TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ SEPTEMBER 29TH

[Feast not celebrated as a liturgical memorial this year since it falls on Sunday]

NOVENA TO SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX – THE LITTLE FLOWER: Starts September 22-30 – Traditionally, it is prayed from September 22nd through September 30th. Her Memorial Feast Day is October 1st. | Novena link below

Greetings beloved family and Happy Sunday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time and Happy Feast of the Archangels!

Today we celebrate Priesthood Sunday! Let us remember our priests here and all priests who have been a part of our lives. Consider offering extra prayers, a rosary or some act of sacrifice for our priests and their intentions. We pray for all Priests, Our Holy Father Pope Francis, the Clergy, Seminarians and religious. May the good Lord continue to bless the work of their hands and may the Archangels watch over them and protect them from evil and harm. Amen. May God grant us the grace to turn to the Angels, the Archangels, for help in remaining faithful to this vitally important mission we all share. May our good Lord be with us all, and may His Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael continue to help and guide us along our journey towards righteousness and grace in God. Amen🙏

Today, on this special feast day of the Archangels, Patron Saints of soldiers, police, paramedics, and the sick and dying (St. Michael); messengers, postal workers, broadcasters, and expectant mothers (St. Gabriel); travelers, the blind, medical workers, and matchmakers (St. Raphael), through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we humbly pray for all those in military, policeofficers, newscaster, expectant mothers, travelers and medical personnel. We pray for the gentle repose of the soul of our loved ones who recently passed away, we 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. 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, for those seeking for the fruit of the womb, for the poor and needy, we pray for difficult marriages, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. Amen 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass | Pope Francis in Belgium | LIVE | September 29, 2024” |

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

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

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

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| September 29, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | September 29, 2024
Reading 1, Numbers 11:25-29
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
Reading 2, James 5:1-6
Gospel, Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

NOVENA TO SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX – THE LITTLE FLOWER: Starts today, September 22-30 – Traditionally, it is prayed from September 22nd through September 30th. Her Memorial Feast Day is October 1st. | https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/novena-to-st-theresa-the-little-flower-11867

PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY

Priesthood Sunday is a special day set aside to honor priesthood. It is a day to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church as a central one. Priesthood Sunday is celebrated on the last Sunday of September each year, is a special day to honor the men who serve as Priests.

Priesthood Sunday, is also a day to honor all religious and to focus on the importance of vocations. Parish encouraged to make a special effort to involve young people in expressing appreciation to priests. This can be done at Mass on Priesthood Sunday, at a parish or Catholic school event or in other ways.

IMPORTANCE OF PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY

Priesthood Sunday is a time to affirm the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its central place in the life of the Church. Priesthood Sunday offers an opportunity for young people to connect with their parish pastor, as well as other priests in their community, and learn more about their vocation. This is especially important for young people today because there are fewer priests now than there used to be. Through Priesthood Sunday activities, young people can get to know their pastor or another priest and have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the vocation of priesthood.

PRAYER FOR OUR PRIESTS

“O Heavenly Father, on this Celebrate Priesthood Sunday, hear our humble prayers on behalf of Fr. _ and all priests who serve our parish, past, present, and future. We thank you for their selfless ministry. Relying on your almighty power, and believing in Christ who called them to share in His priesthood, may they devote themselves to their ministry with complete trust. Strengthen them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and help them to serve with joy.  Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope, and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their priestly life. Amen.”🙏

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry. Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf; Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love. Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit. Lead them to new depths of union with your Son. Increase in them profound faith in the sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your Word and your Will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones so dear to the Heart of your Son. Intercede for our priests that, offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today, Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Mark 9:38–43, 45, 47–48

“Whoever is not against us is for us. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off”

