THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT
SAINTS OF THE DAY – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 19, 2024
CHRISTMAS NOVENA AND THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT
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]
*CHRISTMAS NOVENA AND THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT – DECEMBER 16 – 24: This Christmas Novena starts on December 16th [Christmas Novena Link Below]
THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT
The “O Antiphons” are prayed for 7 days in preparation for Christmas: December 17–23.
Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Thursday of the Third 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 19, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary| on EWTN on YouTube” | December 19, 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 19, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| December 19, 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, December 19, 2024
Reading 1, Judges 13:2-7, 24-25
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17
Gospel, Luke 1:5-25
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/
CHRISTMAS NOVENA: DECEMBER 16 – 24: Pray the Christmas Novena for 9 consecutive days starting today, December 16th. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the “O Antiphons,” of Advent shown below.
(CHRISTMAS NOVENA PRAYERS – Pray More Novenas – Novena Prayers & Catholic Devotion
https://www.praymorenovenas.com/christmas-novena)
(How to pray the ‘Christmas Novena’ that’s been said for 300 years | Catholic News Agency ~ https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253090/how-to-pray-the-300-year-old-christmas-novena)
(Holy Christmas novena, here’s a YouTube link ~ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE9MVQgdDD0PoX0Hnyl4SIeHQVE1I1jqJ)
The link below is Magnificat Novena to the Holy Child Jesus, December 16 -24
(Novena to the Holy Child Jesus ~ https://editionsmagnificat.com/flipbooks/en/christmas-novena/index.html)
THE ADVENT WREATH: THIRD WEEK PRAYER: The joyful Sunday in Advent (known as “Gaudete”) is represented by rose (or pink) instead of the penitential purple color. Each night during the third week the mother of the family lights the pink, as well as the two previously burned purple candles, after the following prayer has been said.
LEADER: O Lord, we beg Thee, incline Thy ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Through Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen🙏
(The three candles are allowed to burn during the evening meals of the third 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.”🙏
DECEMBER 19: 3RD O ANTIPHON – O RADIX JESSE (O ROOT OF JESSE)
Today is the fourth day of the Christmas Novena and the third of the O Antiphons, O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse). Christ the King, the Lord! Divine Wisdom, Adonai, the powerful God, is at the same time man with flesh and blood of the house of Jesse, the father of King David. Truly, the right of kingship has now passed from the house of David. The glory that once clothed the royal family has faded and withered, leaving only a blighted and withered root. But from this root is to spring a glorious blossom, the King of the world. “He shall rule from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Before Him the Ethiopians shall fall down and His enemies shall lick the ground. The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall serve Him” (Ps. 71:8-11). To Him God has said, “Thou art My Son. . . . I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for Thy possession” (Ps. 2:7 f.).
3RD O ANTIPHON SYMBOLS: Plant with Flower. Come to deliver us, and tarry not.
O Root of Jesse, who stands for an ensign of the people, before whom kings shall keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: Come to deliver us, and tarry not.
The flower which springs up from the root of Jesse is another figure of Christ. Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would be born from the root of Jesse, that He would sit upon the throne of David, and in Christ this prophecy is fulfilled.
Recommended Readings: Isaiah 11:1-12
CHRISTMAS NOVENA: DECEMBER 16 – 24: Pray the Christmas Novena for 9 consecutive days from December 16 -24th. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the “O Antiphons,” of Advent shown below.
The link below is Magnificat Novena to the Holy Child Jesus, December 16 -24
(Novena to the Holy Child Jesus ~ https://editionsmagnificat.com/flipbooks/en/christmas-novena/index.html)
CHRISTMAS NOVENA ~ DAY FOUR
OPENING PRAYER (for each day): Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment At which the Son of God was born Of a most pure Virgin At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem In the piercing cold At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (Mention your intentions here) Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen🙏
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O Lord, Word of God, You, whose glory is complete, came to us in perfect humility as a child in the womb. Your love for us and Your humility is unsurpassed and brings us to our knees in prayer and worship. Your incarnation forever changed the world. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
O Lord, infant Jesus, bring us the Hope that saves! Your birth to the Virgin Mary brought a Hope to the world that continues to sustain us. We pray for a saving Hope this Christmas. We also pray for these intentions… (State your intentions here). May Your Holy Will be done in my life and with these intentions. We pray that the work of salvation that Your first coming began will reach fulfillment in each of us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.🙏
DAY FOUR: December 19 ~ Scripture reading: Luke 1:5–14
Consideration: The infant king will stand as a sign in full view of all the nations. This king will be a sign not only for the Israelites, but also for the Gentiles. All people shall come to him. Our hearts call out, “Come Lord, save your people, do not delay, for we are ready to receive you; we desire to see you face to face.”
Antiphon: O root of Jesse, standing an ensign of the people, before whom even kings silent will remain, whom the Gentiles, too, shall beseech, come now to deliver us all; delay no longer. (cf. Is 11)
Magnificat
Intercessions: Son of Man, may we celebrate your birth, you who are the Lamb of God; — you take away our sins and the sins of the world.
