THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 29, 2024
Greetings beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time!
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 29, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday May 29, 2024
Reading 1, First Peter 1:18-25
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Gospel, Mark 10:32-45
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PAUL VI, POPE; SAINT MAXIMINUS OF TRIER, BISHOP; SAINT URSULA (GIULIA) LEDÓCHOWSKA AND SAINT BONA OF PISA, RELIGIOUS ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 29TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Paul VI, Pope; Saint Maximinus of Trier, Bishop; Saint Ursula (Giulia) Ledóchowska and Saint Bona of Pisa, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of the Church and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for those going through difficulties especially during these incredibly challenging times, we pray for the sick, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT PAUL VI, POPE: St. Paul VI (Pope: June 21, 1963 – August 6, 1978) was born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini on September 26, 1897, in Concesio, Italy. Ordained in 1920, he spent many years working in the Vatican Secretariat of State. While there, he organized the Vatican’s massive relief work for political refugees during World War II. After being named “Pro-Secretary of State” in 1952, Montini was appointed Archbishop of Milan the following year and became known as the “archbishop of the workers.” He revitalized the diocese, preaching the Gospel’s social message and promoting both Catholic education and the Catholic press. St. Paul VI was canonized and added to the liturgical calendar on January 25, 2019, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Giovanni Battista Montini was born on September 26, 1897, in a village near Brescia Concesio. On May 29, 1920, he was named Archbishop of Milan. He became Pope on June 21, 1963. He presided over the completion of the Second Vatican Council. He died On August 6, 1978.
Saint Paul VI, Pope ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT MAXIMINUS OF TRIER, BISHOP:
St. Maximinus was Bishop of Trier, Germany, from 332, and a miracle worker. He was probably born at Silly, France, and a native of Poitiers, France. St. Maximinus left for Trier early in his life, drawn by the saintly reputation of its Bishop, St. Agritius. He received his education there and eventually succeeded to the episcopacy upon the death of St. Agritius in 325 as bishop of Trier. This provided an ideal base for Maximinus to carry on his lifelong battle with Arianism, since Trier at that time was the usual residence of the Emperors of the West and the capital of the Western Empire. He gave refuge to St. Athanasius in 336. St. Maximinus deemed it an honor to have St. Athanasius living under his protection during his first exile from 335 to 337; and he later provided equal protection for St. Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, when the latter was banished by the same Emperor, Constantius. St. Athanasius praised the nobility, vigilance, and courage of his host who was famous for miracles. St. Maximinus was an ardent enemy of the Arian heretics, opposing them in the councils of Milan, Sardica, and Cologne. St. Maximinus convened the Synod of Cologne that declared Euphratas a heretic and removed him from his See; he also participated in the Council of Sardica in 347. Perhaps his finest moment came when he was coupled with the great St. Athanasius and anathematized by Arians at their Council of Philippopolis. This provided irrefutable evidence of his redoubtable opposition to Arianism and his marked success in that regard. He was a known miracle worker and apologist for orthodox Catholicism and was called “one of the most courageous bishops of his time” by St. Jerome. Unfortunately, though he seems to have written much, we do not possess any of the works of this intrepid defender of the true Faith, who died about the year 346. He’s the Patron Saint of Trier; invoked as protection against perjury, loss at sea and destructive rains.
PRAYER: Father, You gave us St. Maximinus to defend the Divinity of Your Son. Grant that we may enjoy his teaching and protection and grow continually in our knowledge and love of You🙏
SAINT MOTHER URSULA OF LEDÓCHOWSKA, RELIGIOUS: St. Ursula Ledóchowska (1865-1939), an Austrian-born religious leader. She became a Roman Catholic nun and founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus. She is a prominent member of the Ledóchowski family. Canonised on May 18, 2003 by Pope John Paul II at Vatican Basilica. At her canonization, the pontiff proclaimed:
“Mother Ursula Ledóchowska made her life a mission of mercy for the most deprived. Wherever Providence took her, she found young people in need of instruction and spiritual formation, poor, sick or lonely people, battered by life in various ways, who expected of her understanding and concrete help. In accordance with her means, she never refused help to anyone. Her work of mercy will remain engraved forever in the message of holiness, which yesterday became part of the whole Church.”
Saint Ursula Ledóchowska died May 29, 1939. Her body is incorrupt, it was transferred to the Gray Ursuline motherhouse in Pniewy, Poland on May 29, 1989.
Saint Ursula Ledóchowska, Religious ~ Pray for us🙏
SAINT BONA OF PISA, RELIGIOUS: St. Bona (1156 – 1207 A.D.) was born in Pisa, Italy. She experienced visions at a young age which led her into an ascetical life of penance and fasting. She dedicated herself to God at the early age of ten and became an Augustinian tertiary. At the age of fourteen she went on her first pilgrimage to Jerusalem where her father was fighting in the crusades. On her trip home she was captured and wounded by Muslim pirates and imprisoned, later being rescued by her fellow countrymen. She became fond of making pilgrimages and returned to the Holy Land many times. She also led a large pilgrimage group along the Way of St. James (Santiago de Compostela), a 1,000 mile journey. She had a great devotion to St. James, whom she had seen in a vision as a child. She was named an official guide of the ancient route by the Knights of St. James. St. Bona made the Way of St. James a total of nine times. On her tenth trip she had to return home due to illness, and died soon after. St. Bona of Pisa is the Patron Saint of travelers, couriers, tour guides, pilgrims, flight attendants, and the city of Pisa. Her feast day is May 29th.
