MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, AND SAINT GERTRUDE THE  GREAT, VIRGIN

THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 16, 2024

NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Saturday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. 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 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

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 the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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” | November 16, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 16, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 16, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 16, 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: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Reading 1, Third John 1:5-8
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gospel, Luke 18:1-8

NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 |https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

*SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, AND SAINT GERTRUDE THE  GREAT, VIRGIN – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 16TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland and Saint Gertrude the Great, Virgin. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all nuns and religious. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, stroke, heart diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases.

SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND: St. Margaret (1045-1093) was born into royalty in Hungary around 1045. Her father was Edward Atheling, heir to the English throne, an exiled Scottish nobleman (King Edward the Exile) and her mother was Princess Agatha of Hungary. She was a grand-niece of Edward the Confessor. Her family returned to England when she was 10 years old, but the Norman Conquest forced them into exile. By this time, her father had died, and her mother fled with the children. They boarded a ship which crashed onto the coast of Scotland, where they remained. In 1070, at the age of 25, Margaret married the king of Scotland, Malcolm Canmore and she became the Queen of Malcolm III. As queen, Margaret’s faith had a strong influence on her husband’s reign. She softened his temper and led him to practice virtue. She dignified the court, providing an example of purity and reverence that led others to follow in her path. She and the king prayed together and fed the hungry, offering a powerful witness of faith to the people they served. She was devoted to the spiritual perfection of her eight children, practiced austere self-denial, and possessed unflagging love for the poor.

St. Margaret’s most remarkable virtue was love of neighbor, particularly love toward the poor. Her alms supported countless unfortunates; daily she provided food for three hundred and shared in the work of serving them personally, washing their feet and kissing their wounds. In addition to being a model wife and mother, St. Margaret worked tirelessly to bring justice and relief to the poor of Scotland. She also built churches and encouraged practices of religious devotion. In her private life, she exhibited great prayerfulness and piety. Her influence was seen not only in her husband’s life, but throughout all of Scotland. As Queen, Margaret used her influence in the interests of the Faith; she convoked a synod that drew up regulation for the Lenten fast, Easter Communion, and marriage laws. She founded several churches, and was constantly engaged in prayer and devout practices. St. Margaret died in 1093, just four days after her husband and one of her sons were killed in battle. After her death she was continually venerated by the Scottish people. She was canonized in 1250 by Pope Innocent IV and proclaimed Patroness of Scotland in 1673 by Pope Clement X. St. Margaret is the Patron Saint of widows; death of children; large families; learning; queens; Scotland

PRAYER: God, You endowed St. Margaret with a wonderful love for the poor. Through her intercession and example, make us so generous that all people may see in us the image of Your goodness. Amen 🙏

SAINT GERTRUDE THE  GREAT, VIRGIN: St. Gertrude the Great (1256-1302), also known as Gertrude of Helfta, a Cistercian nun, is one of the most lovable German saints from medieval times, and through her writings she will remain for all ages a guide to the interior life. St. Gertrude the Great was born in 1256 at Eisleben on the feast of Epiphany in Thuringia (modern Germany) and at the age of five taken to the convent at Rossdorf, the Benedictine Monasteries where Gertrude of Hackeborn was abbess. Similarity in name has often occasioned confusion between the two Gertrudes. Our St. Gertrude never functioned as superior. She proved to be an extremely bright and determined student who became engrossed in her secular studies, but was negligent of her prayer life. She remained in the monastery and made her profession as a nun later in the same abbey. There she delighted in the study of the Latin language and literature as well as music and painting. In spite of much ill-health, St. Gertrude used her exceptional natural talents well, knew Latin fluently. St. Gertrude had enjoyed a good education.

In 1281, at the age of 25 St. Gertrude entered a time of spiritual crisis, after which she began to receive visions of Christ who disclose to her the secrets of mystical union and chastised her for not leaving room for God in her academic pursuits. This caused Gertrude to abandon her secular studies in total devotion to Sacred Scripture and the works of the Church Fathers. She began a life filled with humility, patience in suffering, and care for others. She dedicated herself to the meditation of Scripture and liturgical texts and frequented the reading of the Fathers. Obeying a divine wish, she put into writing the favors of grace bestowed upon her. She wrote and composed in Latin, and was versed in sacred literature. Her most important work, Legatus Divinae Pietatis, “The Herald of Divine Love,” is distinguished for theological profundity, sublime poetry, and unusual clarity. How it stimulates love of God can be felt only by reading it; Abbot Blosius is said to have read it twelve times each year. These theological studies, along with continued visions and messages from Jesus, became the basis of her work as one of the great writers and mystics of the 13th century. St. Gertrude had a lasting impact on the Church in an age where academic and religious literature was dominated by men, and she is the only female saint to earn the title “The Great.” The saintly woman was characterized by great devotion to the Sacred Humanity of our Lord in His Passion and in the Blessed Eucharist, and by a tender love for the Blessed Virgin. She was one of the early saints who, along with her companion in the monastery, St. Mechtilde of Hackeborn, spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Teresa of Avila chose St. Gertrude the Great, the patron saint of nuns, as her model and guide. St. Gertrude the Great died in 1302, more consumed by the fire of God’s love than by fever. Her feast day is November 16th. Her feast was inserted in the Universal Calendar in 1677 by Pope Innocent XI. She’s the Patron Saint of Nuns; travellers; West Indies.

