SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 29, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we humbly pray for justice, peace and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world. We pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to 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 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | July 29, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | July 29, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |July 29, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | July 29, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | July 29, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

NOVENA TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS | https://novenaprayer.com/novena-to-the-precious-blood-of-jesus/ (When to begin: Any time – The whole month of July)

Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, July 29, 2024
Reading 1, Jeremiah 13:1-11
Responsorial Psalm, Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
Gospel, John 11:19-27

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS; SAINT FELIX II, POPE; SAINTS SIMPLICIUS, FAUSTINUS AND BEATRICE, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY – JULY 29TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus; Saint Felix II, Pope and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus & Beatrice, Martyrs. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all families, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. We pray for homemakers, and maids, for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for those going through difficulties especially during these challenging times, for the poor and the needy. We also pray for all travelers and we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏 

SAINTS MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS: On January 26, 2021, Pope Francis ordered the inscription of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus into the General Roman Calendar, to replace the existing celebration of Saint Martha alone. The Feast day of Saints  Martha, Mary and Lazarus will be celebrated each year as an Obligatory Memorial on July 29, which means it must be observed. Pope Francis approved the memorial for Martha, Mary and Lazarus after “considering the important evangelical witness they offered in welcoming the Lord Jesus into their home, in listening to Him attentively, (and) in believing that He is the resurrection and the life.” For many centuries, the Church’s liturgy taught that the “Mary” of Bethany and the “Mary” of Magdala were one and the same, with the “composite Mary” feast day on July 22. The liturgical reforms after the Second Vatican Council, however, specifically identified the memorial of July 22 as that of Saint Mary Magdalene, leaving unresolved whether she is, or is not, the same person as Mary of Bethany. In 2021 Pope Francis resolved this question, at least liturgically. The memorial of July 29, until 2021 dedicated exclusively to Saint Martha, was expanded to include Mary and Lazarus as well. So the memorials of July 22 (Mary Magdalene) and July 29 celebrate two distinct Marys. Mary of Bethany is not Mary of Magdala. While Scripture scholars are now closer to separating Mary Magdalen from Mary of Bethany, the true identity of Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus is still not solidly known.

Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were three siblings who resided in the town of Bethany, just outside of Jerusalem. Having lived during the time of Jesus Christ, they have personally experienced the goodness of the Son of God. Saints Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends of Jesus. He came to their home simply as a welcomed guest. The sisters felt free to call on Jesus at their brother’s death, even though a return to Judea at that time seemed to spell almost certain death. In the household of Bethany, the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that He loved them,” it said. “Martha generously offered Him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to His words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the one who humiliated death.” Martha would serve the Lord faithfully when He was a guest in her home, once busying herself so much with her work that she neglected to spend time enjoying His presence, for which she earned a gentle rebuke from Our Lord Jesus when she complained about Mary not helping with the cooking when He came to visit (Luke 10: 38-42). Martha had great faith in Christ, especially evidenced in her belief that He could raise her brother Lazarus from the dead. In the Gospels we read that St. Martha testified that Jesus was the Son of God even before His Passion and Resurrection. It is also recorded that Martha served Jesus at supper six days before the Passover. (John 12: 1-2). According to tradition, after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, St. Martha gathered a group of women together to live, pray, and do penance in common, one of the early Christian houses of consecrated women. According to legend, after our Lord’s Ascension St. Martha traveled to France with her brother Lazarus and sister, Mary. Martha, Mary and Lazarus evangelised Provence. Lazarus became a missionary to Gaul, and became the first bishop of Marseilles, France, and a martyr in the persecutions of Domitian. The Order of Lazarists founded by St Vincent de Paul took its name from the church in Paris dedicated to Saint Lazare. Chichester Cathedral has an 11th century sculpture depicting the Raising of Lazarus. In 1187, the alleged relics of St. Martha were discovered at Tarascon, France, and placed in a magnificent crypt in the collegiate church there. Saint Martha is a Patron Saint of cooks; housewives; domestic servants; homemakers; restaurant servers; innkeepers; laundry workers; maids; servants; servers; single laywomen; travellers; hotel-keepers; manservants. St. Lazarus Patron Saint of Gravediggers. Together, Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are Patron Saints of Siblings.

PRAYER: Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, your family life of faith provides a model of unity to all siblings. May all brothers and sisters rise above mundane family tensions and disagreements and unite around things eternal and transcendent. Amen 🙏

SAINT FELIX II, POPE: The Holy Pontiff, Felix II, is a Pope of the 4th-Century. He was Martyred in Tuscany, Italy, in the time of the Arians, 365 A.D. Pope Felix was a Roman archdeacon in the 4th century who was installed irregularly in 355 as an antipope and reigned until 365 after Emperor Constantius banished the current pope, Liberius. St. Felix was the archdeacon of Rome in the mid-4th century, when the Church, so recently freed by the Emperor Constantine from pagan persecution, was subjected to its first “Christian” persecution by his son Constantius, an ardent supporter of the Arian heresy. In 355, the latter banished Pope Liberius to Greece for his opposition to Arianism, and Felix was consecrated by three Arian bishops to take his place. Although the majority of the Roman clergy apparently did recognize him as their bishop, the laity would have nothing to do with him. Two years later, when Liberius was permitted to return from exile, Felix and his supporters tried but failed to occupy the basilica of Pope Julius I (now known as Santa Maria in Trastevere); he was then banished from Rome by the Senate, never to return. After living for eight years near Porto in quiet retirement, he died on November 22, 365. St Felix was buried in a catacomb named for him along the via Portuensis, the great ancient road which led to the port of Rome.

