THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 29, 2024
Greetings, and blessings beloved family. Happy Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time!
On this speacial Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints we celebrate today, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world.
May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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🙏
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | October 29, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | October 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | October 29, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| October 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: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Reading 1, Ephesians 5:21-33
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Gospel, Luke 13:18-21
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT NARCISSUS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM – FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 29TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the aged, the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, 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. 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🙏
SAINT NARCISSUS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM: St. Narcissus (c. 99 – c. 216 A.D.) was an early patriarch of Jerusalem, a holy and esteemed priest of Greek origin who became the 30th bishop of Jerusalem in the year 180 A.D., about a century after the city’s destruction by the Romans. He was known as a miracle-worker, as well as for governing his diocese with vigor and discipline despite his advanced age, being in his 80th year when he was made bishop. Born toward the end of the first century, St. Narcissus was advanced in age when he was elected bishop of Jerusalem during the second century. Not much is known about St. Narcissus besides the fact that he was the bishop of Jerusalem and led a very holy life. His holiness inspired those under him to be holy as well.
In 195 A.D. St. Narcissus was part of a council of bishops who settled the date for the observance of Easter, deciding on Sunday and not the ancient Jewish Passover. St. Narcissus and Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, presided together over a council of the bishops of Palestine held at Caesarea around Easter. There it was decreed that the feast be kept always on a Sunday, and not continually with the Jewish Passover. He was a miracle worker. The bishop and historian Eusebius says the following miracle can be attributed to him: One year on Easter-eve the deacons did not have any oil for the lamps in the church, which was necessary at the solemn divine office on that day. St. Narcissus ordered those who had care of the lamps to bring him some water from the neighboring wells. This being done, he pronounced a devout prayer over the water. Then he bade them pour it into the lamps; which they did. The water was immediately converted into oil, to the great surprise of all the faithful. Some of this miraculous oil was kept there as a memorial at the time when Eusebius wrote his history.
Despite his reputation as a holy bishop, St. Narcissus drew opposition. The veneration of all good men for this holy bishop, however, could not shelter him from the malice of the wicked. Three incorrigible sinners, fearing his severity in the observance of ecclesiastical discipline, accused him of a terrible act and prayed that he might be cursed by God in punishment. The sinners swore that they were right, adding the following to their testimony and affirmed with violent oaths. “May I be burned alive if I am lying,” said the first. “May I be stricken with leprosy,” said the second. “May I be deprived of my sight,” said the third, if what they alleged was not the truth. Their accusations were false, however, and soon Divine Retribution called upon them. His enemies meanwhile were struck by the calamities that they wished upon him. The first was burnt in his house along with his whole family by an accidental fire in the night, the second was struck with a universal leprosy and the third, terrified by these examples, confessed the conspiracy and slander, and by the abundance of tears which he continually shed for his sins, lost his sight before his death.
Though vindicated, indeed few people at the time had believed the accusation brought against St. Narcissus who could not stand the shock of the bold calumny. This took a toll on the saint, and, forgiving his persecutors, St. Narcissus use the scandal as an excuse to leave Jerusalem and go into retreat to spend some time in solitude, to pray constantly without distraction, an ambition which he had long cherished. He retired from public life and lived as a hermit for many years. He spent several years undiscovered in his retreat, where he enjoyed all the happiness and advantage which a close conversation with God can bestow. During his absence, the neighboring bishops appointed a new pastor for his church until St. Narcissus returned. First Dius (or Pius), then Germanius, and then Gordius filled his see. St. Narcissus lived in such complete solitude that it was widely assumed that he had died, and his sudden return to Jerusalem had the same effect as if he had indeed come back from the dead. Upon his return, the faithful rejoiced and convinced him to once again undertake the administration of the diocese, which he did. As he reached extreme old age, he made St. Alexander his coadjutor. St. Narcissus continued to serve his flock, and even other churches, by his assiduous prayers and his earnest exhortations to unity and concord, as St. Alexander testifies in his letter to the Arsinoites in Egypt, where he says that St. Narcisus was at that time about one hundred and sixteen (116) years old. He died about the 216 AD, Aelia Capitolina. St. Narcissus is the Patron Saint of the aged and against insect bites. His feast day is October 29th.
