Catholic Family Devotions

Understanding the Day

Season

Epiphany

Week

Week 1 of Epiphany

Rank

Sunday or semidouble observance

The Octave of the Epiphany is the eight-day period beginning on Epiphany (the feast celebrating Christ revealed to the Gentiles) and continues the season’s focus on Christ’s manifestation. The canonical rank “Semidouble” is an older liturgical classification: in plain language it indicates a celebration of importance with its own prayers and readings, but it does not outrank major solemnities; liturgical elements may be observed with modest ceremonial solemnity appropriate to the octave. Because this day falls inside the octave, the themes and propers of Epiphany are still used or repeated, extending the season’s scriptural readings and antiphons.

Introit (Daily Prayer)

Mal 3:1; 1 Par. 29:12
Behold, the Lord and Ruler is come; and the kingdom is in His hand, and power, and dominion.
Ps 71:1
℣. O God, with Your judgment endow the King, and with Your justice, the King’s Son.
Glory Be to the Father…

O God, You Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that we who know You now by faith, may come to behold You in glory.
Through the same Christ our Lord…

Weekly Prayer

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

Weekly Formation

Counsel, Command, and Consent

Ways of Being Accessory to Another’s Sin

By counsel
A person becomes accessory by counsel when advice, planning, or persuasion helps another choose a sinful act. Responsibility depends on knowing the act is wrong and on the real influence the counsel has in bringing it about.
By command
A person becomes accessory by command when authority is used to order another person to do wrong. The superior bears responsibility for directing the act, while the subordinate remains bound not to obey a command contrary to God’s law.
By consent
A person becomes accessory by consent when approval is knowingly given to another’s sinful plan or action, especially when that approval is needed for it to proceed. Consent can be expressed in words, decisions, votes, or any deliberate authorization.

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

Counsel the doubtful
Counseling the doubtful helps a person whose judgment is uncertain to recognize a sound and morally lawful course. Good counsel applies truth prudently to the actual difficulty and does not replace conscience with another person’s preferences.

Saint & Feast

Principal celebrationCalendar title

Day 2 within the Octave of the Epiphany

A biography or feast reflection has not yet been prepared.

Today in Church History

Death of Saint Maria Goretti's Mother, Assunta
1948Event
Assunta Goretti, the mother of Saint Maria Goretti, died on January 7, 1948. She witnessed her daughter's canonization and was a model of forgiveness, having forgiven her daughter's murderer.
Assunta Goretti's forgiveness exemplifies the transformative power of mercy and love.
Death of Catherine of Aragon
1536Event
Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII, died on January 7, 1536. Her marriage's annulment led to England's break from the Catholic Church.
Catherine's steadfast faith amidst personal trials inspires perseverance in faith.

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Church teaches that human beings, created in God’s image, can know God with certainty from the created world through the natural light of reason, though in our historical condition this can be difficult (CCC 36-37). We therefore need God’s revelation, including for religious and moral truths that reason can in principle grasp, so that they may be known with ease, firm certainty, and without error (CCC 38). As we reflect together, we can notice the truth, goodness, and beauty of creatures, which reflect God’s infinite perfection and lead us toward their Creator (CCC 41). At the same time, we remember humbly that God transcends every creature and every human description: our words can truly refer to God, but they never fully express his infinite mystery (CCC 40-43).

¶ 36

"Our holy mother, the Church, holds and teaches that God, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created world by the natural light of human reason." Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome God's revelation. Man has this capacity because he is created "in the image of God".

¶ 37

Today's Mass Readings

Open the day's Sancta MissaDivinum Officium · Divino Afflatu - 1954View readings

Day 2 within the Octave of the Epiphany

Understanding the Day

Introit (Daily Prayer)

Collect

Weekly Prayer

Act of Hope

Weekly Formation

Counsel, Command, and Consent

Ways of Being Accessory to Another’s Sin

The Spiritual Works of Mercy

Saint & Feast

Day 2 within the Octave of the Epiphany

Today in Church History

Death of Saint Maria Goretti's Mother, Assunta

Death of Catherine of Aragon

Catechism

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Today's Mass Readings

Baltimore Catechism No. 3