Saint of the Day for 20 February
Saint of the Day 20 February: 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
20 February: Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Readings and Gospel
Reading 1 :
Genesis 9:1-13
Alleluia See John 6:63c, 68c:
John 6:63c, 68c
Gospel :
Mark 8:27-33
Liturgical vestments: Green
"Was it necessary for the Son of God to suffer for us? It was, certainly, and for two reasons that are easy to deduce: one, to remedy our sins; the other, to give us an example of how we should act" (Saint Thomas Aquinas)
"Christians must continuously be instructed, over the centuries, by the Lord, to make them aware that their path is not that of glory and worldly powers, but ‘the path of the cross’" (Benedict XVI)
"It is love ‘to the end’ (Jn 13:1) that confers on Christ's sacrifice its value as redemption and reparation, as atonement and satisfaction. He knew and loved us all when he offered his life (...). No man, not even the holiest, was ever able to take on himself the sins of all men and offer himself as a sacrifice for all (...)." (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 616)
The Lord wants his disciples of yesterday and today to establish a personal relationship with him, and thus to embrace him at the centre of their life. For this reason he spurs them to face themselves honestly, and he asks: “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 29). (…) Each person is called to respond, in his or her heart, allowing each one to be illuminated by the light that the Father gives us in order to know his Son Jesus. And it can also happen to us, as it did to Peter, that we passionately affirm: “You are the Christ”. However, when Jesus tells us clearly what he told the disciples, that is, that his mission is fulfilled not on the wide road to success, but on the arduous path of the suffering, humiliated, rejected and crucified Servant, then it can also happen that we, like Peter, might protest and rebel because this contrasts with our expectations, with worldly expectations. (Angelus, 16 September 2018)