SAINTS OF THE DAY – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 14, 2024
SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; SAINT NICASIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF RHEIMS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS AND BLESSED MELANIE CALVAT SEERESS OF LA SALETTE, VIRGIN
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 Saturday of the 2nd Week of Advent!
On this Special 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 ù 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 14, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary| on EWTN on YouTube” | December 14, 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 14, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 14, 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, December 14, 2024
Reading 1, Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Gospel, Matthew 17:10-13
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/
THE ADVENT WREATH: SECOND WEEK PRAYER: The prayer that follows is to be repeated each day of the second week. After the prayer, the oldest child lights the first and second purple candles.
LEADER: O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds. Through Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen.
(The two candles are allowed to burn during the evening meals of the second week.)
SAINT ANDREW PRAYER
Beginning on the 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 OF THE CROSS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; SAINT NICASIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF RHEIMS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS AND BLESSED MELANIE CALVAT SEERESS OF LA SALETTE, VIRGIN – DECEMBER 14TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church; Saint Nicasius, Archbishop of Rheims and his Companions, Martyrs and Blessed Melanie Calvat, Seeress of La Salette, Virgin. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, we humbly pray for God’s grace and mercy as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ during this season of Advent. 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. 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, those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed 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🙏
SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. John of the Cross (1542–1591), also known as San Juan de la Cruz was born Juan de Yepes (John Yepez) at Fontiberos in Old Castile, Spain, in 1542. Juan de Yepes was the Castilian son of a poor silk weaver of Fontiberos, Toledo, Spain. His father was of noble birth; he had married much beneath his rank, and for that offense he was disinherited, entirely cut off by his family. He had taken to silk weaving as a means of livelihood, but had never been able to make much of it. Soon after the birth of Juan he died, worn out with the effort to keep his wife and three children. The family was left in direst poverty; the children grew up always underfed, so that to the end of his life Juan remained dwarfed in stature. John from his tenderest infancy he evinced a marked devotion toward the Blessed Virgin, of whose Order he became one of the brightest ornaments.
Unable to learn a trade, he became the servant of the poor in the hospital of Medina, while still pursuing his sacred studies and committing himself to severe penances. Uncertain of his life’s direction, he was told in prayer that he should enter religious life in order to bring reform. In 1563, being then twenty-one, he humbly offered himself as a lay-brother to the Carmelite friars, and received permission to observe their original rule of life, quickly earning a reputation for his humility, obedience, and religious fervor, knowing his talents, he was ordained priest. He later met St. Teresa of Avila, a reforming Carmelite abbess who recognized the greatness of John’s virtue and requested his assistance to found a monastery of friars under the primitive Carmelite rule, as she had done for her nuns. Together they founded the Discalced Carmelites, a contemplative order of strict religious observance. Thus he became the first prior of the Discalced (meaning “barefoot”) Carmelites. His reforms began to spread, and as a result John was captured, imprisoned, and physically abused by his fellow friars. His sufferings helped him to write his most famous work, Dark Night of the Soul. After nine months he made a miraculous escape and he went on to found and govern several Carmelite monasteries. St. John of the Cross became an authority on the spiritual life, he successively filled the post of superior, prior, vicar-general, and definitor. In the midst of his exterior labors his heart was always intimately united to God. In his illness John had a choice between two monasteries; one of them was a pleasant residence and its prior was his intimate friend, but he chose the other, the one of Ubeda, which was poor and where prior was ill-disposed toward him. After much suffering, he died in 1591 and was canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII. He is known in the Church as one of the great contemplatives and spiritual writer and teachers of Mystical Theology. His profound writings and poetry are considered among the greatest of all Spanish literature. Because of his invaluable writings he was proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI on August 24, 1926. He is the Patron Saint of contemplative life, mystical theology, mystics, and Spanish poets.
QUOTES FROM SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS:
☆”With what procrastinations do you wait, since from this very moment you can love God in your heart?”
☆”Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn’t seek the glory of Christ.”
“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light.”
☆”Lord, my God, do not turn away from those who do not turn away from you: how can they say that you are absent?”
☆”Oh cherished Cross! Through thee my most bitter trials are replete with graces!”
☆”Do not ask for anything other than the cross, and precisely without consolation, because this is perfect.”
PRAYER: God, Your Priest St. John became a model of perfect self-denial and showed us how to love the Cross. May we always imitate him and be reworded with the eternal contemplation of Your glory. Amen.🙏
SAINT NICASIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF RHEIMS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS: Saint Nicasius of Rheims (French: Saint-Nicaise) (died 407) was a bishop of Rheims from 400 until his death. He founded the first cathedral of Rheims. He prophesied the invasion of France by the Vandals. He notified his people of this vision, telling them to prepare. When asked if the people should fight or not, Nicasius responded, “Let us abide the mercy of God and pray for our enemies. I am ready to give myself for my people.” Later, when the barbarians were at the gates of the city, he decided to attempt to slow them down so that more of his people could escape. He was killed by the Vandals either at the altar of his church or in its doorway. He was killed with Jucundus, his lector, Florentius, his deacon, and Eutropia, his virgin sister. His sister, St. Eutropia, seeing herself spared in order that hers might be another fate, threw herself upon her brother’s murderer and kicked and scratched him till she too was cut down and killed. After the killing of Nicasius and his colleagues, the Vandals are said to have been frightened away from the area, according to some sources even leaving the treasure they had already gathered.
