MEMORIAL OF ST AGATHA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.

MEMORIAL OF ST AGATHA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR. 

 "And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; 

no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 

 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

 And he said to them, 

"Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.

 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them." 

So they went out and preached that men should repent. 

 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them." (Mark 6: 7 - 13).

Thursday 5th February 2026, in the 4th Week in Ordinary Time. 

 Today is the Feast of St Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. 

 Agatha died at the age of 20 in 251 AD under the persecution of Emperor Decius.

Along with Saints Agnes and Lucy, she is mentioned in the Roman Canon in Eucharistic Prayer 1.

Agatha is the patron saint for these causes and more:

Breast cancer, sterility, nurses, rape victims, single lay women and so on. (Source: Laudate).

In our Gospel today, Jesus trains His disciples in trusting Divine Providence in their mission.

This mission is like no other job. It is Opus DEI (the Work of God). Therefore it must succeed.

The fiends of Hell would work very hard to destroy the foundation. They will not succeed.

So it is very important that the student apostles understand this truth at the outset.

So they went out and preached that men should repent. 

 "And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them." (Mark 6: 7 - 13).

The Church honors the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in February. 

"In the Holy Family, we see a mirror of the Trinity: the Father's authority in Joseph, the Spirit's overshadowing grace in Mary, and the Word made Flesh in Jesus.

The Nazarenes missed the "mighty deeds" because they were looking for a King of Earthly Power, rather than the King of Divine Order.

​"O St. Joseph, through the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to find God in our daily tasks and to never lose sight of Jesus in the midst of the familiar."

For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-holy-family-devotion.html