THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 30, 2024

Greetings, and blessings beloved family. Happy Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time!

On this 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 30, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | October 30, 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 30, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| October 30, 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 30, 2024
Reading 1, Ephesians 6:1-9
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 13-14
Gospel, Luke 13:22-30

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALPHONSUS RODRIGUEZ, CONFESSOR AND SAINT MARCELLUS THE CENTURION, AND HIS CHILDREN, MARTYRS – FEAST DAY ~ OCTOBER 30TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, Confessor and Saint Marcellus, the Centurion and His Children, Martyrs. 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 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. 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 ALPHONSUS RODRIGUEZ, CONFESSOR: St. Alphonsus (Alonso) Rodriguez (1532–1617) Jesuit Coadjutor, was a man whose humble occupation gave the world only glimpses of his extraordinary holiness. During his lifetime, Brother Alonso Rodriguez never became a priest, published a book, or advanced professionally. But writings discovered after his death revealed a true mystic, who attended to a rich spiritual life while he worked as a doorkeeper and porter. His coming to religious life was only through a string of crushing tragedies. St. Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Segovia, Spain, during 1532, a son and third child of a wool merchant. He was prepared for his First Holy Communion by St. Peter Faber, one of the first Jesuits. He had originally begun to study to be a Jesuit from age 14, but when his father died St. Alphonsus had to leave school at the age of 14 and was obligated to take over the family business, which eventually failed. He married at the age of 26 and had three children, and was left a widower at the age of 31 when his wife died in childbirth. His wife and two of their children died by the time he was 31. In subsequent years he also lost his mother and the third child, he lost his shop and experienced misfortune. His turn toward a life of prayer and penance could not prevent the subsequent death of his third and last remaining child — nor the discouraging failure of his business. St. Alphonsus developed a life of prayer, intense piety, and rigorous penances, with a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother under her title of the Immaculate Conception. Without his wife and children, and having few prospects due to his lack of a higher education, the Spanish layman turned his thoughts to religious life. Even there, however, he faced difficulties.

In his early years, St. Alphonsus had met one of the first Jesuits, Bl. Peter Faber, and with his whole life in ruins, he developed an interest in joining the recently established Society of Jesus. As his desire for the religious life increased and his attempt to join the Jesuits as a late vocation, but his lack of education made him a poor candidate. To amend his deficiency he went back to school, while begging alms to support himself and enduring ridicule from his much younger classmates. St. Alphonsus’ lack of education prevented him from pursuing their course of priestly ordination, and he failed to acquire a diploma from the College of Barcelona despite attending for two years. The Jesuit Fathers in Valencia said he was unfit to join. But Alphonsus’ years of prayer had not been in vain: they were answered when a provincial of the society, sensing his dedication, finally admitted him to the Jesuits as a lay-brother after a long delay when he was nearly 40 years old. He was only a lay brother because he was found too old to study for the priesthood and too weak to take up a lay brother’s work but the Provincial boldly admitted him, remarking that he was receiving him for his holiness. The Provincial was proven this was the right call. A little while after his first vows St. Alphonsus was given a humble job, appointed a porter or door-keeper of the Jesuit college at Majorca and for the next forty six years he remained at the same post, a job which he served with dedication. It was patient, humble work for hours on end, daily walking up and down, taking messages of students, receiving visitors and guests and carrying their luggage, tracking down students or priests when they were needed, delivering messages, and distributing alms to the poor. While other Jesuits traveled the globe evangelizing whole nations, and undertook a vast reform of the Catholic Church throughout Europe, St. Alphonsus carried bags and ran errands for 46 years.

