TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 2ND

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels!

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Holy Guardian Angels, the day when we remember and commemorate all of our Guardian Angels, the ones whom God had placed around us and in our midst, His own Holy Angels sent to us to guard and protect us. These Guardian Angels protect us against the attacks from the evil spirits, demons and all the forces of those who sought our destruction and damnation with them. The Lord is always by our side, guarding and protecting us all at each and every moments in life, and one of these ways is through the Guardian Angels He has placed around us, always ever ready to protect us and guide us in the right path. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Holy Guardian Angels on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s guidance and protection upon us all and may the Guardian Angels help us to grow in our relationship with the Lord.

We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally, physically and critically ill and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for our children and children all over the world, for students, 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 🙏

We continue to 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🙏

Watch “Holy Mass of the Holy Guardian Angels | Pope Francis | Opening of the Second Session of the Synod on Synodality | LIVE from the Vatican | October 2, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | October 2, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | October 2, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes France” | October 2, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| October 2, 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: Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Reading 1, Exodus 23:20-23
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 91:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 10-11
Gospel, Matthew 18:1-5, 10

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS – FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 2ND: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Holy Guardian Angels. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Holy Guardian Angels on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s guidance and protection upon us all. 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 THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS: “For He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” – Psalm 90:11

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that ‘from infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession’. The dual role of the Guardian Angels referred to in the Catechism are  watchful care and intercession. Those blessed spirits who are appointed by God to be protectors and defenders of people are called Guardian Angels. Each person on earth has a Guardian Angel who watches over them and helps them to attain their salvation. The Angels are pure spirit endowed with a natural intelligence, will power, and beauty far surpassing the nature, faculties, and powers of humans. They offer continuous praise to God and serve Him as messengers and ministries, and as guardians of people on earth. They are divided into three hierarchies: (1) Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; (2)Dominations, Principalities, Virtues, and Powers (3)Archangels, and Angels.

Angels are servants and messengers from God. “Angel” in Greek means messenger. In unseen ways the angels help us on our earthly pilgrimage by assisting us in work and study, helping us in temptation and protecting us from physical danger. The idea that each soul has assigned to it a personal guardian angel has been long accepted by the Church and is a truth of our faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘Angels’ is a truth of faith (328).” From our birth until our death, man is surrounded by the protection and intercession of angels, particularly our Guardian Angel: “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life (336).” The truth that each and every human soul has a Guardian Angel who protects us from both spiritual and physical evil has been shown throughout the Old Testament, and is made very clear in the New. It is written that the Lord Jesus was strengthened by an Angel in the Garden of Gethsemane, and that an Angel delivered St. Peter from prison in the Acts of the Apostles. But Jesus makes the existence and function of Guardian Angels explicit when He says, “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). In saying this Jesus points out that all people, even little children, have a Guardian Angel, and that the Angels are always in Heaven, always looking at the face of God throughout their mission on earth, which is to guide and protect us throughout our pilgrimage to the house of our Father. As St. Paul says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?”  (Hebrews 1:14). However, they guide us to Heaven only if we desire it. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that angels cannot act directly upon our will or intellect, although they can do so on our senses and imaginations – thus encouraging us to make the right decisions. In Heaven our Guardian Angels, though no longer needing to guide us to salvation, will continually enlighten us.

Although Guardian Angels have been venerated since the early days of the Church, it wasn’t until the 17th century that Pope Clement X extended their feast day to the Universal Church. Although not a dogmatic article of the faith, it is a firmly established Catholic belief that each individual human being has their own Guardian Angel assigned to them by God to watch over their soul, help them avoid sin and temptation, and lead them to heaven. The Church thanks God for our heavenly helpers, the Guardian Angels, who minister to us in our need and guide us on the path of salvation, particularly on this feast day and September 29 which is the feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael, Archangels. Today’s feast appeared in Spain during the sixteenth century. It was extended to the universal Church and made obligatory in 1670. October 2nd is the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Prayer to the Guardian Angels is encouraged, and the habit of remembering their presence and support leads to frienship with them. The Guardian Angels defend those of whom they have charge against the assaults of the demons, endeavoring to persevere them from all evils of soul or body, particularly from sin and the occasions of sin. They strive to keep us in the right path: if we fall they help us to rise again, encourage us to become more and more virtuous, suggest good thoughts and holy desires, offer our prayers and good actions to God, and, above all, assist us at the hour of death.

