Month: December 2024

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 31, 2024

HOLY MASS IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LATE PONTIFF, POPE BENEDICT XVI [Holy Mass link below]

KIND REMINDER: Tomorrow, January 1 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major will be opened.

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Tuesday, the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas and Happy New Year’s Eve!

THANKSGIVING: We thank God for the gift of life and for bringing us all successfully to the end of the year 2024. We pray for His grace and mercy as we usher in the New Year 2025!🙏

New Year’s Eve always prompts us to look back as well as to look forward. It is often a time when we look back on the past year. For many, the past year will have been a difficult one. The economic situation of the country and the world at large has left many without a job and forced others to emigrate whose preference would have been to stay at home. Some will have lost a loved one during the year and are struggling to come to terms with the loss. As well as looking back on the struggles and pains of the year, new year’s eve can also be a time to look back in thanksgiving, a time to name the graces and gifts that have come our way and have enhanced our lives. No matter what we have been through, we all have something to give thanks for; we have all been graced in one way or another. It is that graced dimension of our lives that our Gospel reading today draws attention to. The greatest grace and the source of all other graces is the Lord’s presence to us. That grace is memorably expressed in today’s Gospel reading as, ‘The Word was made flesh and He lived among us, and we saw His glory’. Jesus who was God became flesh as we are flesh, and as risen Lord remains with us until the end of time. The Gospel reading also declares that ‘from His fullness we have, all of us, received – yes, grace upon grace’. None of us knows what the future holds for our us or our families in the coming twelve months. No doubt, there will again be that mixture of light and shade which colors the life of every family. As we prepare to usher in the New Year, we are all invited to keep drawing grace upon grace from the fullness of the Lord’s loving presence. That realization keeps us thankful for the past and gives us confidence as we face into the future. We thank God Almighty for His many blessings upon us. We are thankful for the past and pray for the grace and confidence as we face into the future this coming year… Amen🙏

On this Special Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of all children. We pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, particularly all those persecuted and killed for the faith, and for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world.

On this day, we remember our late Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI on the 2nd remembrance of his death. We pray for his gentle soul and we continue to remember the souls of all the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “Holy Mass in Memory of Pope Benedict XVI | LIVE from the Vatican | December 31, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/31/watch-holy-mass-in-memory-of-pope-benedict-xvi-live-from-the-vatican-december-31-2024/

LIVE from the Chair of St. Peter Altar at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, for the Holy Mass in memory of Pope Benedict XVI, marking two years since his passing. The Mass is presided over by Cardinal Kurt Koch, followed by a procession to his tomb. The late pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95. May his gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | December 31, 2024 | EWTN on YouTube |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | December 31, 2024 |

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

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | December 31 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 31, 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: Seventh day in the Octave of Christmas | Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Reading 1, First John 2:18-21
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
Gospel, John 1:1-18

OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door Ushering in the Jubilee of Hope | ‘Hope is Alive’ | Vatican News | December 24, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/25/pope-francis-opens-the-holy-door-ushering-in-the-jubilee-of-hope-hope-is-alive-vatican-news-december-24-2024/

• On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the First Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.
• On Christmas Day, Pope Francis delivered his Urbi et Orbi message to the people of the city of Rome and the world from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at noon.
• On 26 December, for the first time in the Jubilee tradition, Pope Francis opened a fifth sacred portal in a Roman prison, a gesture of hope that shows his ongoing closeness to detainees.
• On Sunday, 29 December, the Pope opens the Holy Door of his cathedral, Saint John Lateran, which on 9 November this year celebrated the 1700th anniversary of its dedication.
• Then, on 1 January 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major will be opened.
• Lastly, Sunday, 5 January 2025, will mark the opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

These last three Holy Doors will be closed on Sunday, 28 December 2025.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT SYLVESTER I, POPE AND CONFESSOR – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 31ST: Today is the seventh day in the octave of Christmas and we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Sylvester I, Pope and Confessor.

SAINT SYLVESTER I, POPE AND CONFESSOR: Pope St. Sylvester called Silvester (c. 250-335 A.D.) was born in Rome, son of a Roman named Rufinus, he was raised as a Christian under the care of pious parents, and the religious instruction of a devout priest. St. Sylvester was later ordained by Pope St. Marcellinus to Holy Orders in Rome during the peace that preceded the outbreak of Christian persecutions of Emperor Diocletia and passed through those days of terror, witnessing the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian, and saw the triumph of Constantine in 312. During this time he became well-known as a good and holy priest, so much so that when the Pope died, St. Sylvester was appointed the new Bishop of Rome two years later in January 314. St. Sylvester was chosen by God to govern His holy Church during the first years of Her temporal prosperity and triumph over Her persecuting enemies. St. Sylvester occupied the chair of St. Peter as Pope from January 31, 314 A.D. until his death in December 31, 335 A.D. Little is known about Pope St. Sylvester other than the many important events in Church history that occurred under his pontificate. He served as the bishop of Rome at a crucial era in the history of Christianity, during the reign of Constantine I and the emergence of the Arian controversy, that involved matters pertaining to Christology and the Trinity.

During  St. Sylvester’s pontificate, Christianity became the favored religion of the Roman emperor, after having endured centuries of intermittent persecution. Many important events in Church history occurred under his pontificate. He ruled the Church during the reign of Constantine when the Arian heresy and the Donatist schism had provoked great discord. He was the reigning pope during the Council of Nicea, he convoked the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea which condemned the Arian heresy. He did not himself attend the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he was represented by two legates. He established the Nicene Creed; he was the Holy Father who converted and baptized the Roman Emperor Constantine. During his Pontificate, Rome’s greatest churches were built under his direction by Constantine, including the Basilica and baptistery of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of the Sessorian palace (Santa Croce), the Church of St. Peter in the Vatican, and several cemeterial  churches over the graves of martyrs. The Church saw the beginnings of temporal prosperity and the establishment of the Christian Roman Empire and he gave the Church a new discipline for the new era of peace. He might be called the first “peace Pope” after centuries of bloody persecution. He also established the Roman school of singing. On the Via Salaria he built a cemeterial church over the Catacomb of St. Priscilla, and it was in this church that he was buried when he died on December 31, 335.A.D. St. Sylvester is celebrated on December 31st, the day of his burial in the Catacomb of Priscilla. He’s Patron Saint of Feroleto Antico; Sylvestrine; Benedictines; Nonantola. His feast day is December 31st.

PRAYER: Lord, come to the aid of Your people who are supported by the intercession of St. Sylvester Your Pope. May they pass the present life under Your guidance so that they may have the happiness of attaining life in heaven. Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ John 1:1-18

“The Word became flesh”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.”

Today’s Gospel reading speaks of a beginning. ‘In the beginning was the Word’. Before all things came into being, before anything was created, the Word was. This Word was God’s self-communication, a self-communication that was so complete and perfect that it was itself God, ‘the Word was God’. It was this Word that became flesh, according to our Gospel reading. This self-communication of God became human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We celebrate the birth of Jesus because we recognize in this child the fullest possible self-communication of God. Jesus is the fullest Word that God could have spoken to us. We speak, we communicate, not just by our words but by the way we relate, by the way we live and, even, by the way we die. God spoke to us through the life of Jesus, and through His death and resurrection. God has said everything He wants to say to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, His Word. God and His Son, together, have sent us the Holy Spirit to help us plumb the depths of all God has said to us through Jesus. As Jesus will later declare in the Gospel, the Holy Spirit ‘will guide you into all the truth… he will take from what is mine and declare it to you’. The Holy Spirit enables us to keep hearing the Word that is Jesus in all its richness, to hear it as a word for us here and now. Every year has its light and shade for us all. As we end one year and are about to begin a new year, today’s Gospel reading gives us that wonderful statement, ‘the Word was made flesh, He lived among us, and we have seen His glory’. God became human in the person of Jesus, His Son. God could not get any closer to us than that, and having become human flesh through His Son, God has remained in the flesh of our lives, the stuff of our lives, through His Son, who is now risen Lord. Wherever the journey of life takes us, God is journeying with us through His Son and the Holy Spirit. Even in the darkest moments of our life journey, the light of the Lord’s presence is shining, a light that darkness could not overpower, in the words of today’s Gospel reading. As we head into a new year, we do so in the knowledge that the true light who enlightens all people has come into the world and is constantly coming into our personal world. The Gospel reading invites us to keep opening our hearts and our lives to that enduring light of the Lord’s loving presence, so that, like John the Baptist, we can become witnesses to the light before others. At the beginning of the new year, we invite the Spirit to open us up more fully to the truth of this Word that God spoke in the beginning and that became flesh in the person of Jesus and dwelt among us.