St. Alphonsus was an influence for good to the hundreds who met him. Students began to seek him out, realizing that their doorkeeper was a man of unusual wisdom and faith. Many people within the religious community, as well as many visitors, recognized his holiness and sought his advice and spiritual council. His Jesuit superiors started to take notice as well, and asked him to begin a private record of his life and thoughts. St. Alphonsus struck up a notable friendship with one young man, Peter Claver. St. Peter Claver became one of his disciples, and St. Alphonsus is credited for directing him in his mission to African slaves. St. Alphonsus advised him to volunteer for the South American missions. Following his advice, St. Peter Claver eventually catechized, baptized and spoke out for the rights of 300,000 slaves in South America. St. Alphonsus was known for his rigorous obedience and discipline, and for suffering from scrupulosity, temptations, and attacks from the devil. He took his final vows with the Jesuits at the age of 54. He continued to serve and even preach sermons into his 80’s. He is credited with popularizing the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, copies of which he stockpiled and distributed. He spent his time in quiet prayer and meditation, and towards the end he lost even his memory and could only say, “Jesus, Mary.” On October 31, 1617, surrounded by his Jesuit brothers, Saint Alphonsus died. After his death, his superiors examined the written records he had left behind describing his spiritual life. What they found was the life of a saint and mystic. His approach was simple: Christ was appearing in every person who appeared at the door; the task was to encounter God in any task. From this awareness, he proceeded to a life of contemplation akin to the renowned saints of his era (such as St. Ignatius or St. Teresa of Avila), whose grand achievements are better known. Brother Alphonsus (Alonso) Rodriguez was declared a saint in 1887. He is buried on the same island of Majorca where he answered the door and carried bags for five decades.

Saint Alphonsus (Alonso) Rodriguez, Confessor ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT MARCELLUS THE CENTURION, AND HIS CHILDREN, MARTYRS: St. Marcellus (A.D. 298) was born in Arzas of Galicia. A brave pagan, he entered upon the career of arms, hoping to gain a large fortune. He married a young lady named Nona and they were blessed with twelve children. Saint Marcellus was a valorous solider and was promoted to the charge of centurion; he had no thought for any advancement except the sort pertaining to his military life, when he heard the fervent preaching of a holy bishop of the church of Leon. He was converted with his entire family to the Christian religion. All of them except his wife would soon give their blood in honor of their Faith.

During the birthday of the Emperor Maximian Herculeus which was celebrated in the year 298 with extraordinary feasting and solemn rites, St. Marcellus refused to participate in the pagan offering ceremony. He threw away his arms and armour, and the vine-branch, which was the mark of his dignity and openly declared himself a Christian, a soldier of Jesus Christ, the eternal King and was condemned to death. Anastasius Fortunatus, the prefect of the legion, having learned the fact, commanded St. Marcellus to be cast into prison. After the feast, the prisoner was brought before the Prefect, who asked the reason for this conduct. St. Marcellus replied that it was his religion. Hereupon the Prefect declared that he would have to lay his case before Maximian and Caesar Constantius. The latter ruled over Gaul and Spain, and he was most favorable to the Christian. However, St. Marcellus was sent under a strong guard to Aurelian Agricolus, vicar to the Prefect of the praetorium, who was then at Tangier in Africa. When St. Marcellus admitted the truth of the accusation, he was condemned to death for the desertion and impiety. His condemnation led to the death of Saint Cassian who was the secretary or notary of the court. St. Cassian refused to record the sentence pronounced against the martyr, because of its injustice. He was immediately hurried to prison, and was beheaded in his turn on the 3rd of December. The children of Saint Marcellus imitated his constancy, and all lost their lives for the defense of the Gospel; three of the boys were hanged and then decapitated at Leon. Their pious mother bought back their bodies for money and buried them secretly; they were later transferred to a church built in their honor in the city of Leon. St. Marcellus died a martyr, he was beheaded on October 30, 298 at Tangiers, Morocco. He’s the Patron Saint of Conscientious Objectors.

PRAYER: Almighty, ever-living God, You enabled St. Marcellus to fight to the death for justice. Through his intercession enable us to bear all adversity and with all our strength hasten to You Who alone are life. Amen 🙏
 

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 13:22-30

“And people will come from the east and the west and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God”

“Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is asked a question, ‘Will there be only a few saved?’ He doesn’t really answer that question directly. Instead, He uses the question an opportunity to issue a challenging call to those gathered about him, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door’. In this way he seems to be suggesting that speculating about how many will be saved is not helpful. Rather than engage in such idle speculation, we should strive to enter by the narrow door. It is easy to pass through a wide door. However, if we are to pass through a very narrow door, we need to be focused, we need to pay attention and zoom in on the door, as it were. By means of this image, Jesus is suggesting that taking and staying on the path that leads to life involves struggle and effort. There is a striving involved. However, it is not an anxious striving, because the Lord is drawing us through that door. The Lord is striving on our behalf. It is His wish that, in the words of the Gospel reading, people from east and west, from north and south, would get through that door and take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

