Saint of the Day for 12 January
Saint of the Day 12 January: Celebrating the Lives of the Church’s Saints
Every day, the Catholic Church honors a saint or blessed who stood out for their faith, dedication, and love for God. The Saint of the Day is an opportunity for the faithful to learn more about the history of the Church and be inspired by the witness of these men and women who lived according to Christ’s teachings.
The Meaning of the Saint of the Day
The celebration of the Saint of the Day is a Church tradition that helps us remember those who were examples of faith and holiness. Saints may have been martyrs who gave their lives defending their faith, missionaries who spread the Gospel, or ordinary people who lived in deep communion with God through simplicity.
Learning about each saint’s story inspires us to live with more love, patience, and hope. It also reminds us that we are all called to holiness.
Why Do We Celebrate the Saints?
Saints serve as models of Christian life. Their stories show us that, despite challenges, it is possible to live according to God’s will. Moreover, the faithful often seek the intercession of saints, believing that they are close to God and can pray for our needs.
Following the Saint of the Day is a way to strengthen our spiritual journey and learn from those who dedicated their lives to serving God. May we follow their examples and strive each day to live with greater love, faith, and hope!
🙏 May today’s Saint of the Day intercede for us and inspire us to live according to God’s will!
Liturgical Calendar
12 January: The Baptism of the Lord
Solemnity
Today's Readings and Gospel
Reading I:
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Reading II:
Acts 10:34-38
Alleluia:
Cf. Mark 9:7
Gospel:
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Liturgical vestments: White
“Christian, acknowledge your dignity, and becoming a partner in the Divine nature, refuse to return to the old baseness by degenerate conduct (...). Your purchase money is the blood of Christ.” (Saint Leo the Great)
“In Baptism we are consecrated by the Holy Spirit. This is what the word “Christian” means, it means consecrated like Jesus, in the same Spirit. If you want your children to become true Christians, help them to grow in the warmth of the love of God, in the light of his Word.” (Francis)
“Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and ‘walk in newness of life’ (Rom 6:4) (…).” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 537)
I ask all of you: you, each one of you, think: “Do I remember the date of my Baptism?”. If you do not remember, when you return home, ask what it is, so as not to forget it any more, because it is a new birthday, because with your Baptism you were born into the life of grace. Let us thank the Lord for Baptism. Let us also thank him for the parents who brought us to the font, for those who administered the Sacrament, for the godfather, for the godmother, for the community in which we received him. To celebrate your own Baptism: it is a new birthday. And we can ask ourselves: am I aware of the immense gift I carry within me through Baptism? Do I acknowledge, in my life, the light of the presence of God, who sees me as his beloved son, his beloved daughter? And now, in memory of our Baptism, let us welcome God’s presence within us. We can do so with the sign of the cross, which traces in us the memory of the grace of God, who loves us and wishes to stay with us. That sign of the cross reminds us of this. Let us do it together: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And do not forget the date of your Baptism, which is a birthday. (Angelus, 7 January 2024)