Our first reading today from the Epistle of John the Apostle spoke strongly about the antichrists and the false prophets, all of whom proclaimed words and gospels that were different from what the Lord had revealed and spoken to His people. Even at that time during the early days of the Church, there were already those who tried to subvert the truth and the Good News of God to suit their own selfish purposes and desires, or trying to gain more popularity and power for themselves. St. John spoke of the need for all the faithful to reject the temptations of Satan, and to continue to uphold the righteous path which has been shown and taught to them by God through His Church. During this festive season we are called to be vigilant and avoid the things which may easily distract us away from the Lord and His righteous path. And unless we are vigilant, we may fall into the wrong path and temptations, sometimes without us even realising it. We are reminded to stay focused on the reason why we all gather together and rejoice during this time and season of Christmas, that is to be joyful at the coming of the Lord’s Salvation into our midst and to thank Him for all the love that He has shown us.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today as we celebrate the Feast of a great Saint, Pope St. Silvester I on this very last day of the current Calendar of this Year of Our Lord 2024, we are all reminded of the need for each one of us to contemplate and reflect on the year that has just passed us by. And at the same time we should also spend some time to consider our options going forward to the next, new year in 2025. As we continue to progress through this time and season of Christmas, the time of great rejoicing in celebrating the birth and arrival of the Saviour of the whole world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the true reason of our Christmas joy and celebrations, we should always hold onto the fullness of truth, hope and reassurances that we have received from God Himself. All of us as Christians must be the bearers of the Good News of God’s salvation in how we live our lives each day and in how we celebrate Christmas, so that everyone may come to know more about the Lord through them. This Christmas is truly a great opportunity for us to tell everyone about the Lord and His salvation. Jesus is the pinnacle of God’s good creation. Jesus speaks to us of God more powerfully than anything or anyone else in all creation. He is the fullest revelation of God’s love for the world. God calls out to us to receive from the fullness of His love that resides in Jesus. We can all say, in the words of today’s Gospel reading, ‘from His fullness, we have, all of us, received’. We spend our lives receiving from that fullness of God’s love in Jesus. No matter where we are on our life journey, there is always more to be received. It is in receiving God’s love present in Jesus that we are empowered to give that love to others. As we face into a new year, we are called to keep giving out of what we keep receiving. Let us all therefore reflect upon and emulate the life and ministry of the Saints, particularly Pope St. Silvester I who we celebrate today. As we continue to progress through the celebration and festivities of this current Christmas season, let us all continue to stay focused on the Lord and put Him at the centre of all things and of all our celebrations and festivities. And as we are about to end this current year and begin a new year tomorrow, let us all strive to live a new life truly attuned to the Lord and be firmly faithful in all of our ways, so that by our every words, actions and deeds, we may reveal the Lord, His truth, His Good News and love to many more people around us, and inspire them all to come towards the Lord. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us all, and may He continue to bless our every good efforts and endeavours. Amen 🙏🏽

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast and the last day of the year, we humbly pray for all families, We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray and thank God for bringing us to the end of the year and we pray for His grace and mercy for the coming year. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

Lord, Jesus, You are the Light Who dispels all darkness. You are the Eternal Word Who answers every question in life. I invite You into my life this day so that Your Divine Presence may fill me, consume me and lead me down the path toward eternal joys. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Joseph and Saint Sylvester I, Pope ~ Pray for us 🙏

Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines:

DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org

SIR G.L.I OPIEPE’S HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION | https://youtu.be/gB31nuOFx0A?si=mSoZs-wiByhGsY

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Christmas Season and New Year! Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

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

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Monday, the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas!

On this Special Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of all children, we pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, particularly all those persecuted and killed for the faith, and for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. We continue to remember the souls of the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | December 30, 2024 | EWTN on YouTube |

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

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 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: Sixth day in the Octave of Christmas | Monday, December 30, 2024
Reading 1, First John 2:12-17
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 96:7-8, 8-9, 10
Gospel, Luke 2:36-40

OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES

• On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the First Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.
• On Christmas Day, Pope Francis delivered his Urbi et Orbi message to the people of the city of Rome and the world from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at noon.
• On 26 December, for the first time in the Jubilee tradition, Pope Francis opened a fifth sacred portal in a Roman prison, a gesture of hope that shows his ongoing closeness to detainees.
• On Sunday, 29 December, the Pope opens the Holy Door of his cathedral, Saint John Lateran, which on 9 November this year celebrated the 1700th anniversary of its dedication.
• Then, on 1 January 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major will be opened.
• Lastly, Sunday, 5 January 2025, will mark the opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

These last three Holy Doors will be closed on Sunday, 28 December 2025.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ANYSIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA; SAINT SABINUS, BISHOP OF SPOLETO AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARYTRS AND SAINT ANYSIA OF SALONIKA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 30TH: Today is the sixth day in the octave of Christmas and we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Anysius, Bishop of Thessalonica and Saint Sabinus, Bishop of Spoleto and his Companions, Martyrs and Saint Anysia of Salonika, Virgin and Martyr.

SAINT ANYSIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA: He was Bishop successor of St. Ascholius in the see of Salonika, in Greece. Saint Anysius became Bishop of Thessalonica upon the death of Ascholius in 383 to 407. He was a friend of St. Ambrose and on this occasion of his appointment as Bishop, St. Ambrose wrote to the new Bishop and expressed his hope that since Anysius was a dedicated disciple of Ascholius he might prove to be “another Elisha to Elijah.”

Pope St. Damasus also appointed this saintly Bishop the patriarchal vicar of Illyricum and he was confirmed in his power by Sts. Siricius and Innocent I. He was a loyal defender of Saint John Chrysostom. When St. John Chrysostom was being harassed by the authorities, St. Ansius came strongly to his defense. St. Anysius was one of the sixteen Macedonian bishops to appeal to Pope Innocent in 404 on St. John’s behalf. In 404, St. Anysius called upon Pope Innocent I to review the case whereby St. John had been exiled from his See, and he was joined in this by fifteen other Bishops of Macedonia. In return he received a letter from St. John thanking him for his efforts on his behalf. St. Anysius was a dedicated shepherd who inspired his people by his life and teachings. Both St. Innocent I and St. Leo the Great had high praise for his virtues. He died about 407.

PRAYER: God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Anysius as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Help us through his intercession to keep the Faith he taught by his word and follow the way he showed by his example. Amen🙏

SAINT SABINUS, BISHOP OF SPOLETO AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARYTRS: Saint Sabinus of Spoleto (died c. 303) was a bishop in the Christian church who resisted the Diocletianic Persecution and was martyred. According to legend, Venustian, governor of Etruria and Umbria, had Sabinus and his deacons arrested in Assisi. Diocletian’s order  required all Christians to sacrifice to the gods or be put to death, with their estates seized for the state. Venustian mocked Sabinus’s faith, accusing him of leading the people to the worship of a dead man. When Sabinus said that Christ rose on the third day, Venustian invited him to do the same thing. He had Sabinus’s hands cut off. The deacons were in great fear, but Sabinus encouraged them to hold to their faith, and they died after being torn apart by iron hooks. In prison after the martyrdom of his deacons, he was tended by a woman named Serena. While in prison, he healed a man born blind. Venustian heard of the cure and sought a cure for his own eyes from Sabinus. Sabinus healed the governor and converted him to Christianity. Venustian then sheltered Sabinus. Maximianus Herculius, hearing of this, ordered the the tribune Lucius to address the matter. Lucius had Venustian, his wife, and his two sons beheaded at Assisi, and he had Sabinus beaten to death at Spoleto. Saint Sabinus was beaten so cruelly that on December 7, 303, he expired under the blows. The charitable widow, Serena, after seeing to his honorable burial near the city, was also crowned with martyrdom. A basilica was later built at the site of the bishop’s tomb, and a number of monasteries in Italy were consecrated under his illustrious name. Patron Saints of Fermo, Ivrea and Spoleto all in Italy.

Reflection: How powerfully do the martyrs cry out to us by their example, exhorting us to detach from a false and wicked world!