The Roman Martyrology records his martyrdom at Cervetro (Caerae) in Tuscany, Italy probably about 365 A.D; but it is the opinion of some authors that he lived on for several years in retirement and died a peaceful death. The Church also commemerate the finding of the body of Saint Felix with those of other Martyrs. It is especially to be noted that from the outset he has always been regarded as a Saint, and there are no real grounds for setting him aside as a mere Anti-Pope.

Saint Felix II, Pope ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINTS SIMPLICIUS, FAUSTINUS AND BEATRICE, MARTYRS: The brothers Simplicius and Faustinus and their sister, Beatrice, gave their lives for Christ at Rome, A.D. 304. Saints Simplicius and Faustinus, denounced as Christians to the persecutors, were put to death at Rome under Emperor Diocletian in 304 A.D. The two brothers were cruelly tormented, and at length beheaded at Rome in the persecution of Diocletian, in the year 304. From the bridge called the pons aemilius, which spanned the Tiber River over Tiber Island, the bodies of the two brothers were tossed into the waters below. Their sister Beatrice took up their bodies out of the Tiber and gave them burial. She concealed herself for seven months in the house of a virtuous widow called Lucina, with whom she spent her time, night and day in fervent prayer, and in the exercise of other good works. It was not long before Beatrice met the same fate as her brothers. She was denounced as a Christian, imprisoned and, despite the threats she received, persevered in the faith. She was discovered and impeached by a pagan kinsman, who designed to possess himself of her estate, which was contiguous to his own; she resolutely protested to the judge that she would never adore gods of wood and stone, and was strangled by his order in prison the following night. Lucina buried her body near her brothers on the side of the highway to Porto, in the cemetery called Ad Ursum Pileatum. Pope Leo II translated their relics into a Church at Rome dedicated in their names which he built to the honor of these Martyrs in the city, they now lie in that of St. Mary Major.

The catacomb called “Generosa” was on the via Portuense, and the three saints came to be known as the martyres portuenses. Of particular note in the catacomb is the fresco with Byzantine characteristics, which was discovered there, called Coronatio Martyrum, dating back to the 6th century. In it are depicted five characters: in the center Christ who offers the crown of martyrdom to Simplicius, flanked by Beatrice, while on the left are the figures of Faustinus, with the palm of martyrdom in his hand, and of Rufus. Later, the relics of Saint Beatrice and her brothers were brought to the Oratory of the Church of Saint Bibiana around 682 by Pope Leo II. Pope Urban VIII then later decided that the ancient church was to be restored by the hand of Bernini. The latter brought down the Oratory and the marble arch was carried to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Some of her relics are found in other parts of Europe, the most significant in Germany. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have relics purported to be those of Saint Beatrice at their monastery in Clyde, Missouri, where a wax effigy of the saint lies in a glass case. Saint Simplicius is the patron saint of Lauterbach and one of the patrons pf the city of Fulda. Images of Simplicius can be found on monuments, house facades and as a work of art throughout Lauterbach.

PRAYER: O Lord, all Christian nations joyfully unite today to celebrate the feast of your martyrs Felix, Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice. Grant that the faithful may rejoice in it through all eternity and share the triumph of Your saints which they commemorate. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever…. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ John 11:19-27

“I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”

“Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to Him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

or Alternative Gospel reading:

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 10:38-42

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things”

“Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed Him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Today’s Gospel reading suggests that Jesus had a warm, friendly, relationship with the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. When Lazarus was seriously ill, Jesus was immediately contacted by the two sisters, Martha and Mary. Although Lazarus died before Jesus arrived, Jesus brought Lazarus back from death to life and spoke a wonderful word of hope to Martha that has consoled believers ever since as they grieve the death of a loved one, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though they die they will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die’. Martha is portrayed as a woman in grief, because of the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha, her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus are referred to as loved by Jesus, as friends of Jesus. This is a family of disciples who have experienced the love of God present in Jesus and have responded to that love. Martha’s grief at the death of her brother Lazarus is the grief of a disciple, of a believer. We can sympathize with Martha’s gentle rebuke of Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died’. There was a recognition there of Jesus’ healing power, but also an expression of disappointment that He did not come sooner. We can all feel a little let down by the Lord when a loved one dies. The timing of death rarely seems right to us. Jesus’ response to Mary’s disappointment and grief has spoken to believers ever since as they struggle to let go of a loved one from this life, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though they die the will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die’. Jesus is declaring that our communion with Him, which His love for us and our faith in Him creates, will not be broken by death. In virtue of that communion, we already live with His risen life, over which death has no power. In speaking to her, the Lord was speaking to each of us. His question to her is addressed to each one of us, ‘Do you believe this?’ Today’s feast is an appropriate moment to make our own response to Jesus’ question, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who has come into this world’. To Martha’s answer we can add, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the resurrection and the life’.

