FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ FEBRUARY 3, 2025
NOVENA IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES [Novena Starts: February 2nd; Feastday: February 11th ~ Novena prayer below]
Greetings beloved family and Happy Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time!
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr and Saint Ansgar, Bishop. Two great and Holy men, whose lives can be great source of inspiration and hope for us all to follow in our own lives and journeys of faith. St. Blaise, was a well-known physician, and today revered a Patron Saint of physicians, animals, veterinarians, and also over throat sickness and diseases, and the special blessing associated to him, the Blessing of Throats by St. Blaise is a popular and well-known tradition of the Church. Through the intercession of St. Blaise, we humbly pray for all those who are sick, we particularly pray for those suffering from diseases of the throat and terminal diseases and for protection of all people. We ask this through Christ our Lord…. Amen🙏
We thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, may we be saved by the name of our Savior Jesus Christ! May the good Lord grant us His grace during this Ordinary Time as we continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
NOVENA IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES [Novena Starts: February 2nd; Feastday: February 11th | Novena praye | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/02/novena-to-our-lady-of-lourdes/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | “Angelus with Pope Francis, from the Vatican | February 3, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/04/catholic-daily-mass-2/
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
On this Special Feast Day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, and all the Saints, may they intercede for our children, children all over the world, the sick and us all. Amen. St. Blaise, Bishop, and St. Ansgar, Bishop and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Today, we continue to pray for the victims of the recent plane and helicopter crash last week Wednesday evening near Washington, DC and the Medical transport jet crash in Philadelphia last week Friday night. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims, their families and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. May their gentle soul and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽
NOVENA IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES [Novena Starts: February 2nd; Feastday: February 11th]
NOVENA PRAYER: Most Holy Mother Mary, at Lourdes you asked us to do penance and to pray for the conversion of sinners. Obtain for each of us the grace of true repentance. Help those for whom we pray, and especially those who most need God’s mercy. Your Divine Son so loves every soul that He gave His life to pay the price for our redemption. Help us to return His love by making the sacrifices needed to keep his commandments. Most Holy Mother you offered your Divine Son to the Eternal Father when you presented Him in the temple; offer us to the Father as your other children; watch over us and guide us. Blessed Mother, obtain for me the grace I most need, and especially these favors that I ask in this Novena, if they be in keeping with God’s will. Amen.
O Immaculate Virgin Mary, preserved from the slightest stain of sin, and enriched with all the treasures of divine grace, I thank you for the many blessings I have received through your most powerful intercession. You know my needs, my trials, my sufferings. Mother of mercy, I beseech you to hear my prayer, and to obtain for me of your Divine Son the favors I seek in this Novena. (Here make your requests.)
THE MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother; to thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen 🙏🏽(Add your daily Rosary)
Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us 🙏🏽
Saint Bernadette, Pray for us 🙏🏽
Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes Link | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/02/novena-to-our-lady-of-lourdes/
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT BLAISE, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND SAINT ANSGAR, BISHOP – FEAST DAY ~ FEBRUARY 3RD: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr and Saint Ansgar, Bishop. Through the intercession of St. Blaise, we humbly pray for all those who are sick, we particularly pray for those suffering from diseases of the throat and terminal diseases and for protection of all people. We ask this through Christ our Lord…. Amen🙏
SAINT BLAISE, BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. Blaise (d. 316 A.D.) was born into a wealthy Christian family in Armenia. He was trained as a physician before becoming a priest, and was finally ordained a Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Saint Blaise devoted the earlier years of his life to the study of philosophy, and afterwards became a physician. In the practice of his profession he saw so much of the miseries of life and the hollowness of worldly pleasures, that he resolved to spend the rest of his days in the service of God. From being a healer of bodily ailments, he became a physician of souls. When a wave of Christian persecution began, God instructed St. Blaise to hide in a desert cave, then he retired for a time, by divine inspiration, to a cavern where he remained in prayer. While he was in hiding, birds miraculously brought him food and sick men came to him to be healed. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus and was a healer of men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own for help, but would never disturb him at prayer. Agricola, governor of Cappadocia, came to Sebaste to persecute Christians. His huntsmen went into the forests of Argeus to find wild animals for the arena games, and found many waiting outside St. Blaise’s cave. Discovered in prayer, St. Blaise was arrested, and Agricola tried to get him to recant his faith. While in prison, St. Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners, including saving a child who was choking on a fish bone. Saint Blaise’s protection of those with throat troubles apparently comes from a legend that a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. The boy was about to die when Saint Blaise healed him. This led to the blessing of throats which takes place on St. Blaise’s feast day.
St. Blaise was eventually martyred, he thrown into a lake to drown, he stood on the surface and invited his persecutors to walk out and prove the power of their gods; they drowned. When he returned to land, he was martyred by being beaten, his flesh torn with wool combs (which led to his association with and patronage of those involved in the wool trade), and then beheaded in about the year 316. At the execution site he prayed aloud to God for his persecutors, and asked that in the future those who would invoke him might be aided, as he had been permitted to assist them during his lifetime. Our Lord appeared to him and said in a voice which all bystanders heard, that He granted his prayer. Since that time his intercession has often been effectually solicited, especially in cases of all kinds of throat problems. St. Blaise has been extremely popular for centuries in both the Eastern and Western Churches and many cures were attributed to him, notably that of a child who was suffocating through a fish bone being caught in his throat. In 1222 the Council of Oxford prohibited servile labour in England on his feast. He is invoked for all throat afflictions, and on his feast two candles are blessed with a prayer that God will free from all such afflictions and every ill all those who receive this blessing. St. Blaise is a Patron Saint of throat diseases; goiters; coughs; whooping cough; healthy throats; choking, wild animals, builders, infants,,physicians; veterinarians; wool-combers; wool weavers; builders; carvers; construction workers; stonecutters; animals; Against wild beasts; Dalmatia; Dubrovnik.
It is customary in many places to bless the throats of the faithful with two candles tied together with a red ribbon to form a cross. The rite of the blessing of throats may take place before or after Mass. The priest or deacon in giving the blessing of the throat places the candles around the throat of the faithful as they seek the blessing, using the following prayer: “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you free from every disease of the throat, and from every other disease. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. R. Amen.”🙏
PRAYER: Lord, hear Your people through the intercession of St. Blaise, Your Martyr. Help us to enjoy peace in this life and find a lasting refuge in the next. Amen🙏
SAINT ANSGAR, BISHOP: St. Ansgar (801- 865), also known as Anskar, Anschar or Oscar, was Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen in the northern part of the Kingdom of the East Franks. St. Ansgar became known as the “Apostle of the North” because of his travels (Scandinavia, specifically of Denmark and Sweden) and the See of Hamburg received the missionary mandate to bring Christianity to Northern Europe. St. Ansgar was the son of a noble Frankish family, born near Amiens (present day France) on September 8, 801. After his mother’s early death, St. Ansgar was brought up from childhood and educated at the Benedictine monastery of Old Corbie in Picardy and later became a monk there and Abbot of New Corbie in Westphalia. According to the Vita Ansgarii (“Life of Ansgar”), when the little boy learned in a vision that his mother was in the company of Blessed Mary, mother of Jesus, his careless attitude toward spiritual matters changed to seriousness. The vision became His main life motivator. In 822, St. Ansgar became one of many missionaries sent to found the abbey of Corvey (New Corbie) in Westphalia, where he became a teacher and preacher. A group of monks including St. Ansgar were sent further north to Jutland with the king Harald Klak, who had become newly converted to Christianity and received baptism during his exile. With Harald’s downfall in 827 and St. Ansgar’s companion Autbert having died, their school for the sons of courtiers closed and St. Ansgar returned to Germany without noticeable success. Then in 829, Sweden asked for Christian missionaries, the Swedish king Björn at Hauge requested missionaries for his Swedes, King Louis sent St. Ansgar, now accompanied by friar Witmar from New Corbie as his assistant. St. Ansgar preached and made converts, particularly during six months at Birka. At Sweden, St. Ansgar built the first Christian Church there.
In 831, St. Ansgar was recalled and he returned to Louis’ court at Worms and appointed to the Archbishopric of Hamburg-Bremen. He received the mission of evangelizing pagan Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The King of Sweden decided to cast lots as to whether to admit the Christian missionaries into his kingdom. St. Ansgar offred the issue to the care of God, and the lot was favorable. St. Ansgar was consecrated as a bishop of Hamburg in November 831, with the approval of Gregory IV. Before traveling north once again, he traveled to Rome to receive the pallium directly from the pope’s hands, and was formally named legate for the Scandinavian missions in northern lands. Funds for the northern apostolate stopped with Emperor Louis’s death in 840, his empire was divided and St. Ansgar lost the abbey of Turholt, which Louis had given to endow St. Ansgar’s work. Then in 845, the Danes unexpectedly raided Hamburg, destroying all the church’s treasures and books. After thirteen years’ work in Hamburg, St. Ansgar saw it burned to the ground by invading Northmen; Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism. St. Ansgar now had neither see nor revenue, and many helpers deserted him. The new king, Louis’ 3rd son, Louis the German, did not re-endow Turholt to St. Ansgar, but in 847 he named the missionary to the vacant diocese of Bremen, where St. Ansgar moved in 848 and was made Archbishop of Bremen. In 854, he was entrusted with the organization of the hierarchy in the Nordic countries. In 854, he returned to Denmark, converted Erik, King of Jutland, and helped mitigate the horrors of the slave trade. Pope Nicholas I approved the union of the two dioceses of Bremen and Hamburg in 864. St. Ansgar’s biographers remark that he was an extraordinary preacher, a humble and ascetical priest. He was devoted to the poor and the sick, imitating the Lord in washing their feet and waiting on them at table. He died peacefully at Bremen, Germany on February 3, 865 (aged 63), without achieving his wish to be a martyr. Sweden became pagan again after his death and remained so until the coming of missionaries two centuries later. He had enough frustrations to become a saint and he did. Patron Saint of: Denmark; Scandinavia; Sweden.
PRAYER: Saint Ansgar, you persevered in difficult times to bring the faith to a pagan land. You saw success and then failure, glory and then disappointment. Your work did not outlast you, but pleased God nonetheless. May we see our work as our duty, and our vocation as God’s will, even when the fruit of our labor is harvested by someone else, or not at all ~ Amen🙏
Saint(s) of the Day | February 3rd | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, February 3, 2025
Reading 1, Hebrews 11:32-40
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Gospel, Mark 5:1-20
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 5:1-20
“Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”
“Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.”
Today’s Gospel reading is a story of how Jesus transformed a very disturbed man. He was probably the most disturbed person in the whole Gospel story. Our Gospel reading today is a continuation from Saturday’s reading from the Gospel of Mark. There Jesus calmed the storm at sea and calmed the panic of His own disciples. According to the Gospel, Jesus went to the region of the Gerasenes beyond the Jordan River, as Jesus and His disciples reach land they are met with another storm, this time a storm of the human spirit. Jesus and His disciples encountered a man who had been possessed by evil spirits, and forced to wander off in the wilderness away from the community because of his condition, and he was greatly feared by everyone because of the demons that were in him. This man was so disturbed that people had him chained so that he couldn’t harm himself or others. He had also been banished to the local graveyard, to the tombs. He was living among the dead, cut off from the living. When Jesus came within sight of him, he addressed Jesus very aggressively, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus Son of the Most High God?’ His destructive strength came from his anger, and his anger was a sign of how damaged and broken he was. Yet, Jesus did not run from him, as others did. He absorbed his anger and then healed his brokenness. Despite the aggressive nature of the possessed man, God showed His power and might, His authority and dominion over all those evil spirits, who called themselves ‘Legion’ because they were numerous in number. God told them to leave the man behind and not to trouble them anymore. Those evil spirits, which many others had feared and fled from, had to obey the Lord and His commands, although they tried to negotiate with Him, asking Him to allow them to leave the man for the herd of pigs that were there nearby the location. And thus, that was how the Lord cast out those army of demons out of the possessed man, healed and made him whole once again, which therefore allowed him to return once again to the community. The people who heard of the miraculous occasion were astonished and even fearful, seeing such a great sign and miracle occurring before them, and the man who had once been possessed by the many evil spirits having been freed from his possession by those demons. All these showed us how the Lord is there for us, by our side, and not even an army of demons can stop Him, because He is Lord and Master over all things, and even all those demons and evil spirits had to obey Him, to stay away from us, His beloved ones. That is why if we are encountering hardships and challenges, we should not be easily deterred or brought down by fear, because the evil ones are indeed always ready to strike at us especially when we are not vigilant and when we lack confidence and faith in the Lord. When our faith in Him wavers and when we allowed them to tempt us and enter into our hearts and minds, that is how we falter and fall in our journey towards Him, and end up in miserable state of sin, in danger of damnation and destruction with those evil spirits, who are more than happy to see us share their fate.
The Lord’s response to the possessed man was not to chain him up but to release him, to release him not only from his chains but from the spirit that left him so disturbed. We have an image here of how the Lord works. He works to free people from all that diminishes and dehumanizes them. This is not only the Lord’s work, but it is also the work of the church, the work of His followers, our work. That work of helping people to live a freer and fuller life is work we are called to engage in each day of our lives. If we are to engage in that work of the Lord, we need to open up our own lives to the Lord’s healing and life-giving presence. It is always as broken people in need of the Lord’s healing that we engage in His work of healing the broken. When the townspeople saw him in the company of Jesus, he was ‘in his full senses’. The story reminds us that Jesus never runs away from us, no matter how unapproachable we may be to others. He comes to us as we are, sometimes in our brokenness and anger, and, if we are open to His coming, He can calm the storm that might be raging within us, just as He calmed the storm at sea. The risen Lord is always entering our personal storms to give us a share in His strength, which is a life-giving strength that empowers us to become the person He is calling us to be.
In our first reading today from the Epistle to the Hebrews, the author of this Epistle speaks to the Jewish community referring to the examples of God’s providence, help and guidance to His people, how He had called, chosen and empowered His servants, those famous figures like Samuel, David and others in the Old Testament, who have been blessed and strengthened by God, ordinary people who were sinners and imperfect, and yet, by the Lord’s guidance and strength, had been empowered to do great and wonderful things, which mankind alone cannot do by themselves. This passage is an important reminder for us all that we are never alone in our journey and struggles in life, and we must always keep our hope and faith in the Lord at all times, no matter what the circumstances are. And at the same time, sufferings, hardships, obstacles and challenges are always in our path, and we will always likely be encountering these in our journey, as we must never forget that whatever the Lord has taught and shown us, His way and path are often in contradiction to the ways promoted by the world. That is why if we continue to embark on this journey and remaining faithful to God throughout, we may be persecuted and face challenges just as the Lord Himself had been rejected and oppressed by the world. And yet, we must remain firm in our faith because God will give us the strength and the courage needed for the journey, and if we trust in Him, we will eventually share in His glorious inheritance and be freed from all those hardships, persecutions and challenges. It will not be an easy journey for us to be faithful Christians, to be good and worthy disciples and followers of the Lord. But with God and by His guidance and help, everything is truly possible. We must also not fear those that can only harm the body, our physical self, existence and material in this world, but cannot touch our eternal soul, which belongs to God alone. But if we choose to abandon the Lord and allow sin to continue to corrupt us and leading us down the path of ruin, then by ignoring or rejecting God’s mercy and generous love, we will be judged and condemned by those same sins and wickedness that we have committed, and by the corruptions that have marred the sanctity of our souls, which God had intended to be holy and worthy of Him.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of the reality of hardships, persecutions and the challenges that each and every one of us as Christians may encounter in our journey of faith as the disciples and followers of the Lord. We must remember that despite all these difficulties, we must remain firm in our faith in the Lord and do not easily be discouraged or disheartened, dissuaded or prevented from finding our way towards Him. This is because the Lord is always by our side, journeying with us and guiding us, and He will provide us with whatever we need along the journey, and it is in Him alone that we can confide, and He alone can overcome the forces of darkness and evil, just as we have heard from our Sacred Scripture today. We are called to put our trust and faith in the Lord, and also through the lives and works of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, whom we celebrate today. From the examples of these great men, St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, and from what we have Sacred Scripture readings today, let us all therefore be reminded that we should always put our trust and faith fully in the Lord, and commit ourselves to whatever missions, works and calling that the Lord has entrusted to us. We should not be afraid or fearful of the challenges and trials that we may have to encounter in our path, but like St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, we should continue to push on forward with genuine and strong faith in the Lord, knowing that God will always be by our side, journeying and guiding us throughout our journey in life, now and always. Let us all therefore do our best so that in each and every moments of our lives, we may continue to live ever more worthily in God’s Presence, and to come ever closer to the Lord. Let us all therefore come to the Lord, asking Him to help and guide us, and strengthen and encourage us in our path, so that in everything that we say and do, we will continue to glorify God, and that like St. Blaise and St. Ansgar before us, we may be the shining examples of our faith, commitment and love for God. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain strong in our faith and may the Lord bless us in our every good efforts, endeavours and works, and may He guide us all through our lives, through our darkest moments, that we may always remain strong in Him, always. Let us all renew our commitment and our desire to follow Him and to glorify Him, proclaiming His Good News and truth to all the people, now and forevermore. Amen🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY | MONTH OF THE HOLY FAMILY The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Family. Between the events which marked Christmas and the beginning of Christ’s public life the Church has seen fit to recall the example of the Holy Family for the emulation of the Christian family.
The Feast of the Presentation (February 2) or Candlemas forms a fitting transition from Christmas to Easter. The small Christ-Child is still in His Mother’s arms, but already she is offering Him in sacrifice.
The Saints that we will focus on this month and try to imitate are:
St. Blaise and St. Ansgar (February 3); St. Agatha (February 5); St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine Bakhita (February 8); St. Scholastica (February 10); Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11); Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14); Seven Founders of the Orders of Servites (February 17); St. Peter Damian (February 21); Chair of St. Peter (February 22) and St. Polycarp (February 23). The Optional Memorial of Polycarp (February 23), is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.
From Feast to Fast: Though the shortest month of the year, February is rich in Liturgical activity. It contains a feast (Presentation of our Lord) that bridges two other seasons (Christmas and Easter). The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd harkens back to the Christmas mystery of Light except that now, Christ, the helpless babe, is “the Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save His people from their sins.” Candles, symbolizing Christ our Light, will be carried in procession this day, as will be the Paschal candle during the Easter Vigil Liturgy. In addition, the faithful may receive in February two of the four major public sacramentals that the Church confers during the liturgical year: blessed candles and the blessing of throats. “The Light of Revelation” shines more brightly with each successive Sunday of Ordinary Time, until its magnificence–exposing our sinfulness and need for conversion–propels us into the penitential Season of Lent. We prepare to accept the cross of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday, falls on March 5, 2025, marking the beginning of the Lenten season and plunge ourselves into anticipating the major exercises of Lent–fasting, prayer, almsgiving–laying our thoughts and prayers on the heart of our Mother Mary. She, who offered her Son in the temple and on the Cross, will teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow after her Son. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12539
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY – FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE | Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ’s mission in the priesthood and religious life.
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2025 (See also http://www.popesprayerusa.net/.)
For the repose of the gentle souls of the recent plane crashes and souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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🙏
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF WILDFIRES AND DISASTERS: We continue to pray for the victims of the current wildfires in the United States (Los Angeles, California and other parts of the country) and victims of natural disasters across the world. We especially pray for those that have lost their lives and their families and loved ones.
“Most Merciful God, Be “our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress” (Psalm 46:1). You created us and sustain us by Your almighty power. Your mercy knows no bounds. At this time of great suffering, we entrust all victims of the wildfires to You. Comfort them, fill them with Your grace, and provide for their needs. We entrust all who have died to Your merciful Heart. Cleanse them of their sins and welcome them into Your heavenly Kingdom. Give wisdom and prudence to those managing this disaster. Give courage and resolve to those on the front lines. Keep them safe and successful in their efforts. Command the winds and the flames to obey You, Lord, as You once calmed the stormy seas. Pour the water of Your grace upon these destructive fires. Stay them with Your powerful hand. Angels of God, come to the aid of those most in need of God’s mercy. Protect them, guide them, and reveal to them God’s holy will. St. Florian, patron of firefighters, pray for those bravely battling the flames. St. Michael the Archangel, defend them in their peril. Saints in Heaven, we beseech your prayer. Intercede for those most in need. From this tragedy and chaos, bring hope and peace. Turn sorrow into compassion. Turn confusion into faith. Turn despair into divine hope. We place all our trust in You, Most Merciful God, knowing that You will bring forth new life and healing from the ashes of this trial. May Your name be glorified now and forever. Amen” 🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
PRAYER INTENTIONS: We thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, on this feast of the Presentation of the Lord, may we be saved by the name of our Savior Jesus Christ! May the good Lord grant us His grace during this Ordinary Time as we continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saints Blaise and Ansgar on this feast day, we humbly pray for all those who are sick, we particularly pray for those suffering from diseases of the throat. We also pray for sick children, the mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. May God restore them to good health and grant them His Divine healing and intervention. May our Mother Mary comfort them, may the Angels and Saints watch over them and may the Holy Spirit guide them in peace and comfort during this challenging time. We pray for an end to war, political and religious unrest. We pray for the safety and well-being of us all and our families. We pray for peace, love and unity in our families, our marriages and our divided and conflicted world. For God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen. For all widows and widowers. We continue to pray for the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, all religious, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits… Amen. We pray 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. Please let us continue to pray for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏽
Let us pray:
My most powerful Lord, I offer to You, this day, the person whom I call to mind who is most in need of Your redeeming grace. May I never lose hope in Your ability to transform their life, to forgive their sins and to bring them back to You. Use me, dear Lord, to be an instrument of Your mercy, so that they will come to know You and experience the freedom You so deeply desire that they receive. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Blaise and Saint Ansgar ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the gift of this new year 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 as we begin this Ordinary Time. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe, healthy, prosperous, fruitful and grace-filled New Year and week ~ Amen 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