Saint Sabinus of Spoleto and His Companions, Marytrs ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT ANYSIA OF SALONIKA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Anysia of Salonika (d. c. 298 A.D.), also known as St. Anysia of Thessalonica, was born to wealthy and pious Christian parents near Thessalonica, Greece. After the death of her parents, while she was still a young lady, Anysia dedicated her life completely to Christ. She made private vows of chastity and poverty, spent her days in fasting and prayer, and gave her wealth to the poor. She lived under the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Maximian, who declared that anyone who met a Christian could kill them without trial. One Sunday while on her way to church, St. Anysia was harassed by a Roman soldier. In one account he attempted to force her to make sacrifice to the pagan sun god. St. Anysia refused, declared her commitment to Christ, and spat in the soldier’s face. Enraged, the soldier ran her through with his sword, winning St. Anysia the crowns of virginity and martyrdom. Her feast day is December 30.

Saint Anysia of Salonika, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ 2:36-40

“She spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem”

“There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

Today’s Gospel reading gives an account of the time and moment when the Child Jesus was presented and offered at the Temple and House of God in Jerusalem, according to the Jewish laws and customs. At that time, the eldest child of the household and family of the Israelites ought to be dedicated and offered to God, about eight days after they were born. This was a sign of the renewal of God’s great Covenant, His love and enduring providence for all of His beloved people. Then, at that time, just as Mary and St. Joseph were at the Temple of God, two people came up to them and began to prophesy from God, giving thanks that they had managed to see the Saviour Himself appearing before them in the flesh. They were the old man Simeon and the prophetess Anna. Anna is an 84 year old widow, who was constantly in the temple fasting and praying. It is said of Anna that she never left the Temple. She lived in the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She was at home in God’s house; prayer came natural to her. She needed and wanted to be in prayerful communion with God. We could speak of her as a contemplative. When she saw the child Jesus, she broke into the prayer of praise, and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God’s deliverance. Both Anna and Simeon spoke of the many good things that the Lord God would do for His people through the Holy Child, and they also showed the first premonition of the kind of suffering and hardships which the Lord would eventually have to endure, and how that event would bring great sorrow and pain for Mary, His Mother. Yet, that was what the Lord had to go through in carrying out and completing His mission in this world, that is to bear the punishment and consequences for our many sins and wickedness, to bring forth into our midst the assurance of God’s salvation and grace, His forgiveness and ever enduring patience and love. And we are reminded of all these today in particular during this glorious and joyful season of Christmas so that we can continue to remember the true reason for our Christmas rejoicing and festivities.

According to the Gospel, Anna served God night and day with fasting and prayer. Normally when we hear the term ‘serving God’ we think instinctively of various forms of good works. Today’s Gospel reading suggests that prayer and fasting are also forms of service to God. We may not always think of prayer as an act of serving God. Today’s Gospel reading suggests that to pray is to serve God. Anna spent her time in the Temple praying, and yet she was as much a servant of God as those who served God by doing all kinds of good works. Mary who sat at the Jesus’ feet and listened to His word was serving Him as much as Martha was. To pray is to serve the Lord, because when we pray we give the Lord our time, our focus, our attention; we give Him ourselves.

In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle is the exhortation that the Apostle made to the members of all the faithful, addressed particularly to more senior members of the faithful, the fathers and parents who were supposed to bring up their children in the Christian faith, as well as the young men, those from the younger generation who have received the faith and its teachings from the Apostles and also from the guidance of their elders and seniors in their community. St. John exhorted all of them to put their faith in the Lord and in His salvation, in everything that He has done for our sake and overcoming all of the bondage for our sins and evils, all the things which had kept us tied and prevented from seeking God and His love and grace. St. John also warned the faithful to be vigilant and to be wary of sin and all of its tempting allures, all the things that can lead us into downfall and destruction. He mentioned that if one loves the world and all the things that are in the world, then they will not have the love of God the Father in them. Essentially, it is not possible for one to be able to truly love the Lord and to love the world and all of its riches and temptations all at once. That is why St. John exhorted all the faithful so that they would not fall into this temptation and ended up on the wrong path in life, as if they are not careful, it is easy for them to end up falling ever deeper into the slippery slope of sin. This same reminder also applies to us all as well, and we should truly heed these reminders for our own good. The Apostle also spoke of the fleeting and impermanent nature of the world against the permanence of God’s love and grace. This is a reality check for all of us especially if we reflect on all the things we often desire and want to pursue in our daily lives in this world. We must be aware that none of those things of the world that we seek, be it glory, fame, riches and wealth, material possessions, popularity and other forms of worldly parameters and things can truly satisfy us and none of them will also last and endure forever. All of them can be gone and disappear in mere moments, and none of us can bring them with us beyond this mortal life and existence we have on earth. The only thing that is truly everlasting is God’s Love and grace, His providence and salvation.

Our first reading reminds us that while the faithful people of God have received the truth from the Church and the Lord’s servants, and received the Sacraments of Initiation, this does not mean that they are immune or cannot be affected by the temptations of the world and sin. On the contrary, the devil and all of his allies and forces are even more likely to try to strike at all of us the faithful people of God, trying desperately to lead us away from the Lord and from His salvation, so that we will share their fate of destruction and damnation in hell. This is why Satan and all of his forces are always arrayed all the time against the faithful and the Church of God, and time does not pass without the faithful experiencing some form of spiritual attacks and hardships, definitely orchestrated by all those seeking to mislead and destroy us all. This had happened even as early as the earliest moments in the Church, and hence leading to St. John to write this exhortation to the faithful and the Church, and all these still happen even up to this very day.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, as we continue to celebrate this joyous season of Christmas, we are reminded to focus our lives and our attention on the Lord our God alone, through the salvation which He has shown and promised all of us, in His beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Whom He has sent into our midst so that by His incarnation and coming into this world, He might show unto us the sure path to eternal life and grace, which He has brought unto us through His coming, making it clear to us that God has always loved us, all these while, and each and every one of us have been blessed by His coming, His Presence in our midst, and His ever enduring love. We are called to emulate the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly those we celebrate today. Let us all hence do our best to be good and committed, holy and exemplary Christians at all times. Let us inspire one another and keep each other strong in our commitments to the Lord amidst the many challenges and trials found in this world today. This is why we are constantly being reminded that our lives are greater than just our own desires and ambitions. Our lives and existence in this world are all about serving and following the Lord, and walking in His path, and we should always keep this in mind lest we end up being distracted and swayed away from the path towards righteousness and salvation in God. This Christmas, we are exhorted and reminded to stay on our course and path towards the Lord, and not to lose our path and focus in life. May the Lord continue to help and guide us in our way, and may He empower each and every one of us to live ever more worthily and allow us to commit ourselves ever more to His path. The Lord and His love for us is and has always and will be so great that He has done everything for our sake, to help and rescue us from the depths of our predicament, from the darkness of our sins and troubles, from the snares of the devil and the threats of all those seeking our ruin and destruction. And because of this love all of us can now truly rejoice and be filled with hope, the hope for God’s salvation and the promise of eternal life and true happiness with Him. We should continue to put our faith in God and not easily allow ourselves to be distracted by the many temptations present all around us, all of which can lead us astray into the path towards our downfall. We should always trust in the Lord and distance ourselves from the excesses of worldly desires and pleasures, especially during this time of Christmas. Let us all celebrate Christmas with proper understanding of its importance and significance to all of us, becoming the good role models for one another in how we put Christ at the heart and centre of all our festivities and rejoicing in this time and season. And at the same time, let us not be ignorant of and forget about the sufferings and trials that those who are around us may be facing in their lives. Some of us may also not be able to celebrate Christmas due to various difficulties and reasons, and all of us are therefore called and reminded to share our joy with one another. Let us all be the faithful and worthy bearers of the Light of Christ and His salvation to everyone, and may our Christmas joy be truly rooted and centred in Christ, as always. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace  to be true to our faith and may He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory, now and always, through this Christmas season and beyond. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:*

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day, we humbly pray for all families, We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically illness, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

Lord, I thank You for the powerful witness of the prophetess Anna. May her lifelong devotion to You, a life of continual prayer and sacrifice, be a model and inspiration for me and for all who follow You. I pray that You daily reveal to me the unique way in which I am called to live out my vocation to total dedication to You. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Joseph and Saint Anysius and Saint Sabinus & his Companions, Martyrs and Saint Anysia of Salonika, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines:

DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org

SIR G.L.I OPIEPE’S HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION | https://youtu.be/gB31nuOFx0A?si=mSoZs-wiByhGsY

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Christmas Season and New Year! Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

SUNDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 29, 2024

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

OPENING OF THE THIRD HOLY DOOR OF THE BASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Sunday, the Feast of the Holy Family!