In Luke’s Gospel, both sisters, Martha and Mary showed Jesus hospitality when He visited them. Martha’s hospitality took the form of active serving, preparing a meal for Jesus. Mary’s hospitality took the form of sitting at His feet and listening to Him speaking. Martha did not appreciate Mary’s way of showing hospitality, judging her to be inconsiderate towards herself. Jesus did appreciate Mary’s way of showing hospitality. He was of the view that Martha had something to learn from Mary. Perhaps Jesus had something important to say and He needed a listening ear more than an elaborate meal. In our dealings with others, there is a time to sit and listen to them and a time to get busy serving them. There is a wisdom in knowing which form of hospitality is being called for at any given time. In our relationship with the Lord too, there is a time to sit and listen to Him in prayer, and there is a time to become one of His labourers, by bringing His loving presence in practical ways to those we meet. This is a reminder for us that the Lord wants from us our love and attention, our whole hearts and minds, undivided focus and more, and not all the busy actions and preoccupations we have in life, in all the things that may distract us from focusing ourselves upon the true focus of our lives, that is the Lord Himself, the Lord and Master of us all. That is why today, all of us are reminded as we rejoice in the glorious memories of the three siblings turned saints, St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, that each and every one of us should always put our faith and trust in the Lord, and we should always place the Lord first and foremost before everything else. We must always do our best so that we will not be swayed easily by the temptations and obstacles present all around us, threatening to mislead us away from the path of the Lord and His salvation.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all presented with the words of wisdom from God on how each one of us can serve and follow Him better, through the inspirations of the Saints, St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus. The three of them were siblings and according to the Scriptures, they were friends of the Lord Jesus. Lazarus was the one whom the Lord raised from the dead, and Mary and Martha were the ones to whom the Lord visited, as we heard from the Scripture reading today. Each one of them brought about inspiration for all of us Christians. Inspired by the good examples of the siblings, St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, their love for God and faith in the Lord, in all that they had done in following and obeying God’s will, let us all also do the same in our own lives as well. All of us should do whatever we can to seek the Lord from now on, and do our best to live our lives worthily in all things, committing our time, effort and attention on the Lord. May the Lord, ever glorified through the lives and actions of His holy ones, the glorious Saints and Martyrs, and particularly on this day, through St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, who are dear to Him, continue to bless us all and guide us in our own journey of faith and life, so that we may always be ever faithful to the Lord in all things. May we continue to strive and persevere in faith, even amidst the many challenges and trials all around us. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, our loving Creator and Master, continue to be with us all and may He empower each and every one of us so that we may truly love Him wholeheartedly and ever more courageously, focusing our attention and whole lives on Him, and no longer on the many temptations and wickedness of this world. May God bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours, so that inspired by the examples and lives of His Saints, especially the glorious St. Martha, St. Mary and St. Lazarus, holy men and women of God, we may continue to walk ever more righteously in God’s path. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to trust and believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and may the Lord continue to guide us in our journey. May He empower and strengthen each and every one of us to live as good and devout Christians, and may He bless our efforts and good works, our every endeavours, now and always. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JULY:

THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS: The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood. The feast of the Precious Blood of our Lord was instituted in 1849 by Pius IX, but the devotion is as old as Christianity. The early Fathers say that the Church was born from the pierced side of Christ, and that the sacraments were brought forth through His Blood.

“The Precious Blood which we worship is the Blood which the Savior shed for us on Calvary and reassumed at His glorious Resurrection; it is the Blood which courses through the veins of His risen, glorified, living body at the right hand of God the Father in heaven; it is the Blood made present on our altars by the words of Consecration; it is the Blood which merited sanctifying grace for us and through it washes and beautifies our soul and inaugurates the beginning of eternal life in it.”

PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYER: Almighty, and everlasting God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the Redeemer of the world, and hast been pleased to be reconciled unto us by His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate with solemn worship the price of our salvation, that the power thereof may here on earth keep us from all things hurtful, and the fruit of the same may gladden us for ever hereafter in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen 🙏🏾

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JULY – FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK: We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.

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 been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! 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 🙏🏾

Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During 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. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. 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 loving Lord, You befriended and loved this ordinary family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In doing so, You also reveal to us Your desire to love all families with a holy love. You visited their home, received their hospitality, gently corrected them when needed and eventually raised them to the new life of eternal glory. May I also welcome You into the home of my soul, within my family and into every aspect of my life. Please come to me and raise me to the newness of the life of grace. I invite You into my life and into my family, dear Lord. Please strengthen our bonds, bring unity and mutual respect. Please remove any past hurt and division and enable every family to share more fully in Your friendship and love. Jesus, I love You.  Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus; Saint Felix II, Pope and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus & Beatrice ~ 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. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled, and fruitful week🙏🏾

Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