PRAYER: God, You made St. Narcissus an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen 🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 13:18-21
‘When it was fully grown, it became a large bush”
“Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus speaks two parables, one featuring a man and the other featuring a woman. In these parables the Lord wanted to highlight and teach his disciples about the Kingdom of God, and He used the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the measures of flour to highlight these ideas. Both parables suggest that something very small can produce effects far beyond what might have been expected. The farmer threw a mustard seed into his garden and from it grew a tree whose branches provide shelter for the birds of the air. A woman places a small piece of yeast in a batch of dough and the result is a leavened batch of bread which feeds several people. Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God is like that. God can work powerfully through the smallest of gestures. The little good that we do can have consequences far beyond our imagining. The small initiatives we take in the service of another can bear fruit that we could never have intended. The small step to reach out in love towards someone can launch a movement of love that we never anticipated. Jesus seems to be saying that the coming of God’s kingdom is not always about grand gestures. The coming of God’s kingdom, the doing of God’s will on earth as in heaven, is often to be found in what to an outside observer seems small and insignificant. Jesus is suggesting that God can work powerfully through the smallest gestures, when they reflect something of God’s Spirit. God is present in our world in and through our small acts of kindness, through our largely unnoticed actions of caring for one another. Jesus would say that even the giving of a cup of cold water has significance beyond our imagining. The eternal can be present in the simplest of gestures. Our daily efforts to be faithful to the Gospel in small ways can have consequences that would surprise us. The miracle of God is all around us, working through our smallest efforts at goodness, if we have eyes to see. In the course of His ministry the Lord did not usher in the kingdom of God in a blaze of glory. Rather in His day to day encounters with ordinary people He sowed seeds of the kingdom and eventually those seeds went on to produce a wonderful harvest. We are all called to sow seeds of the kingdom in the day to day circumstances of our lives; we are called to act out of the values of the kingdom in our daily encounters with others. In so doing we are sowing the seeds of a harvest beyond our imagining.
Our first reading today is the continuation of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Ephesus. The words of the Apostle reminded all the faithful in that area to remain truly faithful to God and His Law, His commandments and teachings, especially in today’s reading, which is about the matter of family and relationships, between that of husbands and wives in their respective families, and how they and the other members of the family ought to react and behave in their various interactions with one another, and how all of them as parts of the Christian community and in their own Christian families should live their lives and carry out their actions to be truly faithful in all things in following God’s path and commandments. At that time, the people of God and those who have embraced the Lord and His truth, His ways and teachings were living amidst many people whose ways were morally and spiritually corrupt, all those who allowed worldly vices and temptations to lead them astray from the path of virtue and righteousness. Hence, St. Paul told the faithful that they all ought to follow faithfully what the Lord Himself had told His disciples and passed through His Church, in all the rules and obligations that they ought to follow so that they may truly live a genuinely Christian way of living, in devoting their time and efforts to be good role models and examples for everyone around them, to show them how one ought to live as a follower of Christ and His teachings. St. Paul also pointed out how the faithful Christian family is just like the Church in its structure, function and dynamics, and indeed up to this very day, the family is still and is always the basic unit of the Church, and are like the bricks that make up the whole structure of the Body of Christ, that is the Church. Like the Church with the various diverse people making up its parts, thus the family with the various people inside it, be it the father, mother, husband, wife, child and even extended ones like grandparents and grandchildren, all these have to work in tandem and harmony, live and coexist with love and compassion, care and concern for one another, so that not only that the family will truly function and grow well, but also the whole Church as well. If our own families are broken and are divided against each other inside, we do not expect the Church to be vibrant and strong as well.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that as Christians, each one of us must always cultivate good faith in the Lord and inculcate in each and every actions and parts of our lives good attitudes and behaviours in accordance to what the Lord Himself had told us to do, and then also provide good and suitable condition for us all to grow ever stronger and more vibrant in our faith in God. This has been highlighted throughout our Scripture passages today, and all of us are reminded to continue to do our best to live our daily lives as good and faithful Christians in each and every moments, and in every interactions and actions we carry out so that we and many others may grow ever stronger in faith and draw closer to the Lord. In order for us to grow in faith and to be ever closer to God, to be better Christians we will have to strive to provide the best conditions available so that we may nurture our faith in the Lord, especially within our families and among those who are close and dear to us, linking to what we have discussed earlier from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. We should do this through constant and meaningful prayer life and practice, both personally and together within our families, our circles of friends and relatives, and more. We should also continue to show genuine love to one another, forgiving each other our mistakes and imperfections, our faults and flaws, our trespasses and sins. As Christians we must always be full of love and compassion, mercy and kindness just as Our Lord Himself has been full of these for us. Therefore, let us all continue to strive to grow in our faith in God, doing whatever we can so that by our lives and dedication to Him, we may always show good examples and be inspiration for everyone around us, teaching and showing all on how we should live our lives as Christians in all things. Let us all continue to nurture our faith and give ourselves the best condition that we may continue to be inspired to follow God at all times. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord continue to help and strengthen us in our path, and may He continue to bless us in all and everything that we say and do, in our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF OCTOBER:*
MONTH OF 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!
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
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 🙏🏾
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. 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. 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 glorious King, You desire that Your Kingdom grow far and wide through our efforts of love. Please do use me, dear Lord, to plant Your seeds of faith and charity every day. May I never tire of these apostolic endeavors and may I always take great delight in serving You and building Your Kingdom in every way I can. 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; Saint Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem ~ Pray for us 🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖
Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org
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