We thank God for the gift of the Holy family. May He graciously grant us the grace to emulate the Holy Family in practicing the virtues of family life and grant us the grace to be true to our faith family identity, so that we will be sources of blessing within our own blood families and faith family. We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Amen🙏

On this Special Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day, we humbly pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of all children, we pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, particularly all those persecuted and killed for the faith, and for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. We continue to remember the souls of the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “FULL RITE OPENING OF THE THIRD HOLY DOOR OF THE BASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN AND HOLY MASS ON THE FEAST OF THE HOLY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH” | ROME | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025 | DECEMBER 29, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/29/full-rite-opening-of-the-third-holy-door-of-the-basilica-of-st-john-lateran-and-holy-mass-on-the-feast-of-the-holy-family-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph-rome-jubilee-of-hope-2025-december-29-2024/

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Pope Francis’s Vicar General, opens the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran and Presides over the Holy Mass. Saint John Lateran, on November 9th this year celebrated the 1700th anniversary of its dedication. This is the third Holy Door of the Jubilee of Hope 2025.

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

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

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 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: Sunday in the Octave of Christmas, Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph | December 29, 2024
Reading 1, Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Reading 2, Colossians 3:12-21
Gospel, Luke 2:41-52

OR

Reading 1, Samuel 1 : 20-22, 24-28
Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 83 : 2-3, 5-6, 9-10
Reading 2, 1 John 3 : 1-2, 21-24
Gospel, Luke 2 : 41-52

OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES

• On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the First Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.
• On Christmas Day, Pope Francis delivered his Urbi et Orbi message to the people of the city of Rome and the world from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at noon.
• On 26 December, for the first time in the Jubilee tradition, Pope Francis opened a fifth sacred portal in a Roman prison, a gesture of hope that shows his ongoing closeness to detainees.
• On Sunday, 29 December, the Pope opens the Holy Door of his cathedral, Saint John Lateran, which on 9 November this year celebrated the 1700th anniversary of its dedication.
• Then, on 1 January 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major will be opened.
• Lastly, Sunday, 5 January 2025, will mark the opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

These last three Holy Doors will be closed on Sunday, 28 December 2025.

Today is the Fifth day in the octave of Christmas and we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH: Jesus and His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and His earthly guardian, protector, and foster-father, St. Joseph, make up the Holy Family. The Feast Of The Holy Family is a Catholic religious festival that mainly celebrates the sanctity of the holy family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph), but also celebrates the family unit. God was made incarnate into the embrace of the human family, and the majority of Jesus’ earthly life was spent in the quiet happiness of domestic life with His mother and father. This sacred time, known as the “hidden life” of Jesus, is one of which we know little from Sacred Scripture. The feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday within the octave of Christmas. The Feast of the Holy Family falls within the octave of Christmas, on the first Sunday after Christmas. If Christmas falls on a Sunday, the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on December 30th instead, between December 25 and January 1, with only one reading before the Gospel. Although major feast days dedicated to each member of the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—also exist, the Feast of the Holy Family commemorates their life together, and the celebration focuses on religious family life. The primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast is to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families.

Devotion to the Holy Family became more popular during the 15th century, and they appeared prominently in works of art during this period of time. It was during this time that the Holy Family was presented as the ideal for Christian families and that purpose continues to this day. Because of the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, a feast for the Holy Family has been observed by the Copts from early times. In Western Christianity, however, a cult of veneration for the Holy Family as a group, rather than as individuals, did not arise until the 17th century. This feast developed at the beginning of the 19th century in Canada and then spread to the entire Church in 1920 and was not officially recognized until the feast day was formally instituted in 1921 under Pope Benedict XV. Originally celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany  (January 6), the Feast of the Holy Family was moved to the Sunday after Christmas in 1969, bringing it within the Christmas season. It is a Feast that seeks to portray the Holy Family of Nazareth as the “true model of life” from which our families can draw inspiration and know where to find help and comfort. This feast is also every family’s feast day, since the Holy Family is the patron and model of all Christian families. Today should be a huge family feast, since it is devoted entirely to the Holy Family as a model for the Christian family life.

HOLY FAMILY PRAYER: Dear Lord, bless our family. Be so kind as to give us the unity, peace, and mutual love that You found in Your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

Saint Joseph, bless the head of our family. Obtain for him the strength, the wisdom, and the prudence he needs to support and direct those under his care.

Mother Mary, bless the mother of our family. Help her to be pure and kind, gentle and self-sacrificing. For the more she resembles you, the better will our family be.

Lord Jesus, bless the children of our family. Help them to be obedient and devoted to their parents. Make them more and more like You. Let them grow, as You did, in wisdom and age and grace before God and man.

Holy Family of Nazareth, make our family and home more and more like Yours, until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with You. Amen.🙏

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I Love You, Save Souls🙏

PRAYER TO THE HOLY FAMILY: Jesus, Mary and Joseph,in you we contemplate the splendor of true love,to you we turn with trust. Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer,authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic Churches. Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division: may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer. Amen 🙏

PRAYER: Father, help us to live as the holy family, united in respect and love. Bring us to the joy and peace of your eternal home. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen.🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph | The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 2:41–52

“His parents found Jesus sitting in the midst of the teachers”

“Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.”

In today’s Gospel reading, it took three days for Mary and Joseph to find their twelve year old son, Jesus. The extended family of Jesus had gone up from Nazareth to Jerusalem, for the annual feast of Passover, about a week’s journey. According to the Gospel reading, it was only after a day’s journey home again that Jesus’ parents realized He was missing. Mary and Joseph probably assumed He was with other members of the extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, or with some of the other people from Nazareth, because lots of the townspeople would have travelled together. When they finally found Jesus after three days searching, what Mary said to Him is like what any parent would say to a twelve year old who had gone missing for three days, ‘My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you’. All parents who worry about their children can identify with Mary. We worry about those we love. Sometimes we fell that even when those we love are physically close by, they are a bit lost. We sense they are unsettled, searching, and perhaps searching in ways that don’t serve them well. When Mary and Joseph eventually found their son, they discovered that He too was searching. While Mary and Joseph were engaged in a physical search for their son, He was engaged in a deeper, spiritual, search. According to the Gospel reading, His parents found Him in the Temple, sitting among the experts in the Scriptures, listening to them and asking them questions. Even at the age of twelve, Jesus had a very deep relationship with God, and, yet, like many a twelve year old, He was still searching. He wanted to know God’s will for His life more fully. He already knew that His relationship with God was the most important relationship in His life, even more important than His relationship with His parents. That is clear from His response to Mary’s rebuke of Him. She had said, ‘See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you’. He replied, ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ By ‘your father’ Mary meant Joseph. However, when Jesus spoke of ‘my Father’ He meant God. Because of His deep relationship with God, there were certain things He must do. He had this strong desire to do God’s will and on this occasion that meant taking the opportunity of being in the Temple of Jerusalem to question the religious experts of the time.

Even at the age of twelve, Jesus was beginning to forge His own path, in keeping with that most important relationship in His life, with God His Father. Mary and Joseph were beginning to learn that they had to surrender Jesus to a greater divine purpose. This wasn’t easy for them. The Gospel reading says, ‘they didn’t understand what He meant’ and it declares that Mary, ‘His mother stored up these things in her heart’. It is true that parents are often mystified at what is going on in the minds and hearts of their children, especially as they begin to forge their own path in life. Jesus, even at the age of twelve, was very clear about the path He had to take, even if His parents didn’t fully understand it. Our own young people today, are not always clear about the path they need to take, the path God would want them to take. They are often encouraged to go down certain paths by people who don’t have their best interests at heart. Indeed, we can all be tempted to take a path that is not God’s desire for us and won’t serve us well. If our children can get their relationship with God right at an early age, as Jesus did, it will serve them well for the rest of their lives. In today’s second reading, Saint John declares, ‘Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children’ and he goes on to say, ‘We are already the children of God’. Every child, every young person – every adult – is a beloved son or daughter of God. We share in Jesus’ own relationship with God. God is at work in all of our lives as he was at work in the life of Jesus. The more we can help one another to become open to God’s good work in each other’s lives, the more we will all become the people God desires us to be.