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)

“Let us affectionately love His angels as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; Let us only follow them, let us remain close to them, and in the protection of the God of heaven let us abide.” ~ St. Bernard of Clairvaux

A PRAYER TO THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS: Heavenly Father, Your infinite love for us has chosen a blessed angel in heaven and appointed him our guide during this earthly pilgrimage. Accept our thanks for so great a blessing. Grant that we may experience the assistance of our holy protector in all our necessities. And you, holy, loving angel and guide, watch over us with all the tenderness of your angelic heart. Keep us always on the way that leads to heaven, and cease not to pray for us until we have attained our final destiny, eternal salvation. Then we shall love You for all eternity. We shall praise and glorify You unceasingly for all the good You have done for us while here on earth. Especially be a faithful and watchful protector of our children. Take our place, and supply what may be wanting to us through human frailty, short-sightedness, or sinful neglect. Lighten, O you perfect servants of God, our heavy task. Guide our children, that they may become like unto Jesus, may imitate Him faithfully, and persevere till they attain eternal life…Amen🙏

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen 🙏

PRAYER: God, in Your Providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven. Amen 🙏

O angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from heaven, enlighten me this day, and save me from all evil. Instruct me in doing good deeds, and set me on the path of salvation. Amen 🙏🏽

O angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me of everything I have done to offend you every day, and protect me from all influence and temptation of the evil one. May I never offend God by my sin. Pray for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy of the grace of the All-holy Trinity, and of the Most Blessed Theotokos, and of all the Saints. Amen 🙏🏽

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today, Memorial of the Guardian Angels | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 18:1-5, 10

“Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father”

“The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

In our Gospel passage today, the Lord speaks to His disciples and all the people assembled, while He was speaking and interacting with the young children who came to Him, seeking Him and loving Him. He told each and every one of them that He welcomed and desired children to be in His Presence and to come towards Him, telling them all that their faith and love for Him should indeed be like those children, or else, they cannot come close to the Lord. He says, ‘anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me’. In the world of Jesus, the child had no social status or position. Yet, Jesus declares to His disciples that in welcoming the least, like little children, they are welcoming him. That is because the faith of those young children are indeed genuine and pure, being innocent and untainted they still are, by the vile things and wickedness of the world. When such a young child believes in something, he or she will truly believe it with all of his or her heart. Jesus comes to them in and through the least. This is a sobering lesson for the disciples who have just been arguing over which of them was the greatest. Not only do we welcome Jesus when we welcome a child, Jesus declares that unless we become like children we will never enter the kingdom of God. Instead of the grasping attitude the disciples had just shown in arguing over which of them was the greatest, if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven we must possess something of the open, receptive attitude of children who depend totally on others. Jesus is saying that only those who admit their littleness and put their trust in God will enter the kingdom of heaven.

The role of the Holy Guardian Angels in the church’s tradition is not so much to preserve us from harm and suffering as to help us to grow in our relationship with the Lord, so that at the end of our lives we are as prepared for heaven as we can possibly be. Their concern is with our ultimate salvation more than our present safety. They are a reminder to us that there is a life beyond this earthly life and that our life on earth is a pilgrimage that finds its ultimate destiny in the life of heaven. Our Guardian Angels help us to negotiate that journey, that pilgrimage, in a way that helps us grow in holiness, that makes us more Christ-like, that, in the words of Saint Paul, enables us to become fully mature with the fullness of Christ Himself. The Angels are at the service of our relationship with the Lord. As Jesus says in the Gospel reading, of the Angels of the ‘little ones’, probably His disciples, who are continually in the presence of His Father in heaven, interceding for them. We can think of the Angels, our Guardian Angels, as both in heaven and on earth, both present to us and in the presence of God the Father. They both intercede for us with God and guide and direct us along the right path on earth. Their work on our behalf is with a view to our entering the kingdom of heaven, in the words of the Gospel reading. God has provided us with many resources to help us on our pilgrim way, and the guardian angels are one such resource. It is good to remind ourselves today that, in the words of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, ‘heaven denies us nothing that assists us’.

The feast of the Holy Guardian Angels reminds us that God is present to us, guarding us and leading us to our final destination, which we understand as eternal life. This guarding and guiding role of God in our lives was fully revealed in the person of Jesus. He is with us to the end of time, guarding and guiding us. In the Gospel reading, it is not God’s Angel who is with His people, but rather it is the Angels of the ‘little ones’ who are with God. The ‘little ones’ are not just children but the Lord’s disciples whom the world considers lowly and insignificant. Their angels are in God’s presence, working on their behalf. This role of the Angels was also fully revealed in the person of Jesus. Saint Paul declares in his letter to the Romans that the risen Lord is at the right hand of God interceding for us. The Angels remind us of the role of the Lord in our lives. He is with us in this life to guard and guide us and he is with God in heaven, interceding for us, working on our behalf. The Angels, and to a much great extent, Jesus, reveal that ‘God is for us’. Today’s feast is a good opportunity to ask with Saint Paul, in his letter to the Romans, ‘If God is for us, who is against us?’