In the Gospel, in stead of directly answering the question Jesus was asked, ‘Sir, will only a few be saved?’ Will the great banquet of eternal life be shared by only a few or by many?, He responded saying something about God and something about ourselves. He declares that the hospitality of God is ample and generous. At the feast in the kingdom of God, people will be present from north, south, east and west. This is not a select gathering; it is not a meal for the chosen few. People from every corner of the earth will be there. Jesus’ answer to the question, ‘Will only a few be saved?’ is ‘no’. However, Jesus also insists that the wonderful hospitality of God is not to be taken for granted; it should not breed complacency. We have to strive to enter by the narrow door, which will require effort on our part. Furthermore, we can’t just ramble up to God at a time that suits us, like the man in the parable who arrived at a house expecting to be let in when the owner and his family were all in bed with the door locked for the night. We need a greater sense of urgency than that. The effort we need to make, and the sense of urgency we need to have, however, does not make us anxious or fearful, because we know that God’s table is large and God’s heart is very hospitable, and the Lord is there to help us through the door if we turn to Him in our poverty.

Our first reading today is the continuation of the discourse from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Ephesus. In yesterday’s reading, St. Paul had told the faithful regarding Christian families and how everyone ought to play their part and roles, with great harmony and love, both for God and for everyone within their families. And today, we have the extension of this as the Apostle continued to tell the faithful that even in their own capacities, work and other areas outside their families and relatives, friends and circles, each and every one of them should still continue to obey God’s will and to do whatever He has taught them to do, to be truly loving and generous with one another. It is a reminder for all of us that as Christians we are all called and challenged to live a truly devout and committed life at all times, to be good and just, righteous and virtuous in our every actions and interactions with others whom we encounter in our daily living, no matter what the circumstances or occasions are, and no matter what capacity we are in. All of us must always strive to be the faithful bearers of our Lord’s love and truth, His Good News and teachings, manifested and made concrete in our midst through our own good and faithful Christian lives. How can we treat our fellow men and women with contempt and disdain, when the Lord Himself has treated us well and showed us all His mercy and love, when we erred and fell away from His grace.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, each and every one of us are presented with the reminders that all of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people should always strive to do our best to follow the Lord ever more faithfully at all times, to do what is good, worthy, right and just in our every words, actions and deeds. As Christians, it is important that we should always embody our faith in our every moments in life, to proclaim the Lord to everyone whom we encounter and interact with, and to be truly good and worthy beacons of His light and Good News in all of our respective communities in today’s world. As we reflect on the Sacred Scriptures, let us all therefore do our part so that we can continue to prioritise the Lord and all of His teachings and ways in our every moments in life, to be truly committed to a life that is focused not on our own selfish desires, ambitions, our pride, ego and greed, but rather on everything that God has shown and taught us through His Church and through the Scriptures He has passed down and revealed to us. Each and every one of us as Christians are called and reminded to be good examples and role models in our faith and how we live them, that through these, we may help more and more people to come ever closer to God and His grace, His salvation and eternal life. Let us all do our parts as members of the Body of Christ, the Church of God. May the Lord, our ever loving, compassionate and merciful God continue to help and guide us in our respective lives, and help us so that in everything that we do and in all of our whole lives, our interactions with each other, we will continue to strive to be good and faithful Christians, not just in words or appearances only, but also in everything that we do, in our every interactions and cooperations with each other, in how we genuinely show God’s love, His truth and hope to everyone whom we encounter in our lives, in each and every moments and opportunities provided to us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to be the great examples of our Christian faith and beliefs, and show them through our genuine and real actions, at all times, and may God continue to bless us all and strengthen us in our resolve and endeavours, our efforts to glorify Him at all times, by our faithful lives and examples, 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 most merciful Lord, You and You alone can open the gates of Heaven to us, and You and You alone will do so only to those who have responded to Your holy will. Please open my eyes to any ways that I turn from You and remain lax in my spiritual journey. Give me the grace I need to see clearly and to respond to You with all my heart. 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 Alphonsus Rodriguez, Confessor and Saint Marcellus, the Centurion and His Children, Martyrs ~ 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/

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