The term ‘holy family’ can make the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph seem remote from us. Yet, this was a family that knew the darker side of human life, as well as its joys and wonders. Yes, there was something special about this family, because Jesus was special. He had a unique relationship with God and a mission from God that no one else before or since has had. At the same time, this family did not appear to stand out from the other families of Nazareth as Jesus was growing up. When Jesus went back to Nazareth as an adult to preach in the synagogue there, his townspeople clearly weren’t expecting him to turn out as he did. They asked each other, ‘Where did this man get all this?… Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and are not his sisters here with us?’ There was something very ordinary about this family. In some ways, they were like every other family in Nazareth. Yet, God was doing something very extraordinary in and through what was in many ways a very ordinary family. Perhaps, one of the messages of today’s feast is that God can continue to do something extraordinary in and through the very ordinariness of our own family lives. The son of Mary and Joseph is now risen Lord who promised to be with us until the end of time. We have all been baptized into that risen Lord. He is present at the heart of every family. In particular the love of a husband and wife for each other and their children makes tangibly present the Lord’s love for us all. There is a sacred, sacramental, quality to every family. Just as God’s favour was with Jesus, and with Mary and Joseph, according to the Gospel reading, the Lord’s favour is present to all our families. We face into the future in the strength of that favour. The Lord’s loving presence within our families is a powerful resource that can enable us to face every struggle that might come our way in the year ahead. Today, on the feast-day of the only perfect family that ever lived on this earth, all parents are urged to examine themselves and see how they are fulfilling this grave responsibility—which God has placed on them. Are parents preparing their children by word and example, especially by example, to be worthy citizens of heaven where they will be their parents’ crown and glory?

In our first reading today from the prophet Sirach, he highlighted that each of the members of the family ought to do their part and obligations, so that the whole family might exist and work harmoniously together, with the children ought to be caring for their parents and also be obedient to them. However, this does not mean that the parents can then do whatever they wanted to the children. They also have their own responsibilities and duties, as parents of the children, and as well as husband and wife to each other. Every members of the family must also be caring and loving to each other so that the whole family will be united and in harmony. In our second reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians, the Apostle exhorted to the faithful to do just as the prophet Sirach had mentioned, and added on that each and every members of the faithful must clothe themselves with the virtues of the Lord, with love and kindness, with compassion, humility, meekness and other virtues. If each and every one of us do this, and fill ourselves with those Christian virtues and most importantly love, and also do as the prophet Sirach and St. Paul the Apostle had exhorted all of us to do, in the maintenance of good, harmonious and working relationship within our families, certainly we will be able to maintain good and loving relationship within our families, and help our families to flourish ever further. The virtues that the Gospel demand of us can bring sanity back to the world. Where God is forgotten there is no happiness for man. Where the peace of Christ does not reign there is nothing but strife and hostility among men. Where there is no faith and hope in a future life, the present world is already hell. Let us being in our own family circle to bring sanity back to our world. Let us have the true peace of Christ in our hearts and in our home, each one carrying out the task God has allotted to us.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we are called to emulate the most wonderful Family, which God had brought and assembled together to be the perfect role model for all of us in how we ourselves should live up our own Christian families to the best of our abilities. The Holy Family inspires each and every one of us that we should live our own Christian living and model our families upon theirs so that we may all draw ever closer to God and be ever more worthy of God and His salvation, as each time passes by. That is why as we continue to progress through this joyful season of Christmas, we are also reminded to remain faithful as Christian families, all dedicated and centred on God. We’re reminded that, these days there are many threats facing our families, not least because there are many forces trying to shatter the unity of our families apart. Many families had been broken because each and every one of their members had forgotten what families truly mean and what each one of them should base their families on, and most important of that is love. Love is something often lacking in our families today, just because it is the same thing lacking in our marriages these days. People do not marry because they truly love each other, but because of other reasons and for convenience, and hence, when things fall apart, the whole marriage and family naturally fall apart as well. That is what will happen to many of our Christian families as well, if we do not have the strong foundation of love. When each and every members of the family begin to indulge in selfishness, in greed and desire, that is when the unity and harmony in our families disappear. However, we must also remember that there must be faith in our families too, that each and every members of our families ought to have faith in the Lord, and then enthrone Him in the midst of our every families, in our every hearts. If we put the Lord at the centre of our families, and then most importantly, pray together as a family, and spend time together as a family, all believing in the Lord, then all of us will most likely be able to sustain our families despite the many challenges and opposition that we may face in our journey as families of this world, and as families of our respective Christian communities and societies. Let us all therefore look upon the good examples set by the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and make them the examples and inspirations for our own families. May the Lord continue to bless and guide us in our lives within our families, that we may remain harmonious and united despite the challenges we may face, and that as a family, each and every one of us may be growing ever deeper in faith and appreciation of the Lord and the love that He Himself has shown us. May our families be blessed and be strong bastions of Christian faith and love, and as the foundations of the Church, may all of our Christian families be ever strong beacons of God’s light, hope and love. As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family today, may we all draw ever closer to God through our faithful Christmas celebrations, and through the inspirations from the Saints, especially from St. Thomas Becket, who we celebrate today. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to be true to our faith family identity, so that we will be sources of blessing within our own blood families and faith family. Amen🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: SAINT THOMAS BECKET, BISHOP AND MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 29TH: Today is the Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. On this special feast day, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr.

SAINT THOMAS BECKET, BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. Thomas Becket (1118-1170), also known as St. Thomas of Canterbury, was Archbishop of Canterbury, from 1162 until his murder in 1170. St. Thomas was born in London, England around the year 1117. He was the son of pious parents, and his mother converted to Christianity through the example and teachings of his father, who was a prosperous London merchant. From his early youth, He was educated in religion and holiness. After his childhood, Thomas was then taught at a monastery and later at a school in London. After the death of both his parents, St. Thomas decided to finish his schooling by studying canon law. He was successful in his studies and was made secretary to one of the courts of London. After working for a while at law, St. Thomas decided to dedicate the rest of his life to God, and began to work towards ordination. Being a well-educated youth, he was appointed as clerk to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was later made Archdeacon. In this role he met and became close friends with King Henry II of England. The King promoted Becket to the office of Lord Chancellor to the king in 1154 and, when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theobald died, King Henry sought to elect St. Thomas to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, the most powerful ecclesiastical position in all of England. This suggestion was accepted by a synod. St. Thomas warned the king that it might cause friction and conflict of interests, but accepted the position.

In all that he did, he diligently applied himself and became well known as a holy and honest worker. St. Thomas served as bishop by seeking to help the people and develop his own holiness. He practiced many penances and was very generous to the poor with both his time and his money. His work came under the scrutiny of his friend King Henry II. King Henry II supposed that having his close friend in such a position would enable him to enforce his will on the Church. However, in his new role as priest and archbishop, St. Thomas Becket experienced a religious conversion and transferred his ultimate allegiance to the Church. As King Henry’s reign continued, he began more and more to exercise his hand in Church affairs. This caused many disagreements and when he refused to tolerate the existence of certain abuses, the king felt himself offended and finally, matters came to an open rupture between the Archbishop and the King. This led to frequent conflicts over the rights of the Church between the King of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury, resulting in St. Thomas Becket’s exile. After much persecution, to which he was subject, St. Thomas secretly left the kingdom and went to Pope Alexander III who was then in France and who received him kindly.

Later St. Thomas was able to return to England, but he went with the presentiment that he was going to his death. He was received with the greatest demonstrations of joy by his people, but the end was near. He again became involved in a dispute with the king and the king, in a fit of passion, let slip some unguarded words that, however they may have been intended, were constructed so as to place weapons in the hands of the Saint’s assassins. Some of the king’s knights saw this as treason, and as a result St. Thomas was murdered in his church, at the foot of the altar. He was murdered by four knights, the king’s lackeys, who split his skull with their swords as he knelt before the altar offering Mass at the Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170. Within three years after his death, he was canonized as a Martyr by Pope Alexander III. He’s Patron Saint of Clergy; secular clergy; Exeter College Oxford, England; Portsmouth, England. St. Thomas Becket’s feast day is December 29th.