In our first reading today from the Book of Exodus, the Lord reassured all of His people of His continued guidance and protection as they journeyed towards the land that He has promised to them and to their ancestors. Back then, the people of Israel had been taken out of the land of Egypt by the Lord Himself, Who sent Moses, His servant to carry out His will and to help lead His people out of their slavery in Egypt. He showed all of them His power and providence, having smittened Egypt and its Pharaoh, its armies and chariots under His might, crushing them with the Ten Great Plagues and other signs, and with a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud leading the people on their journey towards the Promised Land. This supernatural presence of the pillar of fire at night and the pillar of cloud at day represents God having been ever present among His people, and how He has set and sent His Angel to be with them, to guard them and to go ahead of them on their journey, clearing their path and way before them. This is what the Lord assured them all according to our first reading today from the Book of Exodus. The Lord reassured the people that His Guardian Angels are always ever ready to stand by them, to guard and protect them, showing the protection, love and grace of God, ever generously shown and manifested to His beloved ones, and the Lord would go on to send His Angels to help guard and protect the Israelites throughout their long journey and detour in the desert for the whole forty years and afterwards, during the time when they conquered the Promised Land for themselves.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today on this special Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, commemorating all the Angels that God has placed in our midst, guarding each and every one of us. The Holy Guardian Angels protected all of us from the constant attacks and assaults by the forces of evil, from Satan and all of his fellow fallen angels, demons and evil spirits, who are all hell-bent on bringing about our destruction and downfall. They watched over us and kept us on the right path of God, whispering to us God’s words and reminders, whenever temptations come to our way, and whenever the devil and his forces came to tempt and mislead us down the wrong paths in life. They truly guarded us and kept us safe each day and every moments of our lives. Let us all be thankful to our Holy Guardian Angels, and let us all remember how they constantly and ceaselessly stood guard by our side, at all times, be it when we are awake or when we are asleep, or be it when we are happy or when we are sad and sorrowful. Let us remember the care and love which each and every one of our Guardian Angels have shown us, and be touched by their dedication and love, so that we ourselves may also strive to be truly faithful and loving towards the Lord, our God, Who has sent us these Holy Angels to be with us, to protect us and care for us, in their own way, from the invisible harm by those who sought our destruction and downfall. Let us all deepen our love for the Lord and be ever more faithful to Him. On this feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, may God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remind ourselves of these spiritual friends that God has given to us to support us on our shared journey of faith in this life. Let us now pray the prayer to our Holy Guardian Angels, asking them to intercede for us always in our daily struggles in life. Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. May God bless our every good works and endeavours, for His greater glory. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF OCTOBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: We dedicate the month of October to the Holy Rosary.

The Catholic Church designates and dedicate October as the Month of the Holy Rosary. During this month the faithful venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary especially under her title of Our Lady of the Rosary, and make special effort to honor the Holy Rosary with group recitations and rosary processions. The Lady of the Rosary honors a large battle between the Catholic Church and the Muslim caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. This battle, in the Gulf of Patras, near Greece, took place in the 16th century, on October 7, 1571. St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers, is the Saint to whom Our Lady famously appeared and gave the prayers of the Holy Rosary to assist him as a spiritual weapon in combating heresy and leading souls back to the one, true Catholic faith. Our Blessed Mother Mary ~ Pray for us 🙏

THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY: Until about the 15th century hundreds of mysteries were part of the Rosary devotion then the 15 mysteries that we know today were definitively fixed as “the Mysteries of the Rosary.” Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, in 2002 added the five Luminous Mysteries.

Through the meditations of the complete Rosary one recalls and has impressed on his mind, the Popes tell us, “the chief mysteries of the Christian religion,” “the mysteries of our Redemption,” “the great mysteries of Jesus and His Mother united in joys, sorrows, and triumphs.” The twenty mysteries are divided into four equal groups, known as “The Joyful,” “The Sorrowful,” “The Glorious,” and “The Luminous Mysteries.”

PRAYER OF ST. LOUISE DE MONTFORT: O Jesus living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your might, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Subdue every hostile power, the devil, the world and the flesh, in the strength of Your Spirit, for the glory of Your Father, Amen 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER – FOR A SHARED MISSION: We pray that the Church continue to sustain in all ways a Synodal lifestyle, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, the communion and the mission shared among priests, religious and lay people.

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 ⁵⁵⁵ 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:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Guardian angel, pray for 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; Holy Guardian Angels ~ 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 fruitful week and month of October 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