Son of Mary, while in your Mother’s womb you were welcomed by Elizabeth and her infant son, John; — though hidden, may we always recognize you and welcome you into our hearts.
God our Counselor, come; tell us that your kingdom is at hand; — protect the Church and the pope. Keep the Church as your spotless bride.
Root of Jesse, you humbled yourself to share our human nature; — come and save us without delay.
December 19: O Root of Jesse (O Radix Jesse): O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid. O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry. Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory be.
CLOSING PRAYER (To be said after the intercessions each day of the novena): Let us pray. Come to live among us, Lord, so that we may always receive your forgiveness and mercy. Jesus our king, clothed in a robe of flesh, give us love, wisdom, and understanding at your birth. Reveal to us the mystery of your life, then send us forth to reveal your Word over all the earth. You who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen 🙏
THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT
The “O Antiphons” are prayed for 7 days in preparation for Christmas: December 17–23. For those familiar with the Liturgy of the Hours, these are the antiphons used with the Magnificat each day. They are based on Isaiah’s prophecies and reveal the different titles given to the Messiah.
O Sapientia (O Wisdom) Isaiah 11:2–3; 28:29
O Adonai (O Lord) Isaiah 11:4–5; 33:22
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) Isaiah 1:1; 11:10
O Clavis David (O Key of David) Isaiah 9:6; 22:22
O Oriens (O Rising Sun) Isaiah 9:1
O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) Isaiah 9:5; 2:4
O Emmanuel (God with us) Isaiah 7:14
The “O Antiphons” link below:
http://stannesepiscopal.net/o-antiphons/
Since each antiphon is short, it is helpful to spend time reading it each day, pondering it and praying it meditatively throughout the day as a way to make immediate spiritual preparation for Christmas.
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 NEMESION OF ALEXANDRIA, AND THE OTHER CHRISTIANS OF THE SAME PERSECUTION, MARTYRS AND BLESSED URBAN V, POPE – FEAST DAY ~ DECEMBER 19TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Nemesion and the other Christians of the same Persecution and Blessed Urban V, Pope. 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 NEMESION OF ALEXANDRIA, AND THE OTHER CHRISTIANS OF THE SAME PERSECUTION, MARTYRS: During the persecution of Decius, Nemesion, an Egyptian, was apprehended at Alexandria upon an indictment for theft. The servant of Christ easily cleared himself of that charge before the judge Emilianus, but was immediately accused of being a Christian. He was twice delivered up to torture, and after being scourged and tormented more than were the true thieves, was sentenced to be burnt with them and other malefactors, in the year 253.
There stood at the same time, near the prefect’s tribunal, four soldiers and another person who, being Christians, boldly encouraged a confessor attached to the rack. They were taken before the judge, who condemned them to be beheaded. The prefect was astonished, seeing the joy with which they walked to the place of execution. Three others, named Heron, Ater and Isidore, all Egyptians, were arraigned at Alexandria with Dioscorus, a youth only fifteen years old, during the same persecution. After enduring the most cruel rending and disjointing of their limbs, they were burnt alive, with the exception of Dioscorus, whom the judge dismissed because of his tender age. Nemesius was scourged and then burned to death. Like Christ, he was executed between two criminals.
Reflection: Can we call to mind the fervor of the Saints, cheerfully laboring and suffering for God, and not feel a holy ardor glow in our own breasts, and our souls strongly affected by their heroic sentiments of virtue? Saint Nemesion and the other Christians of the same Persecution ~ Pray for us 🙏
BLESSED URBAN V, POPE: Blessed Urban V is regarded as the best of the so-called Avignon Popes who ruled the Church for some one hundred and seventy years from Avignon in the 13th and 14th centuries. He was born Guillaume de Grimoard at Grisac in Languedoc, France, in 1310. William of Grimoard studied canon law and theology in Avignon and became a noted Benedictine monk and canonist and served as papal legate to Milan and Naples before being elected Pope in 1362.
The most important event of his reign was his abortive attempt to return the papacy to Rome, which occurred in 1367. He restored the papal buildings and reconciled the Eastern Emperor John V Palaeologus to the Church. He also concluded an alliance with Emperor Charles IV, founded the Universities of Krakow and Vienna, and aided the universities of Avignon, Toulouse, Orange, and Orleans.
However, political conflicts obliged the Pope to return to Avignon in 1370. In June of that year he informed the Romans that he was leaving them for the good of the Church, and on September 5 he sailed for France with a heavy heart. On December 19, he was dead, called by a contemporary “a light of the world and a way of truth; a lover of righteousness, fleeing from wickedness and fearing God.” His cult was approved in 1870 by Pope Pius IX. It is said that as he lay dying he called the people to surround his deathbed, saying “the people must see how popes die.”