“At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

In today’s Gospel reading, the disciples try to stop someone doing good in Jesus’ name, because, as John said to Jesus, ‘he was not one of us’. The disciples wanted to have a monopoly on doing Jesus’ healing work. However, in a mild rebuke to His disciples, Jesus declares that He has no objection to someone who, as He says, ‘works a miracle in my name’. We are to rejoice in the good work done by others, whether or not they belong to the community of faith. Unlike His disciples, Jesus was not threatened by the good works done by people outside His own circle. Wherever good is being done, it is to be encouraged. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, ‘the Spirit blows where it choses’. We cannot control the working of the Holy Spirit. The real issue is not controlling the Spirit, but being on the lookout for the signs of the Spirit’s activity and rejoicing in it wherever it is to be found. In His letter to the Philippians, St. Paul writes, ‘whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things’. St. Paul is drawing a very broad circle there. He calls on us to rejoice in all these values, wherever they are to be found. At any time, we can come across people who live the Gospel, without, perhaps, having any conscious relationship with the Lord or with the church. The Spirit is at work in them. The Lord speaks powerfully to us through all who do whatever is true, honourable, just and commendable. The Lord’s work on our behalf is always so much bigger than our work on His behalf. The Lord is at work in the world in ways that will always surprise us and there is something here to rejoice in.

In the Gospel, Jesus goes on to say to His disciples, ‘If anyone give you a cup of cold water to drink just because you belong to Christ… he will most certainly not lose his reward’. The smallest act of kindness shown to Jesus’ disciples by anyone, including those who are not disciples, not ‘one of us’, will not go unnoticed by God. Jesus was saying to His disciples that they are to accept good deeds of service from anyone, including those they are tempted to dismiss. God can touch our lives through the most unexpected of people. Jesus may be speaking here from His own experience. On one occasion, Jesus rebuffed a pagan woman who came to Him to heal her daughter. His time for ministering to pagans had not yet arrived. It was the lost sheep of the house of Israel that was His concern at that time. Yet, a Jesus came to see that God was speaking to Him through this woman who wasn’t ‘one of us’, being a pagan, and He went on to heal her daughter. The Spirit indeed blows where it chooses and we need to be open to the many and varied ways the Spirit may be touching our lives and working among us. We give thanks for all the good work inspired by the Spirit, whether it is within or outside the church. As Moses says to Joshua at the end of today’s first reading, ‘If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave His Spirit to them all’. Within the boundaries of our parish community today, people of various faiths and no faith are giving the equivalent of the cup of cold water to those who need it. This is the good side of human nature. Yet, there can be a dark side as well, and it is this that St. James highlights in the second reading. He speaks harshly to those who have become wealthy by exploiting the poor and cheating the vulnerable. That has a contemporary ring to it, as wealthy drug barons leave a tide of human misery in their wake. In the gospel reading, Jesus also draws attention to the dark side of our own human nature, for example, the ways we can undermine the faith of others, bringing down ‘one of these little ones who have faith’. Jesus goes on to say to His disciples that, rather than criticizing those they consider outsiders, they need to be self-critical, as we all do. Jesus’ language of cutting off hands and feet is deliberately provocative, not to be taken literally. He was highlighting the seriousness of undermining other’s faith in the Lord by what we say and do. Part of our baptismal calling is to support each other in our response to the Lord’s call. We need each other’s example, encouragement and, sometimes, challenge, if we are to walk in the way of the Lord. Many of us will be able to think of people who in various ways have been a support to us in the living of our baptismal calling. The Saints have traditionally played that role in the history of the church. We look to them to show what it means to be the Lord’s disciples; they can continue to speak to us across the centuries. People who are much closer to us in time and place may have done the same for us. They show us the Lord’s way by living that way themselves. Yet, we are aware that people can also lead us astray, inviting us to take paths that are not in keeping with our baptismal calling. They can become obstacles to us, tripping us up as we struggle to follow in the way of Christ. Our calling, rather, is to live the Gospel message of Jesus to the full, so that others can be helped to grow in their relationship with the Lord. We have a huge capacity to nurture what is best in others. As Paul says in this letter to the Romans, ‘the life and death of each one of us has its influence on others’

In our first reading today from the Book of Numbers, the Lord came down upon the Israelites and gave some of the Spirit that had been resting upon His servant Moses to the seventy elders of the Israelites, and they all began to prophesy and to do wonderful things, just as the disciples of the Lord would do much later through the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then in that same occasion, the Spirit of God also came upon two of the men in the camp of the Israelites, namely Eldad and Medad, who also prophesy and do things which the seventy elders had done. This elicited comment from Joshua who was the one to succeed Moses in the future, that they should stop the two of them from doing what they had done. But Moses rebuked Joshua saying that if he was jealous on his behalf, essentially saying that he should not interfere with God’s work and His will. If God so desired that more people would have His gifts, blessings and Spirit, then who were they to stop that from happening? Indeed, God considered all of His people as equal, and that includes all of us as well, as His salvation and love, His compassion and kindness are offered to everyone, to every children of mankind without exception, and as long as each and every one of us are willing to follow Him wholeheartedly, regardless of our backgrounds and affiliations, our differences and whatever it is that we often used to distinguish ourselves from each other. God’s grace and love, His salvation and gifts are not restricted to just a select few, but to everyone.

In our second reading this Sunday, taken from the Epistle of St. James, we heard of St. James speaking to the faithful people of God regarding the matter of doing what is right and just in God’s Presence, and the warning of what those who have been blinded by their riches, power, privileges and all other sorts of things that had kept them from truly being able to follow the Lord faithfully and worthily, instead being swayed and tempted by those various worldly temptations and falling ever deeper into the temptations to sin and disobey God. St. James elaborated on all the vices and wickedness which those people had done, and how they would have to account for all those wickedness, evils and sins. And all these once again served as important reminders for each one of us not to allow ourselves to be swayed by all those temptations and evils in life.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scripture on this special feast of the Holy Archangels of God, those powerful spirits whom God had entrusted with the specific mission in guiding and protecting us mankind from the attacks and efforts of the evil ones, the devil himself and the other fallen angels and wicked spirits. St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael in each of their capacities and missions are our great allies in the ever continuing constant and daily struggles for the fate of our souls. Ever since the beginning of creation, Satan, the fallen Lucifer had always despised God’s beloved creations, and especially that apply to us all mankind, and just as he brought our ancestors down, he is always ever plotting and trying to bring us all down as well. That is why today as we celebrate the great Feast of the Holy Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, all of us are reminded of the great love that God has for each one of us, that He sent us His mighty servants, the three Chiefs and Princes of the Angelic Host, particularly the leader of them all, St. Michael the Archangel, to be by our side, and to lead the forces of Heaven, in the constant and daily struggle and battle for our souls. And we have to have faith in God, believing wholeheartedly that the Lord will always protect us and provide for us, and His mighty Archangels and the Heavenly forces will guard us against Satan and all of his fellow wicked spirits’ futile attacks on us.

On this special feast day, let us all be thankful of all that the Angels of God had done for us, and those three Holy Archangels whom we honour today. Let us all strive to live lives that are more worthy of the Lord, and be truly righteous, virtuous and worthy of Him. Today, as we rejoice in the hope that the Holy and Mighty Archangels of God had brought us, let us all pray the special prayer, Prayer to St. Michael, which Pope Leo XIII had commissioned, entrusting ourselves to the guardianship of St. Michael the Archangel and the other Holy Archangels and Angels of God that through their intercession and help, we may always remain faithful and steady in our lives and faith. Let us all pray, ‘St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.’ Amen. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to turn to the Angels, the Archangels, for help in remaining faithful to this vitally important mission we all share. May our good Lord be with us all, and may His Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael continue to help and guide us along our journey towards righteousness and grace in God. Amen🙏

FEAST AND SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL; GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS ~ FEAST DAY ~ SEPTEMBER 29TH:* Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Archangels on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s guidance and protection upon us all. We pray for the safety and well-being of all police officers and those in the military; for communications workers; for travelers and for all healthcare workers. 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 all widows and widowers. We pray for the poor and needy, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. 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🙏

FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL; GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS: The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that, “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls “Angels” is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition.”

Angels are pure, created spirits. The name Angel means servant or messenger of God. Angels are celestial or heavenly beings, on a higher order than human beings. Angels are spirits without bodies, who possess superior intelligence, gigantic strength, and surpassing holiness. They do not depend on matter for their existence or activity. They enjoy an intimate relationship to God as His special adopted children, contemplating, loving, and praising Him in heaven. Some of them are frequently sent as messengers to human beings from on high. They are distinct from saints, which men can become. Angels have intellect and will, and are immortal. They are a vast multitude, but each is an individual person. Archangels are one of the nine choirs of angels listed in the Bible. In ascending order, the choirs or classes are 1) Angels, 2) Archangels, 3) Principalities, 4) Powers, 5) Virtues, 6) Dominations, 7) Thrones, 8) Cherubim, and 9) Seraphim.

The Archangels, St. Gabriel, St. Michael, and St. Raphael share a feast day on September 29th. Each of these angels whose feast we celebrate today are God’s messengers. God’s greatest messenger was our Lord Jesus Christ. The three Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the only angels named in Sacred Scripture and all three have important roles in the history of salvation. In the Book of Revelation, St. Michael means “Who is like God?” He is the warrior angel, fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He’s the champion of God’s people and guardian and protector of the Church and all humanity from the snares of the devil (Rev. 12:7-9). St. Gabriel means “Power or Strength of God.” He is the messenger or herald angel most famous for appearing to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1:11-38). St. Gabriel announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and was God’s messenger to Mary, revealing God’s choice of her to be the mother of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. His greeting to the Virgin, “Hail, full of grace,” is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. In the Book of Tobit, St. Raphael means “God has healed or the Medicine of God.” He is a companion and healing angel, most famous for curing a man’s blindness and for traveling with Tobias in the book of Tobit (Tob. 12). St. Raphael is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey. St. Raphael is God’s messenger of healing to both Tobit and Sarah.

SAINT MICHAEL: Saint Michael is the “Prince of the Heavenly Host,” the leader of all the angels. His name is Hebrew for “Who is like God?” and was the battle cry of the good angels against Lucifer and his followers when they rebelled against God. He is mentioned four times in the Bible, in Daniel 10 and 12, in the letter of Jude, and in Revelation. Michael, whose forces cast down Lucifer and the evil spirits into Hell, is invoked for protection against Satan and all evil. Pope Leo XIII, in 1899, having had a prophetic vision of the evil that would be inflicted upon the Church and the world in the 20th century, instituted a prayer asking for Saint Michael’s protection to be said at the end of every Mass. Christian tradition recognizes four offices of Saint Michael: (i) to fight against Satan (ii) to rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death. (iii) to be the champion of God’s people, (iv) to call away from earth and bring men’s souls to judgment. He had been especially honored and invoked as Patron and Protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles. Although he is always called “the Archangel,” the Greek Fathers and many others place him over all the Angels—as Prince of the Seraphim. Archangel Michael is the Patron Saint against temptations; against powers of evil; policemen; artists; bakers; bankers; battle; boatmen; cemeteries; coopers; endangered children; dying; Emergency Medical Technicians; fencing; grocers; hatmakers; holy death; knights; mariners; mountaineers; paramedics; paratroopers; police officers; radiologists; sailors; the sick; security forces; soldiers; against storms at sea; swordsmiths; those in need of protection; churches and places.

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.🙏

SAINT GABRIEL: “I am Gabriel, who stand before God.” (Luke 1, 19). Saint Gabriel, whose name means “God’s strength”; “man of God” or “God has shown Himself mighty.” He is mentioned four times in the Bible. It appears first in the prophecies of Daniel in the Old Testament. This Angel announced to Daniel the prophecy of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:21-27). His name also occurs in the apocryphal book of Henoch. Most significant are St. Gabriel’s two mentions in the New Testament: to announce the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zachariah, (Luke 1:11) and finally, at Incarnation of the Word in the womb of Mary, he announced to Mary that she would bear a Son Who would be conceived of the Holy Spirit, Son of the Most High, and the Savior of the world (Luke 1:26). Christian tradition suggests that it is he who appeared to St. Joseph and to the shepherds, and also that it was he who “strengthened” Jesus during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane. He’s the Patron Saint of communication workers; ambassadors; broadcasting; childbirth; clergy; communications; diplomats; messengers; philatelists; postal workers; public relations; radio workers; secular clergy; stamp collectors; telecommunications, churches and places.

SAINT RAPHAEL: “I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord” (Tob 12:15). Saint Raphael, whose name means “God has healed” because of his healing of Tobias’ blindness in the Book of Tobit. Tobit is the first and only book in which he is mentioned. He acts as a guide to young Tobiah on his journey to Rages, a city in the country of the Medes, east of Niniveh, to collect a debt owed to his father. The Angel binds the demon Asmodeus in the desert of Egypt, helps Tobiah to find a wife and recover the debt, and heals Tobit from his blindness. He then reveals his identity: “I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the throne of God.” His office is generally accepted by tradition to be that of healing and acts of mercy. St. Raphael is also identified with the angel in John 5:1-4 who descended upon the pond and bestowed healing powers upon it so that the first to enter it after it moved would be healed of whatever infirmity he was suffering. He’s the Patron Saint of travelers; the blind; bodily ills; counselors; druggists; eye problems; guardian angels; happy meetings; healers; health inspectors; health technicians; love; lovers; mental illness; nurses; pharmacists; physicians; shepherds; against sickness; therapists; travellers; young people; young people leaving home for the first time; churches and places.

QUOTES FROM THE WAY ON DEVOTION TO THE GUARDIAN ANGELS

“Have confidence in your guardian angel. Treat him as a very dear friend – that’s what he is – and he will do a thousand services for you in the ordinary affairs of each day.” (no. 562)

“Win over the guardian angel of the one you want to draw to your apostolate. He is always a great ‘accomplice’.” (no. 563)

“If you would remember the presence of your guardian angel and those of your neighbors, you would avoid many of the foolish things you let slip into your conversation.” (no. 564)

“You seem amazed that your guardian angel has done so many obvious favors for you. But you shouldn’t be: that’s why our Lord has placed him at your side.” (no. 565)

“You say there are many occasions of going astray in such surroundings? That’s true, but aren’t there any guardian angels as well?” (no. 566)

“Turn to your guardian angel at the moment of trial; he will protect you from the devil and bring you holy inspirations.” (no. 567)

PRAYER: God, with great wisdom You direct the ministry of Angels and humans. Grant that those who always minister to You in heaven may defend us during our life on earth. Amen 🙏

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 radical Lord, You call all of Your children to a life of holiness and perfection. Please help me to take Your teachings seriously so as to eliminate all occasions of sin from my life. May I have the eyes to see these temptations and the courage to reject them with all my might. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Lord, thank You for the gift of the Archangels whom we honor today.  Thank You for their powerful work in our lives.  Help us to rely upon them and to love them for their service.  Most glorious Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, please do come to my aid. I entrust myself, my family, our Church and the entire world to your loving mediation. Please bring forth God’s grace into our lives, communicate God’s Word and His holy Will, protect us from all harm and bring healing to those in need. Archangels of God, pray for us, heal us, teach us and protect us.  Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Glorious Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, I entrust myself to your angelic mediation. Please set into motion God’s plan for my life, protect me from the evil one, deliver to me God’s holy word, and heal me of my sin. I thank you for the glorious duties you fulfill in the divine mission and rely upon you in my life. Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, pray for me and mediate God’s grace to me. 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; Mother of Mercy, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels ~ 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, and grace-filled Sunday and week 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