FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT
SAINTS OF THE DAY – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 4, 2024
NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Novena Starts November 29 – December 7th. Traditionally prayed in preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th [Novena link below]
SAINT ANDREW’S CHRISTMAS NOVENA
[The Saint Andrew’s Christmas Novena prayer below is traditionally prayed 15 times a day from November 30, the Feast of Saint Andrew, through Christmas Eve.]
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH [Please see link to this article below]
THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]
PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]
THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? [Please see link to this article below]
Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the First Week of Advent!
On this Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, 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 and 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 from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | December 4, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | December 4, 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 4, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 4, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 25:6-10
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Gospel, Matthew 15:29-37
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/
ADVENT PRAYER – FIRST WEEK: The following prayer should be repeated each day during the first week. After the prayer, the family’s youngest child lights the first purple candle. (Family members can also take turns lighting and blowing out the candles on each night.)
LEADER: O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come, That by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen🙏
(The candle is allowed to burn during evening meals for the first week.)
NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Novena starts November 29 – December 7th. Traditionally prayed in preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-the-blessed-virgin-mary-the-immaculate-conception/
NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: INTRODUCTORY PRAYER: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen 🙏
INTERCESSORY PRAYER ~ DAY SIX: O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, did prepare a fitting dwelling for Your Son, we beseech You that as by the foreseen death of Your Son, You did preserve her from all stain of sin, grant that through her intercession, we may be favored with the granting of the grace that we seek at this time.
(State your personal intention here.)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen🙏
SAINT ANDREW PRAYER: Beginning today, on this Feast of St. Andrew (November 30th), the following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.”🙏
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE (SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS), PRIEST, RELIGIOUS AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AND SAINT BARBARA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 4TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint John Damascene (Saint John of Damascus) Priest, Religious and Doctor of the Church and Saint Barbara, Virgin and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints during this special season of Advent, we humbly pray for God’s grace and mercy as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Praying 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. Amen🙏
SAINT JOHN DAMASCENE (SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS), PRIEST, RELIGIOUS AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St John (c. 676-749) also known as St. John of Damascus was a Syrian monk and priest, was the last of the Greek Fathers and referred to as the great Arab Church Father. Among Eastern Christians, St. John is best known for his defense of Christian sacred art, particularly in the form of icons. While the churches of Rome and Constantinople were still united during St. John’s life, the Byzantine Emperor Leo III broke radically from the ancient tradition of the church, charging that the veneration of Christian icons was a form of idolatry. St. John was born about the year 676 and had grown up under Muslim rule in Damascus, as the child of strongly Christian parents. His excellent education – particularly in theology – prepared him well to defend the tradition of sacred iconography, against the heresy of the “iconoclasts,” so-called because they would enter churches and destroy the images therein. During the 720s, the upstart theologian began publicly opposing the emperor’s command against sacred images in a series of writings. The heart of his argument was twofold: first, that Christians did not actually worship images, but rather, through them they worshiped God, and honored the memory of the saints. Second, he asserted that by taking an incarnate physical form, Christ had given warrant to the Church’s depiction of him in images. St. John vigorously opposed the Iconoclast persecution of the Emperor of Constantinople, Leo the Isaurian, and he distinguished himself in the defense of the veneration of sacred images. His defense of the veneration of icons procured him the title of “The Doctor of Christian Art.”
By 730, the young public official’s persistent defense of Christian artwork had made him a permanent enemy of the emperor, who had a letter forged in St. John’s name offering to betray the Muslim government of Damascus. The ruling caliph of the city, taken in by the forgery, is said to have cut off John’s hand. The saint’s sole surviving biography states that the Virgin Mary acted to restore it miraculously. John eventually managed to convince the Muslim ruler of his innocence, before making the decision to become a monk and later a priest. St. John of Damascus is known for his poems, hymns or “canons,” and his treatise “Exposition of the Orthodox Faith.” He became a trusted magistrate under Arab rule and a monk at Mar Saba monastery near Jerusalem where he died. St. John of Damascus’ other notable achievements include the “Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” a work in which he systematized the earlier Greek Fathers’ thinking about theological truths in light of philosophy. The work exerted a profound influence on St. Thomas Aquinas and subsequent scholastic theologians. Centuries later, St. John’s sermons on the Virgin Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven were cited in Pope Pius XII’s dogmatic definition on the subject.
Although a number of imperially-convened synods condemned John’s advocacy of Christian iconography, the Roman church always regarded his position as a defense of apostolic tradition. Years after the priest and monk died, the Seventh Ecumenical Council vindicated his orthodoxy, and ensured the permanent place of holy images in both Eastern and Western Christian piety. St. John was condemned to have his right hand cut off, but lived to see it miraculously restored through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. After continued persecutions he died in peace, about the year 749. He was famous for his great encyclopedic knowledge and theological method, which later was a source of inspiration to St. Thomas Aquinas. St. John also contributed as an author and editor, to some of the liturgical hymns and poetry that Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics still use in their celebrations of the liturgy. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1890. St. John of Damascus is the Patron Saint of Pharmacists, icon painters, theology students.
QUOTE OF SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS: “Show me the icons that you venerate, that I may be able to understand your faith.”
PRAYER: Grant, O Lord, that we may be aided by the prayers of St. John, Your Priest. May the true Faith that he taught with excellence be our constant light and strength. Amen 🙏
SAINT BARBARA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: Saint Barbara (273-306), also known as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Greek martyr born in 273AD in mid-third century in Heliopolis, Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon, and recent discovered texts in the Saida early church archives suggest her maternal grandmother is a descendant from Miye ou Miye village. St. Barbara was the daughter to a rich pagan named Dioscorus. According to tradition, after the death of her mother she was raised by her rich and tyrannical pagan father who, because of her beauty and intelligence, guarded her closely, keeping her locked away in a tower to “protect” her from the outside world. Dioscorus dedicated his life to his only daughter, who was known for being extremely beautiful. He allowed only her pagan teachers to see her. Her father, Dioscorus of Heliopolis, was a controlling and abusive person. He forced Barbara to live alone atop a tower so no man would see her beauty. She was educated by tutors and came to reject the false gods she was taught to worship in favor of the true God for whom she yearned and wished to discover, dedicating her life and virginity to this purpose. She developed a prayer life and resisted her father’s attempts to have her marry. Believing Barbara to be negatively affected by the seclusion, her father allowed her more freedom to associate with the world.
A Christian was permitted to see St. Barbara when he pretended to be a doctor. She soon discovered Christians, and, recognizing the Creator she sought, St. Barbara converted to Christianity and was baptized in secret. When her father was out of town, Barbara instructed workers to install a third window in her tower, in reverence of the Trinity. When Dioscorus came home, he realized Barbara had become a Christian. After informing her father that she was a Christian, he then beat and nearly killed her and denounced her and turned Barbara over to the Court authorities under the persecution of Roman Emperor Maximian. She was imprisoned and cruelly tortured, but remained steadfast in her faith. During the night she would pray fervently, and her wounds would miraculously heal. This only subjected her to greater torments, followed by more miraculous interventions. St. Barbara was sentenced her to death and her father, Dioscorus volunteered to be her executor. She was finally beheaded by her own father, and seconds after her death, he was struck by lightning and died himself as punishment. St. Barbara died in 306 AD, Nicomedia. St. Barbara is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, venerated because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective against diseases. St. Barbara is often invoked against lightning and fire, with associations of explosions. St. Barbara is the Patron Saint of armourers, artillerymen, architects, mathematicians, miners and the Italian Navy, firemen, military engineers, miners, and others who work with explosives. She is also the patron against storms, lightning, and fire, to name a few. St. Barbara’s feast day is December 4th.
Saint Barbara, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today, Wednesday of the First Week of Advent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 15:29-37
“Jesus heals many and multiplies the bread”
“At that time: Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus heals the broken and the crowds who witness it are astonished at Jesus’ life-giving work and praise God because of it. Jesus appears to be working on His own. Immediately after this time of ministry, Jesus attends to the needs of the crowds. Noticing how hungry they are, He has compassion for them, and sets Himself the task of feeding them. However, on this occasion, He doesn’t work alone; He involves His disciples very directly. He shares His concern of the crowds with His disciples; He questions them about the resources of food to be found among the crowds; He involves them directly in feeding the crowds from these resources. His disciples asked Him, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a crowd?’ Jesus wanted to feed the hungry crowd and didn’t want to send them away. The disciples could see no way of doing this. Their question is a very human one. It is the kind of question we all ask when we find ourselves faced with a situation that seems beyond us. We often encounter situations in life that make us very aware of our limitations. We can easily shrink before such situations and we can be tempted to lose heart and throw in the towel. Yet, where we see problems, the Lord often sees possibilities, provided we do whatever we can do, little as it may seem to us. According to the Gospel reading, Jesus took the few resources the disciples had, seven loaves and a few small fish, and then, with their help, He fed the whole crowd with those resources. It wasn’t a case of everyone getting barely enough. No, ‘they all ate as much as they wanted’. The evangelist, Matthew, is suggesting that we must never underestimate what the Lord can do through our human resources, small as they may seem in our eyes, provided we give generously of them. As Saint Paul knew from his experience, the Lord can work powerfully through our weakness. Indeed, sometimes it is our very weakness, our vulnerability, our inadequacy, that can give the Lord the greatest scope to work through us, provided we trust in Him to do so.
In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, God spoke to His people in the southern kingdom of Judah giving them His reassurance and promises, reminding them of the love and faithfulness which He has always had for them all despite their constant rebelliousness and disobedience against Him. At that time, the people of Judah wre already in dire straits, surrounded by hostile neighbours and enemies, and having their fellow brethren from the northern kingdom of Israel having been defeated, conquered and exiled by the mighty Assyrians. And during that period, the same Assyrians were also threatening Judah and Jerusalem itself, which truly did not bring about any good prospects for the people in Judah and Jerusalem for sure. And yet, while God often chastised His people and warned them of the impending destruction and ruin if they continued to disobey Him and if they kept on following the false gods and pagan idols instead of obeying His Law and commandments through HIs prophet including that of Isaiah, God also reminded all of the people that ultimately, He still loved them all and cared for them, and wanted them all to be reconciled and reunited with Him. And there is nothing that He spared from the details just as we have heard in our first reading passage today, how God truly reassured His people that everything will be truly good and wonderful when the Lord comes to gather all of His beloved ones, to bless them and to bring them all into His Holy Presence once again, truly a great light and hope amidst all the darkness of the world.
The vision of Isaiah in the first reading becomes something of a reality in the gospel reading. Both readings speak to us of a God who wants us to have life and to have it to the full. It was Saint Irenaeus who said that the glory of God is the human person fully alive. In the Gospel reading, the Lord needed others to bring the sick to Him; He needed the disciples to help Him feed the crowd. He continues to need us if His life-giving work is to get done. Advent calls on all of us to be instruments of the Lord’s life-giving and healing presence in the world. In Advent we pray, ‘Come Lord Jesus’. We also offer ourselves as channels for the Lord’s coming.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, as we all continue to progress through this blessed time and season of Advent, we are reminded of God’s providence and love for each and every one of us, how He has always been truly generous towards us, providing us all what we needed and guiding us all patiently and lovingly despite our constant stubborn attitude against Him, our refusal to follow His path faithfully and our waywardness in embracing the temptations, evils and sins of this world rather than to trust in Him. God has always shown us all His love, and He has given us all many opportunities and means for us to reach out to Him. What is left for us to do is to answer His call and to turn away from our sinful ways. We are all reminded of the salvation and deliverance which the Lord our God has shown us all, and which He wants to remind us today during this season of Advent, preparing for the coming celebration and joy of Christmas, we may always keep in mind what it is that we are really celebrating and rejoicing about. The Lord and His providence to us, His love and kindness, are all that we are rejoicing about as we celebrate and commemorate the moment when He came to us all in this world, in the form of a Child, the Child Jesus, the Saviour of the world and Son of God Most High. Let us all therefore be inspired by the lives and examples of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly let us all be inspired by the great faith and dedication showed by our holy predecessor, St. John Damascene, who we celebrate today, so that we ourselves may live our lives ever more faithfully as Christians in each and every moments of our lives. And let us all continue to hold strongly to the hope that we have in the Lord, our God and Saviour, Whose love for us has endured all these while. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord also continue to help and guide us all in our journey throughout our lives so that by our commitment to Him and by our own exemplary lives and faith, we may be truly worthy of the Lord and His saving grace, now and always, 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 all the Saints during this special season of Advent, we humbly pray for God’s grace and mercy as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Praying for hope, faith, love, joy and peace in our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all parents, all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏
Let us pray:
My divine Lord, I love You and desire to love You more. Fill me with a wonder and awe for You. Help me to desire You above all things and in all things. May my love of You become so intense that I find myself trusting You always. Help me, dear Lord, to make You the center of my entire 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; Saint John Damascene and Saint Barbara ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful 1st Week of Advent 🙏
Blessings and love always, Philomena💖
Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
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