QUOTES OF SAINT THOMAS BECKET:
☆”All Saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown.”
☆”Those who tread among serpents, and along a tortuous path, must use the cunning of the serpent.”
☆”We know that no trust can be placed on princes and that cursed is the man who placeth his reliance on an arm of flesh.”
☆”Whosoever wisely examines the works of God will speedily discover what is next to be done.”
☆”The more I loved the king, the more I opposed his injustice until his brow fell lowering upon me. He heaped calumny after calumny on my head, and I chose to be driven out rather than to subscribe.”

PRAYER: God, You enabled St. Thomas, Your Martyr, to sacrifice his life courageously in the cause of justice. Through his intercession, help us to give up our lives for Christ in this world so that we might find eternal life in Heaven. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we humbly pray for all families, We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray and thank God for granting us the opportunity as we gradually approach the end of the year and we pray for His grace and mercy for the coming year. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

Feast of the Holy Family: O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Lord, draw me into the life, love and communion that You lived with Your Immaculate Mother and Saint Joseph. I offer You myself, my family and all those to whom I am called to love with a special love. May I imitate Your family love and life in all my relationships. Help me to know how to change and grow so that I may more fully share in Your family life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Joseph, Saint Thomas Becket ~ Pray for us 🙏

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I Love You, Save Souls🙏

Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines:

DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org

SIR G.L.I OPIEPE’S HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION |

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Sunday and Christmas Season. Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 28, 2024

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Saturday, the Fourth Day in the Octave of Christmas!

On this Special Feast of the Holy Innocents, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of all children, we pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, particularly all those killed for the faith, and for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. We continue to remember the souls of the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | December 28, 2024 | EWTN on YouTube |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | December 28, 2024 |

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

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | December 28, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 28, 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, Fourth Day in the Octave of Christmas, December 28, 2024
Reading 1, First John 1:5-2:2
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 124:2-3, 4-5, 7-8
Gospel, Matthew 2:13-18

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 28TH: Today is the Fourth Day of the Octave of Christmas and we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs.

THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS: Today’s feast is to remember and honor the Holy Innocents, the male children executed because of King Herod’s fury to find the Christ child. The Holy Innocents (1st c.) are the children mentioned in the account of Jesus’ birth in Matthew’s Gospel (2:16-18). When Herod, the king of Judea, heard of the birth of an extraordinary child from the Wise Men who, heading to Bethlehem, followed the star from the east, he became “greatly troubled” (Matthew 2:1-18). When the Magi came to Jerusalem to find and adore the Baby Jesus, the newborn King of the Jews, King Herod requested that they inform him of the Child’s location under the pretense of offering Him adoration, too. After paying the Child homage and offering Him their gifts, the Wise Men were warned in a dream not to betray Jesus’ location, and departed for their home country by another route. Meanwhile the Holy Family was warned by an Angel to flee into Egypt.

King Herod, feared for his throne after the Magi told him of the birth of Jesus. Although he told those men to report back to him after they found the babe, they were warned by an Angel and chose to return a different way. Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and ordered his soldiers to massacre all male children ages two and under that were in Bethlehem and on the boarders, hoping that Jesus would be among those killed, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men (Matthew 2:1-18). According to Matthew, this fulfilled a prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15: “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” These Holy Innocent children have been viewed as the first martyrs of the early church and have been celebrated way before the 5th century when it was praised as a part of Epiphany. Notwithstanding, by the 5th century, it had become a different celebration and eventually became a Saint’s day.

Herod was known for his cruelty. He had killed his wife, his brother and his sister’s two husbands, to name only a few. He was despised by the Jews for his allegiance to Rome. He was prone to extreme retaliation by any perceived threat to his throne. That cruelty then led him to infamously order the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under. Many Medieval theologians claimed that 144,000 were killed, adopting the number mentioned in Revelation 14:3, though the number would have been much smaller. The Greek Liturgy asserts that Herod killed 14,000 boys, the Syrians speak of 64,000. Modern writers reduce the number considerably, since Bethlehem was a rather small town. Knabenbauer brings it down to fifteen or twenty (Evang. S. Matt., I, 104), Bisping to ten or twelve (Evang. S. Matt.), and Kellner to about six (Christus and seine Apostel, Freiburg, 1908).

It is impossible to determine the day or the year of the death of the Holy Innocents, since the chronology of the birth of Christ and the subsequent Biblical events is most uncertain. All we know is that the infants were slaughtered within two years following the apparition of the star to the Wise Men. The Church venerates these children as martyrs (flores martyrum); they are the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ, but in His stead. The Latin Church instituted the feast of the Holy Innocents at a date now unknown, not before the end of the fourth, and not later than the end of the fifth century. The Roman Station of December 28 is at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, because that church is believed to possess the bodies of several of the Holy Innocents. A portion of these relics was transferred by Sixtus V to Santa Maria Maggiore. The church of St. Justina at Padua, the cathedrals of Lisbon and Milan, and other churches also preserve bodies which they claim to be those of some of the Holy Innocents.

Honored as martyrs, the Holy Innocents were typically included in narrative cycles recounting the life of Jesus. These innocent victims gave testimony to the Messiah and Redeemer, not by words but by their blood. The Holy Innocents saved the Child Jesus from death by King Herod by the shedding of their own blood. They triumphed over the world and won their crown without having experienced the evils of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sts. Irenaeus, Augustine, and other early Fathers give the title of Martyrs, and as such they have been commemorated from the 1st century and honored in the Liturgy of the Church. We commemorate this day, not only for those poor children, innocent of any crime, 2,000 years ago, but for all who have lost their lives in war, famine, natural disaster or abortion. As Catholics we believe all life is a gift from God and therefore should be sacredly protected. The Holy Innocents are the special Patron Saints of babies, small children, Choirboys, Children’s choirs and Foundlings. Their feast day is commemorated on December 28th.

“The innocents were slaughtered as infants for Christ; spotless, they follow the lamb and sing forever: Glory to you, O Lord.”

PRAYER: God, today we recall that the Innocent Martyrs bore witness not by words but by their death. Grant that our way of life may give witness to our Faith in You, which our lips profess… Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 2:13-18

“He ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem”

“When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.  When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”

In today’s Gospel reading, there is a strong contrast between God’s efforts to preserve the life of Joseph and Mary’s child and Herod’s efforts to kill their child. The Angel of the Lord prompts Mary and Joseph to flee into Egypt for their child’s protection. Herod orders all the male children under two to be killed in the Bethlehem area to ensure the death of Joseph and Mary’s child. God is always at work in our world to preserve and enhance life in its various forms, especially life at its most vulnerable. We tend to be at our most vulnerable at the beginning of our lives, in our mother’s womb and in the first months of life, and also at the end of our lives when we often have to deal with sickness in one shape or form. The Gospel reading today suggests that there are other forces in our world that, like Herod, work to eliminate life, especially when it is at its most vulnerable. Our calling from God, our mission in life, is to keep aligning ourselves with God’s life giving work. The feast of the Holy Innocents reminds us that far too many innocent lives have been and, indeed, are being slaughtered. The sobbing and loud lamenting at the loss of innocent life that is referred to at the end of the Gospel reading is all too familiar to our ears today. Yet the forces for life that have been released into the world through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus remain stronger than the forces of death. As baptized believers we can each make those forces for life, that Spirit of life, tangible and visible in the way we live and relate to others.

Our first reading today declares: ‘God is light; there is no darkness in Him at all’.
The birth of Jesus brought a light into that dark world, the light of God’s love. Jesus’ life revealed a different kind of power to the power of those in authority at the time. His life and his death revealed the power of love, a love that was self-emptying in the service of others. Our calling is to allow this love to take flesh in our own lives. It is in this way that, in the words of the first reading, ‘we live our lives in the light, as God is in the light’. The calling to allow Jesus, the light of God’s love, to shine in and through our lives, is a noble but challenging one. We will often fail in our living out of this calling. We sin, but as the first reading says, ‘if we acknowledge our sins, then God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins’. As declared in the first, ‘if we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth’. We have to be alert to the ways we can fail to take that path of humble, self-emptying, service of others which is the way of Jesus, the way of God. There is darkness in each one of us but the darkness does not define us because the light of God’s mercy is always stronger than the darkness of our sins. God remains faithful to us and keeps on calling us to bring the light of his Son into the darkness of our world.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today on this special feast of the Holy Innocents, we’re reminded that Jesus was born into a violent world, where those in power were often ruthless in their efforts to protect their own position. This event, which happened at the time when the Lord Jesus was coming into the world serves as a good reminder to all of us just what kind of wickedness and evil that we mankind can do if we let the temptations of worldly desires and greed to affect us and to rule over our lives and actions. That is why we have to keep in mind to stay away from the path of indulgence and immersion in worldly power and glory, or else we may end up falling into the trap of sin, out of which it may be difficult for us to escape. Let us all redirect our focus and attention in life, that we may truly stay on the path of the Lord and His righteousness, and not lose sight on His salvation and grace simply because we fail to resist the temptation to sin, to resist the pressure of our desires and the weakness of our flesh. We have to keep in mind that God is ultimately the reason why we live our lives, and it is to serve Him and to glorify Him that we carry out our actions through life, not for our own personal ambitions and glory. After all, no worldly glory and power lasts forever, like the example of King Herod himself showed us, how after his death, his kingdom quickly fell apart and was divided and eventually absorbed by the Romans who supported his rule. The magnificent Temple that he had built was destroyed by the Romans during the Jewish rebellion merely few years after it was completed. Worldly glory and power is indeed fleeting and impermanent, but our faith in God will lead us to an eternity of true happiness and joy. May the Lord continue to bless us and guide us in our way of life that we will stay true to the path that He has shown us and not be easily swayed by the temptations of our pride and desires. May God bless our every efforts and endeavours to glorify Him at all times, and may He remain with us and continue to strengthen us each day, and bless our current Christmas observances and celebrations. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to  remain faithful and take the path of humble, self-emptying and keep aligning ourselves with God’s life giving work and  service of others which is the way of Jesus, the way of God and to bring the light of His Son into the darkness of our world. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of all children, we pray for the souls of all the faithful departed, particularly all those killed for the faith, and for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest. We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to war, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

Lord, I surrender all hurt, pain and confusion to You. I unite myself, this day, with the sorrow of those who lost these little children and I trust that their lives, as they reign now in Heaven with You, are a sign for me of things to come. Lord, give me insight, wisdom and strength so that I can work in accord with Your will to protect the most innocent from the evils of this world. May I never cower in the face of evil, and may I always fulfill my duty to protect those entrusted to my care. Your birth into our world was the greatest sign that You are our Savior and that You can turn all things into good. Jesus, I entrust my life to You and know that You will right every wrong. Saint Joseph, 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, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary, The Holy Innocents, 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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Christmas Season and relaxing weekend! Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 27, 2024

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Friday, the Third Day in the Octave of Christmas!

On this Special Feast day of St. John the Apostle, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for all those who preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. We continue to remember the souls of the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | December 27, 2024 | EWTN on YouTube |

https://www.youtube.com/live/DCSuDzTfYys?si=9XUbm9scVCjfOw28

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | December 27, 2024 |

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

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | December 27, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 27, 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: Friday, Third Day in the Octave of Christmas, December 27, 2024
Reading 1, First John 1:1-4
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
Gospel, John 20: 1a, 2-8

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

SAINT OF THE DAY: FEAST OF SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 27TH: Today is the Third Day in the Octave of Christmas and we celebrate the Feast of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist.

SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST: St. John the Evangelist (1st c.), the son of Zebedee, and the brother of St. James the Great, was called to be an Apostle by our Lord in the first year of His Public Ministry. He was one of the Twelve Apostles, and one of the three in Jesus’ inner circle, along with his brother, James, and Simon Peter. St. John was the disciple who reclined on the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper, and the only one of the twelve to not forsake Christ during His crucifixion and death. Saint John, traditionally is regarded as the author of the fourth Gospel. In addition to being called “The Evangelist” he is also known as the “Beloved Disciple.” He is often identified with the person referred to in the fourth Gospel as ‘the disciple that Jesus loved’. He became the “beloved disciple” and the only one of the Twelve who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion. St. John stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross alongside the other holy women, and therefore he was the disciple to whom Jesus entrusted the care and guardian of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, St. John was an important leader of the Church in Jerusalem. St. John’s later life was passed chiefly in Jerusalem and at Ephesus. He founded many Churches in Asia Minor. He wrote the fourth Gospel that bears his name and three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, called the Apocalypse, is also attributed to him. Although many scholars believe that the final editing of the Gospel was done by others shortly after his death. Tradition relates that, brought to Rome, he was by order of Emperor Domitian cast into a caldron of boiling oil but came forth unhurt and was banished to the island of Patmos for a year. He lived to an extreme old age, surviving all his fellow Apostles. He is the only one of the Twelve Apostles who was not martyred, instead being exiled to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea under the persecution of Roman Emperor Domitian. He died at Ephesus about the year 100. St. John is called the Apostle of Charity, a virtue that learned from his Divine Master and constantly inculcated by word and example. The “Beloved Disciple” died at Ephesus, where a stately church was erected over his tomb. It was afterward converted into a Mohammedan mosque. He’s the Patron Saint of Asia Minor. St. John the Evangelist’s feast day is December 27th.

PRAYER: God, through St. John the Apostle You willed to unlock to us the secrets of Your Word. Grant that what he has so excellently poured into our ears, we may properly understand. Amen🙏
 

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ John 20: 1a, 2-8

“The other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; and he saw and believed”

“On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered His head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary Magdalene, Peter and John the Evangelist referred to as “the disciple that Jesus loved’ all found the tomb of Jesus empty on that first Easter morning. However, it is only of the disciple Jesus loved that it is said, ‘he saw and he believed’. He alone saw the empty tomb as a sign that Jesus had risen from the dead. Whereas when Mary Magdalene saw the empty tomb she thought that Jesus’ body had been stolen, when this disciple saw the empty tomb he knew that Jesus had triumphed over death and was now alive with a new quality of life. Two days after celebrating the feast of Christmas, we have an Easter Gospel reading. This is because today being the feast of St John the evangelist, the author of the fourth Gospel and, traditionally, has been identified with ‘the other disciple, the one Jesus loved’, mentioned in today’s Gospel reading. He’s someone who saw more deeply than others, who recognized the presence of the risen Lord in places where others failed to see Him. He saw with the eyes of faith. This is the quality of seeing that we are all called to have and that we need to pray for. One of the most memorable lines of the fourth Gospel is ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’. Because the Word became flesh, the Word who is God is present in all flesh, in all of human life. He is present even in those unpromising places where we might expect only death to be found, as in the tomb of today’s Gospel reading. Christmas is the feast of Emmanuel, God with us, and today’s Gospel reading reminds us that the risen Lord is always with us, even in those times when we are tempted to feel He has abandoned us. We pray for something of that deeper seeing of the beloved disciple, so that all flesh can begin to speak to us of the Word who is God. On this feast of Saint John, he is the disciple who encourages all of us to give ourselves wholeheartedly in love to Jesus as He has given Himself fully in love to us.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. John to all the faithful people of God, St. John yet again testifying about the Lord, highlighting how the Love of God has manifested in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One Whose every works and good deeds, wonders and miracles, wisdom and teachings he had witnessed and heard. St. John hence shared of what he had experienced and believed in, and placed particular emphasis on the Incarnation of the Word, the Divine Word of God, the Son, in the flesh, to come down into our midst as the Saviour of all. Like that of another of very popular quote from his Gospel, St. John wrote of the exchanges between the Lord Jesus and the Pharisee, Nicodemus in which Jesus said that, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave us all His only beloved Son, so that all those who believed in Him may not perish but have eternal life.’

