July Liturgical Living

July Liturgical Living

Welcome to our monthly installment of Liturgical Living! Below, find a few simple tips to help you live your faith year-round and celebrate the little things: 

Week of June 28-July 4

• June 29 is the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. St. Peter was the rock on which Jesus built the Church, the first Pope. To honor him, ask God to be your rock today and pray for Pope Francis’ intentions. To honor St. Paul, read his writings in Scripture. We so often hear his epistles as the second reading at Mass. They’re great, but instead of your usual “St. Paul to the Corinthians,” try something new. 
• June 30 is the Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Franciscan Media says that, “The blood of martyrs has always been, and always will be, the seed of Christians.” Plant some flowers today. Then read this amazing blog post about two early martyrs, Sts. Felicity and Perpetua, who died in a Roman amphitheatre facing a savage cow–but made sure their hair was tied up nicely, “lest she should seem to grieve in her glory.”
• July 3 is the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. This great man is too often remembered for being “doubting Thomas.” Ask him to quell your doubts and help you grow your faith, just as he did.
• July 4 is the Feast of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. He was known as the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes.” Read more about him here, pick a beatitude (hint: Matthew 5:1-12) and bring it to prayer today. Try to live one (or more!) of these more fully in your life in the coming week. 

Week of July 5-July 11

• July hosts the feasts day of many saints you’ve probably never heard of. Take a gander here and learn about a new special someone today. They might just be the patron you’ve been searching for. 
• July is offered up for a special devotion to the Sacred Blood of Jesus. If you don’t often receive the Sacred Blood at Mass, try to do so this week. Then, why not have a glass of regular wine later? 

Week of July 12-July 18

• July 14 is the Feast of St. Kateri Tekawitha, the first Native American saint. She is also known as “Lily of the Mohawks.” A victim of smallpox, pray for her intercession (and St. Joseph, Help of the Sick and Comfort to the Afflicted!) to stop the spread of COVID-19 and heal those infected. Fun fact: when St. Kateri died, her smallpox scars disappeared. She was recently canonized in 2012 after her second miracle cured a boy in Washington state from a fatal disease. 
• July 16 is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Learn more about this special title here and find your scapular, if you used to have one. Wear it today in honor of her. 

Week of July 19-July 25

• July 22 is the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. I always identify with Martha in the Bible story where she’s busy hosting and cleaning when Jesus and the disciples come to visit, while Mary sits at his feet. In honor of St. Mary Magdalene, give yourself license to take a break from the chores today (or don’t do any!). Use the time you would have been folding laundry or vacuuming to take a Holy Hour instead. 
• July 23rd is the Feast of St. Bridget of Sweden. A famous mystic and one of the patron saints of Europe, her visions of the nativity had a profound impact on religious art. Take the opportunity today to celebrate Christmas in July and set up a nativity set you normally reserve for December. If you don’t have one, draw one or find an image online to change your phone wallpaper for the day. 
• July 25th is the Feast of St. James the Apostle. His remains are believed to have been buried in Spain, where he is the patron saint. One of the most popular pilgrimages, the Camino de Santiago, ends at his cathedral. In a Camino Holy Year (when his feast day falls on a Sunday), if you walk through the Holy Door of the cathedral, you will receive a plenary indulgence and all your sins will be forgiven. Get some extra steps in today and start daydreaming about your next pilgrimage–2021 will be a Camino Holy Year!

Week of July 26-August 1

• July 26 is the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary. Pray a rosary today and offer it up for your parents and their intentions, in their honor. 
• Remember taking some time away from chores for St. Mary Magdalene? Well July 29 is the feast of St. Martha. In honor of the patron saint of servants and cooks, spend a little extra time preparing a fancy dinner tonight–whether it’s a favorite of yours or your family’s/roommate’s, serve selflessly. And don’t forget to say an extra thank you to anyone who serves you today, be it baristas, grocery store clerks, uber drivers, etc.!
• July 31 is the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Read his 14 rules for spiritual discernment. They take up about a page and a half, but they’re chock full of wisdom. They explain spiritual consolation and desolation in a way that’s easy to understand, with practical rules to follow (Pro tip: Evil spirits are attention hogs and will stop bothering you if you don’t pay attention to them, just like ignoring bullies on the playground). For a good overview, listen to Blessed is She’s podcast, The Gathering Place, Episode 74. 

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