One detail from the account of his martyrdom states that at the moment of his execution, Nicasius was reading Psalm 119 (Psalm 118 in the Vulgate). When he reached the verse “Adhaesit pavimento anima mea,” (my soul is attached onto dust) he was decapitated. However, the story goes that after his head had fallen to the ground, Nicasius continued the psalm, adding, “Vivifica me, Domine, secundum verbum tuum.” (revive me, Lord, with your words) Nicasius is thus part of the tradition of the cephalophores (“head-carriers”), who, like Saint Denis, carried their heads and sometimes spoke through them. A Benedictine abbey at Rheims was later named in his honor. Sometimes his date of death is given as 451, and that he was killed by the Huns rather than the Vandals. The tradition that he was killed by the Vandals in 407 is believed to be closer to the truth by some scholars.
Saint Nicasius, Archbishop of Rheims and his Companions, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏
BLESSED MELANIE CALVAT, SEERESS OF LA SALETTE, VIRGIN: Born Françoise Mélanie Calvat (1831-1904) on November 7, 1831, was called Mathieu. A French Roman Catholic nun and Marian visionary. As a religious, she was called Sister Mary of the Cross. She and Maximin Giraud were the two seers of Our Lady of La Salette. She was the visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in La Salette on September 19, 1846. After an episcopal investigation lasting five years, the bishop of Grenoble promulgated this judgement: “We judge that the apparition of the Holy Virgin to the two shepherds, September 19, 1846, in the parish of La Salette, carries within it all the characteristics of truth, and that the faithful have reason to believe it indubitable and certain”. After the apparition in 1846, Calvat was placed as a boarder in the Sisters of Providence Convent in Corenc near to Grenoble, where there was an inquiry concerning the apparition. She became religious at the age of twenty. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Compassion in Marseille. A sister, Marie, was appointed her companion. After a stay in a Cephalonia convent, Calvet opened an orphanage and after a short sojourn at the Carmelite convent of Marseille, returned to the Sisters of Compassion for a short period. She visited the mountain at La Salette a final time on September 18, 1902, then moved to Altamura, near Bari in southern Italy and died there on December 14, 1904. Her remains are buried under a marble column with a bas-relief depicting the Virgin Mary welcoming the shepherdess of La Salette into heaven.
Blessed Melanie Calvat, Seeress of La Salette, Virgin ~ Pray for us 🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
“Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him”
“As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus identifies John the Baptist with the prophet Elijah. It was believed that Elijah would come just before the coming of the long awaited Messiah. Jesus says of John the Baptist, the long awaited Elijah figure, that ‘they did not recognize him, but treated him as they pleased’. The experience of John the Baptist would become the experience of Jesus Himself, as Jesus says in that reading, ‘the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands’. Both John and Jesus proclaimed the values of God’s kingdom and both of them suffered greatly for doing so. Even as we draw nearer to celebrating the joyful event of the birth of Jesus we are being reminded of the cross that awaited this child. At Christmas, we celebrate the good news that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Today’s Gospel reminds us that God’s giving was a giving-unto-death, a giving that cost not less than everything. It is this costly gift that we open our hearts to receive anew at this time of the year, so that we can give to others as God has given to us.
In our first reading today from the book of the prophet Sirach which is commonplace during this time of Advent, a long exhortation on the prophet Elijah, who came before Sirach and was sent to the people of Israel in the northern kingdom. The Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles details the kind of works and labours which Elijah had done for the sake of the Lord and His people, all the hardships and challenges that he had to endure in the face of opposition, stubbornness and rejection from the people of God. The prophet Elijah laboured for many years, enduring hardships and even threats to his life, amidst everything that he had done for God’s glory. Eventually, the works of the prophet Elijah bore many fruits, as he led many people to turn once again towards God, as they were touched by the efforts and works of this holy man of God. Elijah performed many miracles from the Lord before the people and proved to many of them that He is indeed their Lord, God and Master, and not all those false gods and idols which they had worshipped and became astray upon throughout all that time. Elijah laboured to lead the people who had gone astray from the path of the Lord that they may find their way back to Him. He was eventually then taken up to Heaven on a flaming chariot, as witnessed by the prophet Elisha, Elijah’s successor as prophet to Israel. This made Elijah to be one of the very few of those who did not experience death, and some believed that Elijah would come again.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of the prophet Elijah in particular, and this is because the prophet Elijah has often been associated with St. John the Baptist in terms of their actions and ministries, that St. John the Baptist was considered either the second coming of Elijah, or having the spirit of Elijah in him, sent with the similar mission of calling God’s people to repentance and to turn themselves back towards the path of God. And especially during this time and season of Advent, it is really very important for us to realign our lives to the Lord, and renew our commitment to Him that we will once again be focused on Him in all things. May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us in faith, and may He empower us all so that as we enter into this one final week of time of Advent before Christmas, we may truly make good use of the time and opportunities that we have been given, to be truly committed to the Lord and to have a truly Christ-centred Christmas, remembering that Christ is the One Whom we are celebrating about, and that we may be the worthy and good bearers of His light and truth, His love and compassion to all the peoples, of all the nations. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless us all, at all times, and especially now as we prepare ourselves throughout this blessed season of Advent, to welcome Him worthily at Christmas. May God bless our Advent journey and our respective lives. 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 mysterious and beautiful Lord, You have revealed to us the deepest and most profound mysteries of life through Your written Word. May I always approach Your Word with humility and openness so that I will come to know You more fully. 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 of the Cross, Saint Nicasius and his Companions and Blessed Melanie Calvat ~ 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.
We pray for the safety and well-being of all those traveling during this season of Christmas. Have a blessed, safe, and grace-filled 2nd Week of Advent and relaxing weekend🙏
Blessings and love always, Philomena💖
Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org
Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |