TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
[Not celebrated as a liturgical memorial this year since it falls on Sunday]
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS: Traditionally prayed September 7–15th. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows is September 15th | Novena link below
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Sunday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time [Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows]!
Today, on this special feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for those seeking for the fruit of the womb, we pray for difficult marriages, for all widows and widowers, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the poor and needy. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our loved ones who recently passed away, we particularly pray for the repose of the souls of all those who will die today, asking God to have mercy on their souls and to lead them into Eternal Life. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and we continue to pray for the repose of 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 and souls of all the faithful departed 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 and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
We continue to pray for our children and children all over the world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for the Clergy, persecuted Christians, for peace, love, justice and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe and well. Amen 🙏
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | September 15, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | September 15, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes France” | September 15, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| September 15, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Sunday September 15, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 50:4-9
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Reading 2, James 2:14-18
Gospel, Mark 8:27-35
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS: Traditionally prayed September 7–15th. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows is September 15th | https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/nine-day-prayer-for-life-novena-to-our-lady-of-sorrows-283
The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is September 15. This “Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows” devotion includes prayers honoring each of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as Mater Dolorosa, is a title given to our Blessed Mother and focuses on Mary’s profound suffering and grief during the seven painful events she endured during her life as the mother of Jesus. We thank God for granting us the grace to successfully complete the Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows 🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel (USA) Mark 8:27–35
“You are the Christ.…the Son of Man must suffer greatly”
“Jesus and His disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to Him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then He warned them not to tell anyone about Him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. At this He turned around and, looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” He summoned the crowd with His disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny Himself, take up His cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.”
In today’s Gospel reading, according to the Gospel of St. Mark, the Lord asked His disciples about who they thought He was, and the disciples uttered different answers, on whether He was a Prophet or Holy Man of God, but St. Peter courageously spoke the truth before everyone, stating that He was the Messiah, the Saviour Whom the Lord had promised, the Son of God Most High. Then, the Lord told them all that He would suffer and be persecuted just exactly as how the prophet Isaiah had predicted and prophesied that He would. This was met with the confusion and consternation from the disciples of the Lord, and a strong objection from St. Peter who tried to argue with the Lord and dissuade Him from carrying out such a mission. This was when the Lord rebuked Satan who had been tempting St. Peter and the other disciples, while He Himself also kept His courage and commitment, dedication and desire to save us all strong, to obey fully and wholeheartedly the will of His heavenly Father. This was one of Satan’s many attempts to distract, persuade and coerce the Lord from completing His mission, and to tempt Him much as he had once successfully tempted away Adam and Eve to disobey God and to fall into sin. But the Lord Jesus obeyed perfectly and completely, dedicating Himself wholly, willingly humbling and emptying Himself of all glory and power, to embrace each and every one of us so that we may receive through Him and from Him the promise of eternal life and salvation.
In the Gospel reading, the first question that Jesus asked His disciples was easy to answer. ‘Who do people say I am?’ The disciples knew what people were saying about Jesus; He was John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets. The second question Jesus asked required more thought, ‘But you, who do you say I am?’ Peter answered Jesus’ question on behalf of the other disciples, ‘You are the Christ’, the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. Jesus did not dispute this title, but it was an ambiguous title that had different meanings for different people. When Jesus went on to speak of Himself as the Son of Man who was destined to suffer grievously and who would soon be put to death. St. Peter’s very negative reaction to what Jesus said showed that this wasn’t the kind of Messiah he had in mind. St. Peter was thinking of a glorious, triumphant, Messiah. Jesus’ subsequent rebuke of St. Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan!’, must have shaken St. Peter to the core. St. Peter wanted Jesus to be spared suffering and Jesus probably wanted to be spared of suffering too, which is why He experienced St. Peter’s negative reaction as a strong temptation that He had to firmly reject. Jesus knew that if it was to be true to His mission to reveal God’s love for all, He would have to travel the way of the cross. St. Peter had a lot to learn about who Jesus really was.
The question Jesus put to His disciples is addressed to us all, ‘Who do you say I am?’ It is one of those questions we never answer fully in this life. When it comes to Jesus we always have more to learn, more to see, and that will be so until that eternal moment beyond this earthly life when we will see Him face to face, and we will know Him as fully as He now knows us. It is clear from Jesus’ rebuke to Peter that if we are to really know who Jesus is we have to look upon the suffering Son of Man. When we look upon Jesus on the cross, what do we see? We see someone whose loving commitment to God and to all humanity was so complete that he was prepared to lose everything for it. We see someone who stood ready to lose His life for our sake and for the sake of the Gospel that He preached. It is above all on the cross that Jesus reveals Himself as someone who loves us with a love that is faithful even when we fail Him, a love that endures to the end and beyond into eternity. As Jesus hung from the cross there was an explosion of God’s love for all humanity, for each one of us. We can each say with Saint Paul in his letter to the Galatians, ‘I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me’. When Peter rebuked Jesus for suggesting that He would be a suffering Messiah, he hadn’t yet understood the depth of Jesus’ love for him and for all. Genuine human love has the power to draw us in. Jesus once said, ‘When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself’. We are drawn to Jesus on the cross not because we are fascinated by suffering but because we sense the power of God’s love drawing us. Saint Paul once wrote of Christ crucified as ‘the power of God and the wisdom of God’.
In our Gospel reading, Jesus goes on to say, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let them renounce themselves, take up their cross and follow me’. Jesus wasn’t talking about passively accepting the sufferings and losses that come our way in life. He was calling on us to commit ourselves in love to him and to each other, just as He has committed Himself in love to us, and to be true to that loving commitment even though it may mean the way of the cross, a dying to ourselves. It is a call to be His faithful disciple just as He has shown himself to be our faithful Shepherd. He is calling on us to keep choosing to serve Him in love by our loving service of others, especially those in greatest need, as St. James in the second reading reminds us. This will often mean denying ourselves and taking up the cross, in the sense of saying ‘no’ to our natural love of ease, comfort and convenience. Yet, this is the way of Jesus and He promises us that if we follow in His way we will save our lives. We will be fully alive in the here and now and we will inherit the fullness of life beyond death.
Our first reading this Sunday gives an accounts of the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the prophecy of the Suffering Servant or the Suffering Messiah, as the prophet highlighted the prophecy from God on the coming Servant and Man of God Who would have to suffer grievously for the sake of everyone. This account is a reminder for all of us of the mission which the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Lord and Saviour, had to take up in order to save us all from eternal damnation and destruction. This prophecy of the prophet Isaiah would indeed be a strange prophecy to the Israelites and their descendants, as God did promise them the coming of His Saviour and salvation, but they could not comprehend why this Saviour must suffer and endure bitter challenges, oppressions and difficulties in doing so. But this is where we are reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us must not only have faith but we must also act and live our lives in the manner that is compatible and in accordance to the faith which we have in the Lord.
In our second reading this Sunday from the Epistle of St. James the Apostle, the famous phrase uttered by St. James the Apostle was highlighted to us, that is ‘faith without good works is dead’. This is an important tenet and part of our Christian faith and beliefs, as each and every one of us are reminded that if our faith is not made complete with real and authentic actions, good works and efforts in accordance to that faith, then our faith would not have existed or been genuine in the first place, and hence, we will be found wanting by the Lord on the Day of Judgment. This is actually misunderstood, some thinking that our Catholic faith and true belief in the Lord involved us gaining entry into Heaven and righteousness, justification and salvation through our good works and efforts. These who misunderstood this truth and reality failed to understand that we are ultimately still saved and justified by our faith in God, but such a faith cannot be devoid of true and genuine commitment to God. It is entirely possible for one to profess to have faith in God and yet, his or her faith may be empty and meaningless faith, namely a faith that is merely superficial and external, and does not translate into true and enduring relationship with God, or faith that is truly rooted in our strong and vibrant belief in God, in our genuine and loving relationship with Him. That is why each and every one of us are reminded by St. James the Apostle to live our lives and embody our faith most genuinely through our efforts, works and contributions in life, in each and every one of our words, actions and deeds, our various interactions with one another and our commitment to love and serve the Lord among other things. We should not be Christians who are merely paying lip service to our faith in the Lord. Instead, we should always aspire to love the Lord wholeheartedly, in each and every moments in our lives, remembering as always His love and kindness, His compassion and mercy towards us, particularly in how He has done so much for us, in enduring the worst of sufferings, oppressions, humiliations and pain for the sake of our salvation and for our reconciliation with Him.
