May the Saints & Feast Days for the month of January inspire you to grow closer to Christ Jesus. The month of January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus.

January 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 

The council of Ephesus, in 431 AD, declared that Mary was the Mother of God, upholding an essential truth about Jesus Christ. That He has two natures, one divine and one human, that were perfectly united in Him as one divine person. “Mary is the beginning of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men” (Ref CCC 721). 

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’”

(Luke 1:41-43) 

January 2: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord 

Epiphany means manifestation, and the Church celebrates this day the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world. He is revealed to the Magi, considered to be the first fruits of the Gentiles, and they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. 

“After their audience with the king [the Magi] set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the Child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the Child with Mary, His mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

– Mat. 2:9-11 

January 5: St. John Neumann (1811 – 1860) 

St. John Neumann was born in the Czech Republic in 1811, came to America 1836, and was eventually appointed as bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. He is considered a pioneer in the starting of our Catholic school system. St. John had a tremendous devotion to our 

Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and desired to foster such a spiritual life in his people. He was a strong promoter of the Forty Hours Devotion. 

“How much do I love You, O my Jesus! I wish to love Thee with my whole heart, yet I do not love You enough. I have but one desire: that of being near You in the Blessed Sacrament.”

– St. John Neumann 

January 9: The Baptism of the Lord 

The same Spirit that descended on the water of the River Jordan moved over the waters during the first creation (Gen 1:2). The Baptism in the Jordan represents that Jesus has started a new creation. He does this as the Lamb of God that takes away our sins. 

“Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon His shoulders; he bore it down into the depths of the Jordan. He inaugurated his public activity by stepping into the place of sinners.”

– Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth 

“The incidents which accompanied Christ’s baptism are symbolic of what happens at our Baptism. At Christ’s Baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him; at our Baptism the Trinity took its abode in our soul. At His baptism Christ was proclaimed the “Beloved Son” of the Father; at our Baptism, we become the adopted sons and daughters of God. At Christ’s baptism the heavens were opened; at our Baptism heaven was opened to us. At His baptism Jesus prayed; after our Baptism, we must pray to avoid actual sin.”

(Excerpt from Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas, theologian and counselor to Vatican II) 

January 22: Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children 

In all the Dioceses of the United States, January 22 is designated as a day of prayer and fasting for the full restoration of the right to life, and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.

“A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer.”

(Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae) 

January 25: The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle 

“Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus which would empower him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone he might find, man or woman, living according to the new way. As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed about him. He fell to the ground and at the same time heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” “Who are you, sir?” he asked. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting”.

(Acts 9:1-4) 

“God highly exalted Christ and bestowed on Him the name above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: Jesus Christ is Lord!”.

(Phil 2:9-11) 

January 26: Saints Timothy and Titus 

St. Timothy was a missionary traveling companion of St. Paul and was ultimately stationed in Ephesus, as their first bishop. It is believed that the pastoral letters from St. Paul, I Timothy and II Timothy, were written while he was at Ephesus. According to tradition, St. Timothy was stoned to death in Ephesus while protesting a feast to the goddess Diana, around 97 AD. 

St. Titus was also a missionary traveling companion of St. Paul, who was eventually assigned to Crete and ordained as their first bishop. The pastoral letter from St. Paul to St. Titus was written while he was in Crete. According to tradition, St. Titus died from natural causes at the age of 97. – (Excerpt from Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas, theologian and counselor to Vatican II) 

“For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world. Awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds.”

(Titus 2:11-14)

January 28: St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) 

One of the greatest theologians of all time, St. Thomas had a vision of Christ during Mass four months before he died. After this vision, he stopped writing the Summa Theologica commenting “I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value”. Even though Christ had declared to St. Thomas in another vision, that St. Thomas had written well of Him, St. Thomas saw that the difference between his inspired reasoning and the glory of God was vast. 

“The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; It signifies Love, It produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.”

– St. Thomas Aquinas