PRAYER: Almighty and eternal God, You willed to set Blessed Urban over your entire people and to go before them in word and example. By his intercession keep the pastors of Your Church together with their flocks and guide that in the way of eternal salvation. Amen🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Thursday of the Third Week of Advent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 1:5-25
“The birth of John the Baptist is announced by Gabriel”
“In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
Today’s Gospel reading gives an account of the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zechariah. The angel announces to Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth is to bear him a son, whose name is to be John. In Hebrew this name means ‘God is gracious’. God is about to be surprisingly gracious to Zechariah and his wife. However, unlike in the case of Mary, Zechariah’s faith is not quite adequate for this extraordinary announcement, extraordinary because both Zechariah and his wife were advanced in years. The annunciation of the angel Gabriel to Zachariah occurred while he was at prayer, while he was exercising his priestly duties in the temple. The news that Gabriel brought him was so wonderful that he could not bring himself to believe it, ‘How can I be sure of this?’ he asked. His subsequent silence suggests that he had nothing to say because he had not been able to hear what God had to say to him. Good listening comes before good speaking, or, indeed, as the Gospel reading suggests, before any form of speaking at all. Zechariah could not bring himself to hear the good news that God was communicating to him. Sometimes we too can be slow to hear the Gospel, the good news, that God is with us through his Son and that God’s love for us in his Son is stronger than sin and death. We perhaps can think that the good news, the Gospel, is for others, but not really for me. Because we don’t really take in this good news and allow it to take root in our hearts, our speech is not all it could be, indeed, our lives are not all they could be. The dimension of God’s good news that we celebrate at this time of the year is that God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has become God-with-us, Emmanuel, in and through Mary’s son, Jesus. This is God’s good news addressed to us as a people, and addressed to us as individuals. God is with us in Christ, and Christ is beside us, behind us, before us, above us, below us. This is the good news we are asked to believe and, indeed, rejoice in during these days. Today, we pray for a greater openness within us as we approach the feast of Christmas to hear and receive the news of great joy that Gabriel brought to Zechariah and later to Mary and that the Angels brought to the shepherds.
Our first reading today details how Samson’s birth and arrival was announced by God through His Angel, who told his parents that he would be consecrated and dedicated to God, and essentially, he became what was then known as a ‘Nazirite’, that is someone who gave himself or herself to the cause of the Lord completely, and who abstained from worldly corruptions such as wine and strong drink, and led a certain kind of lifestyle such as what Samson, and later on St. John the Baptist would follow. The Gospel reading today details a similar story of what happened before St. John the Baptist was born, how his birth was announced by the Angel of God, traditionally associated with the Archangel Gabriel. Both Samson and St. John the Baptist were also conceived when their mothers had not been able to conceive for a long time, and had been without hope. Hence, through their miraculous conception, God removed from their mothers the stain of barrenness, which was actually a taboo and a disgrace in the eyes of many in the community of the people of God. The Lord showed His providence and guidance to them, and also through the coming of His servants, brought a new hope to His people, that just as He promised, He would lead them all into freedom, into the path of light and salvation, where their troubles and hardships would be no more. And even more importantly, both of them also preempt the coming of the even more glorious days of God’s reign over His people, with Samson being one of the last judges, preparing the path for the days of the kingdom of Israel, with David as the most prominent of the Kings, leading Israel into glory and triumph over its enemies, as David himself was remembered for his triumph over Goliath the Philistine, and his victory over them, the same Philistines whom Samson struggled against throughout his life. In the same way, St. John the Baptist is the Herald of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. St. John the Baptist and his coming into the world marked the moment when God revealed to His people just how imminent the coming of the day of His salvation was. Christ Himself is the Heir of David, the One Who would sit upon David’s Throne and restore the people of God, reconciling all of them to His heavenly Father, leading them from the darkness of sin and despair into the light of God’s ways and salvation, grace and hope. And through St. John the Baptist, many came to respond to God’s call and changed themselves, submitting themselves to His will and repenting from their sins, and hence preparing themselves for the coming of the Saviour, through Whom God will save all of His people, all mankind from the path towards damnation.
As we reflect on the words of the Scriptures today, we are reminded that the Lord remembers us all His people, all that He has promised us and how God will not abandon those who have been faithful to Him, but that He will lift them out of the darkness and into the light, sending them His salvation and grace, strength and hope, through the servants whom He had appointed, called and chosen from among His people, and in the case of our Scripture readings today, we heard of the examples of two of God’s great servants whom He sent to be with His people at a time of hardship, and to prepare the path for His glorious reign, namely through Samson and St. John the Baptist. May the Lord continue to guide us through this remaining time of Advent, and help us to appreciate all that the Lord had done for us because He truly loves us all very much, so that He wants us all to be lifted up and rescued from our fated destruction, forgiven from our sins and be reconciled with Him. Let our actions and deeds be exemplary at all times, and help to inspire our fellow brothers and sisters all around us to be able to live their lives faithfully in accordance with the path that the Lord has shown us as well, just like how Samson and St. John the Baptist ought to have inspired us all in our faith and lives. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to be a source of blessing to those we encounter in our lives and may the Lord bless our every efforts and good works, our every endeavours for His greater glory, 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:
Lord, I know I lack the depth of perfect faith that I so deeply desire to have. I know that You speak to me day and night, and I fail to listen and obey. As I humble myself before You and confess my weakness of faith, strengthen me to respond more fully each day to all that You say to 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 Nemesion and the other Christians of the same Persecution and Blessed Urban V, Pope ~ 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 3rd Week of Advent 🙏
Blessings and love always, Philomena💖
Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
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