As we reflect on the words of the Lord in the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, we are all reminded to put our faith and trust in the Lord, and not to allow ourselves be easily swayed by the temptations of worldliness, and by the fears, uncertainties and doubts that we may have in our hearts and minds. Instead we have to continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord, and do our very best at all times so that our lives may truly be exemplary and be full of faith and righteousness, that in everything which we say and do, we will continue to proclaim the Lord and His truth, and that our lives may be truly sincere and worthy in all things, our faith truly vibrant, living and real, and not merely empty proclamations of faith and belief, but one that truly embody our love for God. Let us all therefore renew our efforts and convictions so that we can continue to walk ever more faithfully in God’s Holy Presence. If we have not truly devoted ourselves wholly and completely in the Lord’s path, let us all continue from now on, changing our paths and our commitments, so that we no longer merely obey His Law and commandments by external obligations and appearances. Instead, let us all commit ourselves anew and dedicate ourselves in each and every moments to follow the Lord ever more faithfully and wholeheartedly from now on. Let us no longer be idle in how we live our lives and faith, and let us all no longer be ignorant of our responsibilities and calling in life as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people in all the things we say and do, in every moments of our lives. May the Lord, our ever loving God and Father, our Creator and Master, continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith through life. May He empower each and every one of us with the strength and courage to continue devoting ourselves to the Lord, in each and every moments of our lives.
As we commemorate this Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, let us all reflect first of all on everything that the Lord, our God and Saviour had done for our sake, in His ever enduring and wonderful love, in reaching out to us with love and in sacrificing Himself for our sake so that through Him we may have life and not perish. Then we also should remember the love that His mother Mary has shown us all, and how we have been entrusted to her as her own adopted children. She has always prayed and interceded for our sake, and wanted the best for us, ever reminding us to turn towards her Son and to be righteous and good at all times. Let us all therefore ask our beloved Mother Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, to continue to love us patiently and to not be sorrowful anymore, by our commitment and desire to repent from our sins and by our efforts to live our lives with faith from now on, making good use of all the opportunities given to us, in each and every moments to be exemplary in life and to inspire one another to follow the Lord and to be ever faithful always. In our reflection on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, what cross are we bearing in our lives? What discomforts are we enduring for the sake of the Gospel? Is it sickness in the family, repeated failure in business, disappointments from loved ones, heartaches from our children? Whatever cross God has deemed fit to place on our shoulders, we can be sure that if we bear these difficulties with Christ, they will become channels of strength and life for us. On this Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, may God grant us the grace to trust in Him and carry our individual and collective crosses amid the storms and battles in our lives and follow Him. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to look to Our Lady of Sorrows as our inspiration and our support. May the Lord be with us always and may His blessed Mother, Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, our Mother, pray for us always. Amen.🙏
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 15TH [Our Lady of Sorrows
Not celebrated as a liturgical memorial this year since it falls on Sunday]
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for those seeking for the fruit of the womb, we pray for difficult marriages, for all widows and widowers, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray for the poor and needy. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏
OUR LADY OF SORROWS: The feast of Our Lady’s Sorrows (Our Lady’s Seven Sorrows or Mater Dolorosa – Mother of Sorrows) has its origin in Christian devotion which finds it fitting to associate her with the Passion of her Son.This feast is celebrated on the September 15, the day after the feast of the Holy Cross to show the close connection between Jesus’ Passion and Mary’s Sorrows. The title, Our Lady of Sorrows, given to our Blessed Mother focuses on her intense suffering and grief during the passion and death of our Lord. This feast dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady has its roots in Sacred Scripture and in Christian piety, which always associates the Blessed Mother with her suffering Son and became widespread in the Church around the 14th century.
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows commemorates the seven great sorrows which Mary lived in relation to Her Son, as they are recorded in the Gospels or through Tradition. Today we are invited to reflect on Mary’s deep suffering: As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, the sword of sorrow Simeon had foretold pierced her soul. Jesus is ‘destined to be a sign that is rejected’ and, as for Mary, ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too’. It was revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373) that devotion to Our Lady’s Seven Sorrows would bring great graces. Mary, in a unique way, willingly suffered alongside her Divine Son as he gave his life to save the world, and she felt the bitterness of his passion as only a mother can. This devotion is especially remembered during September, the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows, and during the season of Lent.
Below are the seven sorrows of Mary:
- At the prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35): “You yourself shall be pierced with a sword – so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.”
- At the flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15): “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.”
3.Having lost the Holy Child Jesus at Jerusalem for three days (Luke 2:41-50): “You see that your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow.” - Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary (Luke 23:27-31; John 19:17)
- Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (John 19:25-30): Standing at the foot of the Cross; “Near the cross of Jesus there stood His mother.”
- The body of Jesus being taken from the Cross (Psalm 130; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:31-37)
- At the burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Mark 15:40-47)
Prior to the Second Vatican Council, there were two feasts devoted to the sorrows of Mary. The first feast was insitituted in Cologne in 1413 as an expiation for the sins of the iconoclast Hussites. The second is attributed to the Servite order whose principal devotion are the Seven Sorrows. It was institued in 1668, though the devotion had been in existence since 1239 – five years after the founding of the order. Today’s feast was introduced by the Servites in order to intensify devotion to Our Lady’s Sorrows. In 1817 Pius VII—suffering grievously in exile but finally liberated by Mary’s intercession—extended the feast to the universal Church. The feast was especially promoted by the Cistercians and the Servites, so much so that in the 14th and 15th centuries it was widely celebrated throughout the Catholic Church. In 1482 the feast was added to the Missal under the title of “Our Lady of Compassion.” Pope Benedict XIII added it to the Roman Calenda in 1727 on the Friday before Palm Sunday. In 1913, Pope Pius X fixed the date on September 15. The title “Our Lady of Sorrows” focuses on Mary’s intense suffering during the passion and death of Christ. ” The Seven Dolors,” the title by which it was celebrated in the 17th century, referred to the seven swords that pierced the Heart of Mary. This feast is dedicated to the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, Mother of God, and her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son, Jesus. In her suffering as co-redeemer, she reminds us of the tremendous evil of sin and shows us the way of true repentance. May the numerous tears of the Mother of God be conducive to our salvation; with which tears Thou, O God, art able to wash away the sins of the whole world. By offering her Son for us, she became our Mother and we became her children. Patron Saint of people named Dolores, Dolais, Deloris, Dolorita, Maria Dolorosa, Pia, and Pieta.
The Memorare: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen 🙏
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.🙏
OTHER SAINTS OF THE DAY: SAINT NICOMEDES OF ROME, MARTYR ON THE VIA NOMENTANA AND ST CATHERINE OF GENOA, WIDOW – FEAST DAY~ SEPTEMBER 15TH
On this Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, we also celebrate the Memorial of Saint Nicomedes of Rome, Martyr of the Via Nomentana and Saint Catherine of Genoa, Widow.
SAINT NICOMEDES OF ROME, MARTYR ON THE VIA NOMENTANA: St. Nicomedes was an early Roman martyr of unknown era (approximately 71 A.D.). The Roman Martyrologium and the historical Martyrologies of Bede and his imitators place the feast on this date. The Gregorian Sacramentary contains under the same date the orations for his Mass . The name does not appear in the three oldest and most important manuscripts of the “Martyrologium Hieronymianum”, but was inserted in later recensions (“Martyrol. Hieronymianum”, ed. De Rossi-Duchesne, in Acta SS., Nov., II, 121). The saint is without doubt a martyr of the Roman Church. He was buried in a catacomb on the Via Nomentana near the gate of that name. Three seventh century Itineraries make explicit reference to his grave, and Pope Adrian I restored the church built over it (De Rossi, “Rome Sotterranea”, I, 178-79). A titular church of Rome, mentioned in the fifth century, was dedicated to him (titulus S. Nicomedis). Nothing is known of the circumstances of his death. The legend of the martyrdom of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus introduces him as a presbyter and places his death at the end of the first century. Other recensions of the martyrdom of St. Nicomedes ascribe the sentence of death to the Emperor Maximinianus (beginning of the fourth century). St. Nicomedes was buried not far from the walls of Rome on the Via Nomentana, and the pious faithful built a “cemetery basilica” above his tomb.
Saint Nicomedes of Rome, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT CATHERINE OF GENOA, WIDOW: St. Catherine (1447–1510) was noble in birth, rich, and exceedingly beautiful, born into an aristocratic family in Genoa, Italy. She was a quiet, obedient and holy child who devoted herself to prayer and penance. At the age of 13 she made an attempt to enter a convent, but was rejected. At the age of 16 she consented to a marriage arranged by her family for political and financial gain. Her husband was faithless and violent, and their marriage was miserable. St. Catherine did not bear any children, and for the first five years lived as a hermit in her fine home. After this time, upon her family’s rebuke of her solitude, she began to engage in the kind of social activity expected for her state in life. She somewhat relaxed the strictness of her life and entered into the worldly society of Genoa. This only increased her weariness and depression, and led to the loss of her religious fervor. St. Catherine prayed earnestly for assistance in her trouble. Taking the advice of her sister, who was a nun, St. Catherine went to confession, and through the sacrament had a profound mystical experience in which she clearly saw the depth of her sinfulness contrasted with the depth of God’s love. From that point on she renewed her commitment to rigorous prayer, penance, and works of mercy, and God continued to favor her with mystical visions. St. Catherine later won the conversion of her husband, and they were received into the Third Order of St. Francis. Together they cared for the poor and sick in the Genoa hospital, over which St. Catherine became administrator. St. Catherine’s husband after amended his evil ways and he died penitent. St. Catherine’s mystical visions were recorded by her confessor toward the end of her life, the most famous being her Treatise of Purgatory. St. Catherine of Genoa wrote a treatise on Purgatory and a Dialogue between the soul and body—two outstanding documents of Christian mysticism. Her heroic fortitude was sustained by the constant thought of the Holy Souls, whose sufferings were revealed to her, and whose state she has described in a treatise full of heavenly wisdom. A long and grievous malady during the last years of her life only served to perfect her union with God, till, worn out in body and purified in soul, she breathed her last on September 14, 1510. St. Catherine of Genoa is the Patron Saint of Brides, Childless People, Difficult Marriages, People Ridiculed for their Piety, Temptations, Victims of Adultery, Victims of Unfaithfulness, Widows. Her feast day is celebrated on September 15th.
Saint Catherine of Genoa, Widow ~ Pray for us 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER:
MONTH OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS:
September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as our Mother of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa)! Since the 16th century, Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The Church dedicates the month of September to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15th. Devotion to the sorrows of the Virgin Mary dates from the twelfth century, when it made its appearance in monastic circles under the influence of St. Anselm and St. Bernard.
This devotion recalls the Blessed Virgin Mary’s spiritual martyrdom in virtue of her perfect union with the Passion of Christ. This was her role in salvation history and what merited her place as the spiritual Mother of all Christians. This is symbolized by a single sword, or seven swords, piercing Mary’s suffering heart, as foretold in Simeon’s prophecy. Traditionally the Church meditates on the “Seven Sorrows” of our Blessed Mother: the prophecy of Simeon; the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt; the loss of the Child Jesus for three days; the meeting of Mary and Jesus as He carried His cross; Jesus’ crucifixion and death; Jesus’ sacred body taken down from the cross; and Jesus’ burial. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days’ loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord’s torments and the greatness of her love for Him. “She it was,” says Pope Pius XII, “who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus, she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members.” The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa) is September 15th.
INVOCATIONS: Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us. Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us 🙏🏾
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=762
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER – FOR THE CRY OF THE EARTH: We pray that each one of us will hear and take to heart the cry of the Earth and of victims of natural disasters and climactic change, and that all will undertake to personally care for the world in which we live.
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, Nigeria, 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, and 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 sacrificial Lord, You lived a selfless life in which Your only concerns were the glory of the Father in Heaven and the salvation of the world. Please free me from all selfishness so that I will be more able to deny myself in every way, run toward every cross in life, and follow You into the beautiful life of selfless and sacrificial love. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
My Immaculate and Sorrowful Mother, you stood at the foot of the Cross of your Son with the perfection of a mother’s love. Your heart was filled with a sorrow that was mixed with every holy virtue. Pray for me that I may understand this love more fully, so that I may also open up my own heart to your love. As I do, I pray that I will become an instrument of the love in your heart toward those in my life who suffer and are in most need of tender compassion and mercy. Lord, help me to love with the love of Your dear Mother. Help me to feel the same holy sorrow she felt and to allow that holy sorrow to deepen my concern and compassion for all those who suffer. Sorrowful Heart of Our Mother Mary, pray for us. 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 Blessed Mother Mary; Our Lady of Sorrows; Saints Nicomedes and Saint Catherine of Genoa ~ 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 Sunday and fruitful month of September!🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