Saint Bona of Pisa, Religious ~ Pray for us🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 10:32-45
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be handed over”
“The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, ‘We can.” Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus was letting His disciples know that in the city of Jerusalem towards which they were journeying He would be condemned and put to death. It had already been said by the evangelist that the disciples were apprehensive as they travelled with Jesus to Jerusalem. What Jesus said could only have made them more apprehensive. Two of the disciples, James and John, immediately strike a very different note to the one Jesus had just struck. They ask Him for places of honour when Jesus enters His glory. Jesus had spoken of the cross and shame, and they immediately speak of glory and greatness. He has to bring them back to the painful reality of what lies ahead with the question, ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I must be baptized?’ There is an implicit reference to both Eucharist and baptism in Jesus’ question. Every time we drink the cup of the Lord at the Eucharist we are saying ‘yes’ to our baptismal calling to share in the Lord’s work of giving of ourselves in the service of others. Jesus will drink the cup of suffering, not because He is in love with suffering, but because suffering will be the inevitable outcome of His life of loving service of all. As He says of Himself at the end of the Gospel reading, He is the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for all. His loving service of us all was a service unto death. Jesus goes on to teach His disciples that within the circle of His followers glory and greatness consist in self-emptying service of others. The Lord wants to continue His mission of loving service of others through each one of us. Whenever we give of ourselves in some way in the service of others, we are making present in the world the Lord’s self-emptying love and we will be considered great in the eyes of the Lord.
In our first reading today from the First Epistle of St. Peter, the Apostle continued with his exhortation to all the faithful people of God in the Church to remind them all of everything which God had done through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit that He had sent into the world, to strengthen all of His beloved people despite the trials and challenges that they might have to face. St. Peter also quoted the prophets of the days past, who had foretold of the coming of the Lord and His salvation in Christ, who did not know of the full details and truth, and yet longed to see the salvation and light of God. Those prophets themselves also faced a lot of hardships and struggles as we all will know well if we read through the Old Testament. St. Peter was preparing the faithful for the trials and tribulations that they might have to face and endure amidst those challenging moments, when their faith would be tested by those who seek the destruction of the Church and the Christian faith. He was telling them all not to give up on their faith and to remain true to their commitment and dedication to God, so that in everything that they say and do, they would continue to obey the Lord, following His path and being true to their Christian faith despite the challenges and trials that they might have to suffer from. This would indeed come true as the Church would face lots of hardships, persecutions and trials from not only the Jewish authorities, but also the Roman government and other organisations and figures that refused to believe in the Lord and His truth.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded of the need for us all as Christians to be always committed to God at all times, so that by our every efforts and endeavours, in our every words, actions and deeds throughout our lives, we will always be faithful to God. We are all also called to be holy as our Lord is Holy, and to be exemplary in all that we do that despite the challenges we may be facing in life, we will always inspire one another and strengthen our fellow brothers and sisters to persevere through those many challenges that we may have to face amidst those difficult moments. We are reminded that as Christians we may have to bear through difficulties and sufferings in our journey just as the Lord Himself had suffered. Let us all therefore continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord despite the difficulties and challenges that we may be facing now in our lives. Let us all remember that God Himself has sent to us His only begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour Himself, to be with us and to suffer for our sake. He has suffered the most grievous and most painful death for our salvation, to journey together with all of us and to carry His Cross together with the crosses that we carry in our own respective lives. Let us all be ever grateful and appreciative of everything that He had done for our sake, for the salvation of our souls and the liberation from the power of sin and death. And let us all be generous in helping one another to endure these various sufferings and burdens that each one of us have to endure as well. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the good Lord our most loving God and Master continue to be with us in our every efforts and endeavours, in all of our journeys and works, in everything that we do for the sake of His greater glory and for the salvation of many souls, our fellow brothers and sisters. May He continue to strengthen us all that we may continue to be good and worthy role models in every moments of our lives, that we may truly be the worthy beacons of God’s light, truth and Good News to all the people. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen🙏
During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen🙏
Let us pray:
My generous Lord, You ask everything of me. You ask me to abandon everything in my pursuit of Your perfect will. Give me the grace I need to answer Your call and to live sacrificially for You without counting the cost. You are generous beyond description, dear Lord, and I trust that following You will produce an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Apostles and Saint Paul VI, Pope; Saint Maximinus of Trier; Saint Mother Ursula (Giulia) Ledóchowska and Saint Bona of Pisa ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