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this special feast of St. John, we are reminded that each and every one of us are also witnesses and bearers of this same truth which St. John had himself received from the Lord, and just like St. John who had to labour and faced a lot of trials over the many years that he had spent in his ministry and calling as an Apostle and also an Evangelist, all of us as God’s holy people, the members of His same Church and part of that same one flock should therefore also carry out the respective missions, vocations and callings that each one of us have received as disciples and followers of the Lord. We cannot be ignorant of the responsibilities that each one of us as Christians have in being good bearers of the truth of God and as the beacons of His light and hope. Christmas should no longer be about ourselves or be about our pleasures and happiness, while forgetting about others and those who are suffering around us. Instead of a selfish celebration and excessive merrymaking and feasting, we should be ever more committed as the followers and disciples of the Lord, in showing one another what true Christian love is all about, sharing the same love that Christ our Lord had come bearing with Him into this world, by reaching out to the less fortunate and all those who are not able to celebrate Christmas the way we do. Let us also seek reconciliation and forgiveness from one another for all the past faults we have made as well. May the Lord through the examples and life of His faithful servant and Apostle, St. John, continue to strengthen and inspire us to be ever more dedicated and faithful in all things. May He help us to appreciate and understand better what He had Himself done for us so that we too may become good witnesses and bearers of His love, His truth and His ways. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to see with the eyes of faith to become aware of the Lord’s presence, even in those situations where he seems to be absent. May the Lord bless our every efforts and endeavours, our every actions and good works at all times, now and forevermore. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day of St. John the Evangelist, we humbly pray for all those who preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God. We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to war, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

My beloved Lord, the love You bestowed upon the disciple John was perfect in every way. After Your ascension into Heaven, You continued to deepen Your relationship with him, drawing him ever closer to Your Sacred Heart. Please pour forth upon me that same love and draw me into Your Heart so that I, too, will become Your beloved disciple. Saint John, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary, St. John the Apostle and Evangelist ~ 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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Christmas Season and relaxing weekend! Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 26, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Thursday, the Second Day of the Octave of Christmas!

On this Special Feast day of St. Stephen, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we pray for all persecuted Christians and Christians all over the world. We pray for God’s grace and mercy and for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. We continue to remember the souls of the faithful departed 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 abors 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🙏

Watch “Pope Francis Opens the Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison and Presides Holy Mass Rome, Italy | Jubilee 2025 | December 26, 2024 |

Watch “Pope Francis Opens the Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison and Presides Holy Mass | Jubilee 2025 | December 26, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | December 26, 2024 | EWTN on YouTube |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | December 26, 2024 |

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

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | December 26, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 26, 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: Thursday, Second Day in the Octave of Christmas, December 26, 2024
Reading 1, Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:3-4, 6, 7, 8, 17, 21
Gospel, Matthew 10:17-22

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

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/

SAINT OF THE DAY: SAINT STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 26TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr.

SAINT STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR: St. Stephen (1st. c.) was the first martyr, traditionally regarded as the Protomartyr or the very first Martyr of the Church. This means that St. Stephen the first one to die for his faith in God, in giving his life for the sake of the glory of God and in the midst of his mission. We may wonder why just immediately right after the most joyful celebration of Christmas Day we suddenly enter into this sombre occasion of the memory of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, but in truth, this celebration of St. Stephen and his martyrdom is an important reminder for all of us what Christmas is truly all about. St. Stephen reminds us all that Christmas is about celebrating the coming of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who brought into our midst the truth about the love of God for each one of us, and which truth is the reason why St. Stephen died courageously in defending that truth and Good News from those who tried to silence him and the Church.

St. Stephen is one of the Church’s first deacons in Jerusalem and an eloquent preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. St. Stephen’s name comes from the Greek word meaning ‘crown,’ fitting as he was the first Christian to earn the martyr’s crown. St. Stephen was a Jew, a disciple of Christ, chosen after the Ascension as one of the seven deacons. According to Sacred Scripture he was “a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost” and “full of grace and fortitude, was working great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). St. Stephen’s reputation for holiness led the Apostles to choose him, along with six other men, to assist them in an official and unique way as this dispute arose. Through the sacramental power given to them by Christ, the Apostles ordained the seven men as deacons, and set them to work helping the widows. As a deacon, Stephen also preached about Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets.

The account of his martyrdom is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Many rose up against him, but they were not able to withstand the wisdom that spoke. After boldly preaching against the Jewish leaders for their rejection of the promised Messiah, unable to refute his message, some members of local synagogues accused him of blasphemy against Moses and against God. St. Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin, their religious authorities, charging him with seeking to destroy their traditions. St. Stephen responded with a discourse recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He described Israel’s resistance to God’s grace in the past, and accused the present religious authorities of “opposing the Holy Spirit” and rejecting the Messiah. He was condemned to be cast out of the city and stoned to death. Before he was put to death by stoning by the angry mob St. Stephen had a vision of Christ in glory. “Look,” he told the court, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” The council, however, dragged the deacon away and stoned him to death. “While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,’” records St. Luke in Acts 7. “Then he knelt down before his murderers and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’(Acts 7:60). And when he had said this he fell asleep in the Lord, 35 A.D. The man who would later become St. Paul the Apostle, while he was persecuting the Church before his conversion, was among the mob as an approving witness. St. Stephen is the Patron Saint of Stonemason, Altar Servers, casket makers, deacons, headaches, horses, masons, Italy.

PRAYER: God, grant that we may imitate the Saint we honor and learn to love our enemies. For today we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen who knew how to pray even for his persecutors. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 10:17-22

“For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus warns His disciples that a day will come when they will be hated by all on account of Jesus’ name. It was only a short time after Pentecost when that day came for Stephen and for many other believers in Jerusalem. We are being reminded that the birth of Jesus was not experienced as good news by everyone. It gave rise to tremendous hostility from some which led not only to the death of Jesus but also the death of His followers. When we welcome Jesus into our lives, we are risking the same hostility and incomprehension that Jesus and His first followers experienced. Witnessing to the child of Bethlehem, to the crucified and risen Lord, will often mean taking the road less travelled and leaving ourselves open to rejection. Yet, Jesus assures us in the Gospel reading today that the one who stands firm to the end, in spite of that, will be saved. St. Stephen is put before us today as an example of someone who stood firm to the end. He died holding onto the values of the Gospel that had sustained him since His conversion to Christ. He died as Jesus died, entrusting himself to God, to the risen Lord, and praying for forgiveness for those who persecuted him. St. Stephen shows us how to die, and how to live, how to stand firm in way of the Lord to the end.

In our first reading today, St. Stephen, just before his death, sees the risen Lord standing at the right hand of God. It was Stephen’s relationship with the risen Lord that enabled him to witness to Jesus as powerfully as he did. Our own relationship today is with the risen Lord, rather than with the child Jesus. Like St. Stephen, it is our relationship with the Lord that will enable to bear witness to him in our lives. St. Stephen, we are told, was filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the risen Lord, and it was that Spirit which inspired his witness. When we open our lives to the risen Lord, we too will be filled with His Spirit and it is the Lord’s Spirit that will empower us to witness to Him in all we say and do. St. Stephen’s witness seemed to have a powerful impact on one observer of his death. The first reading makes reference to a young man called Saul at whose feet those who stoned St. Stephen placed their garments; it is said of this man Saul that he approved of St. Stephen’s killing. Saul would become the man we know as St. Paul, the Apostle, the great preacher of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Like St. Stephen’s witness, our own witness to the Lord can have a powerful impact on others in ways that we might never suspect or even become aware of.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, on this special feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr of the Church, we are reminded that Christmas is truly about a celebration of the love of God which has allowed us all to have hope today, because without God and His love, there can be no hope for us, and we would have been doomed to eternal damnation because of our disobedience and multitudes of sins. It was by the suffering, death and ultimately, the Resurrection of the Lord, our Saviour that we have received healing and rejuvenation, hope and new strength, which He has provided us through His coming into this world, His actions and providence by His ministry in the world, as He came offering us this new hope and the light that He delivers unto us all, and by which we have seen the Light of His salvation. And because God has loved us so much that He was even willing to suffer and die for our sake, should we not then love Him in the same way as well? Christ’s love is what encouraged and strengthened St. Stephen, that guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, he chose to stand by his faith in God. Let us all therefore be inspired in the same way by the love of Our Lord and Saviour, which He has shown us from His Cross, and also by the courage of St. Stephen, holy martyr and most devout servant of God. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace and bless us all and may He grant us His strength to persevere against all the challenges and trials we may have to face in life, because of His love and truth. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Chosen before time to be the Mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, God created Mary perfect and full of grace, preserving her from the stain of Original Sin. Mary Immaculate is the most beautiful fruit of the work of redemption accomplished by her Son, thereby making her the perfect model of holiness for all Christians.

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

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER – FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

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/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast of St. Stephen, we humbly pray for persecuted Christians. We pray for hope, faith, love, joy and peace in our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to war, political and religious unrest. 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 torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice 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🙏

Let us pray:

Most glorious Saint Stephen, please pray for me. Pray for me especially when I experience the heaviest crosses in my life. Pray that I, like you, will be open to God’s inspiration and grace at those times I need it the most. St. Stephen, 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, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Stephen, First Martyr ~ 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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe and grace-filled Christmas Season! Amen🙏

Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |