5-7 February 2026
With this month’s triduum we have entered into the pre-Lent period of preparation called Septuagesima. Our Holy Mother the Church, by means of this time, wants to prepare us for the many graces the Lord wishes to give us during Lent. The triduum is the perfect opportunity to start practicing our good habits of prayer and fasting that we want to be the hallmark of our Lenten observance. Amidst all these practices, we must always keep in mind that the purpose of prayer and self-denial is to help us grow in love for God and neighbour. Perfection consists in the degree of perfection with which we actually do love Our Lord and, in and for Him, our neighbour.
Our triduum commences with the feast of one of the great virgin martyrs, St Agatha. The grand lesson she gives us, in spite of the centuries that separate us, is that nothing can be compared to Jesus and nothing is more important than belonging to Him. Like so many other young Christian women, she knew that she wanted the love of no man but Jesus. And so she gave Him her heart and her body. This love would eventually lead her to the sacrifice of her body. She endured a torture that was suffered by many holy women, namely the cutting off of her breasts. This sacrifice symbolised the offering of her capacity to become a mother, and she happily offered this to God in favour of spiritual maternity. In reward for her faith, St Peter himself was sent to heal her, but she ultimately was put to death. And so, for hundreds of years she has continued to give birth to many souls by means of her example and prayers.
St Agatha smiles to us and incites us to have a bit of courage. Most of us will not have to suffer as she did, and yet we do have things to suffer, each and every day. Let’s try to embrace them lovingly, knowing that the time we have enrich ourselves with holy sacrifices is limited. Let’s not lose one.