PRAYER: God, You prepared a pleasing abode for Yourself in the heart of St. Gertrude the Virgin. Through her intercession, mercifully lighten the darkness of our hearts so that we may rejoice in the knowledge that You are present and working within us. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 18:1-8

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?”

“Jesus told His disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ parable of the widow and the judge was about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. It portrays a widow who refuses to lose heart even when repeatedly faced with an unjust judge who refused to defend her rights, as he was obliged to do. There was every reason for her to lose heart. The judge was a powerful man and she was a powerless woman. Yet, she persevered with her plea for justice and eventually wore down the unjust judge. Jesus sees in the dogged perseverance of this widow the kind of faith that His followers need to have. That is why in His comment on the parable, Jesus asks the question, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’ Will he find the kind of persevering faith that the widow displayed or will he find that people of faith have lost heart in the face of evil and injustice? The introduction to the parable suggests that it is continuous prayer that gives rise to persevering faith, a faith that never loses heart, ‘Jesus told His disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart’. We give expression to our faith in calm, trusting, constant prayer, but such prayer also keeps our faith strong, especially in the face of hostility, injustice and evil. In prayer we open ourselves to receive the strength that the Lord gives which allows us to face what we could not otherwise face if left to our own resources. As Saint Paul says in his letter to the Philippians, ‘I can do all things in him who strengthens me’. According to St. Luke Jesus spoke this parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. The primary way we keep faithful when times are difficult is through prayer.

In our Godspel reading, this vulnerable widow without status in the culture looks for justice from a powerful figure whose responsibility it is to see that justice is done, and, yet, for long periods her legitimate pleas for justice go unheard. She finds herself up against a powerful institution and, even though she has right on her side, she is ignored. Such a scenario can be found in every age. Yet, this story ends up having an unexpected ending. The powerless woman turns out to be powerful after all; the powerful judge becomes powerless before the woman’s persistent plea. In his comment on the parable, Jesus emphasizes that God is not like the judge in the story. The judge neither feared God nor respected people. God, in contrast, is a God of justice who, at the end of the day, will ensure that those who are deprived of justice will receive it. If the widow never lost heart even though she was up against an unjust judge, then surely we need not lose heart before the God whom Jesus reveals. Surely we can be faithful and persevering in our pleas, our prayers, to the Father of Jesus who is also our Father. Yet, the question Jesus asks at the end of the Gospel reading raises the possibility that we may not be as faithful and persevering as the widow was, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on earth?’ Jesus implies that faith, if it is to endure, must find expression in continual and persevering prayer.

In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. John, the Apostle reminded the faithful people of God of the importance of them caring and showing love for one another especially for those who have dedicated themselves to the Lord and became His ministers and missionaries. As the Lord Himself has instructed His disciples, that all of them should go forth to the nations and proclaim His words and teachings, sending them out to give the words of His encouragement and truth to all the people. And they were all told not to depend too much on their own means and possessions, on all their own provisions and power, but rather to trust in the Lord and to receive whatever the people they visited and ministered among were willing to share and give to them. That was why St. John reminded all of the people of God to be truly generous in their giving and love, for their fellow brethren and especially more so for all those who have dedicated themselves to the Lord. Each and every one of them and also all of us as Christians must always be filled with generous and wonderful love of God in our every words, actions and dealings with one another. We must not ignore this calling to love and to share our blessings with our fellow brethren. Let us all not forget that the Lord Himself has been generous and compassionate towards us when we had nothing with us and when we are still sinful and corrupted by our many sins and wickedness, and calling us and offering us freely His saving help and rich grace and mercy, He has indeed shown us all what love truly is.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all called to be truly faithful disciples and followers of our Lord, dedicating and committing our time and efforts to serve the Lord and to be ever more faithful to Him at all times. All of us are reminded that we must always be loving and caring towards our fellow brothers and sisters, being generous in loving and showing compassion upon everyone around us, following the examples of the Lord Himself Who has loved us most generously all these while. We must always have faith and trust in God, knowing that through Him and His constant care and love for us, all of us shall indeed never be disappointed as He will always continue to provide for us and protect us from any harm. We are all called to follow the examples of the Holy Saints and Holy men and women, especially the examples set by St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Gertrude the Great, who we celebrate today. Let us all therefore do our best to live a truly holy and worthy life in the path that the Lord has shown us in our lives. Let us all be renewed in faith and conviction, in our zeal and desire to be truly full of God’s love and grace, to be wholly dedicated in all things and at all circumstances, to be committed to God and to be generous in our love towards each other, especially to those who need them. Let us all hence examine well our actions and way of living our lives, that each and every one of us may be truly devoted and genuine in following God, and in allowing God to lead us all through His Divine Wisdom and strength. Let us all be filled with His Holy Spirit and be empowered to live our lives each day with great joy and love for God, as well as with the commitment and desire to love Him, and our fellow brethren more and more, now and always. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to trust and remain faithful in the Lord, that way, the Lord will work powerfully through us, including through our failures. May God be with us always and may He continue to empower us all to live always in His Holy Presence and may He bless us all and our every good works and endeavours, now and always. Amen.🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

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 all-wise Lord, Your will is perfect in all things, and You always bestow Your grace upon me when I pray without ceasing. Please give me a trusting Heart, dear Lord, so that I will never waver in my hope that You will always answer my prayers in accord with Your will. 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 Margaret of Scotland and Saint Gertrude the Great, Virgin ~ 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 relaxing weekend 🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

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