satisfied with Him. Otherwise we are restless and troubled.
If we seek God only, we would always be content."
- St. Jane de Chantal
"We should examine how we have acted in fear of the
perils of sin and of the loss of this world's goods. We fear
the one too much and the other too little." - St. Francis de Sales
Week of
January 29-31:
"Carry, hold and carefully keep your soul in your
hands that you may always watch it and keep an eye on its
movements. If it wanders, very gently return your
soul to its place, which is God, its true center." -St. Jane de Chantal
"Nothing really counts except the soul. If I
could live as long as I already have lived with the
certainty of all the happiness that thus life can offer, what
would it all amount to in the light of eternity? "
-St. Francis de Sales
Week
of January 8-14:
Week
of January 15-21:
