FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ FEBRUARY 13, 2025
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/13/catholic-daily-mass-4/
DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin (Patron Saint of the sick, gravely ill ) and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Priest (Patron Saint of Vocations to the Dominican Order, Faculty of Engineering University of Santo Tomas Manila, Philippines). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these Saints, we humbly pray for vocation to the priesthood and religious life and we pray for the sick and dying, we particularly pray for those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. May God grant them His divine healing and intervention. Amen. St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Priest ~ Pray for us šš½
Through the intercession of our Mother Mary, and the Saints we continue to pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. Amen. For those who are sick, especially those who are sick with cancers and other terminal diseases. 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. We continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, for an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. May the Saints intercede for our children, children all over the world and us all. 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. šš½
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/
THE POPEāS 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 alsoĀ http://www.popesprayerusa.net/.)
We continue to pray for the intentions of our Holy Father. We 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 spiritsā¦ Amen šš½
On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to pray 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 š āļøšÆāļøšÆāļøšÆ
“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. Amenš
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 š
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
MEMORIAL OF SAINT CATHERINE DE RICCI, VIRGIN AND BLESSED JORDAN OF SAXONY, PRIEST – FEAST DAY ~ FEBRUARY 13TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin (Patron Saint of the sick, gravely ill ) and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Priest (Patron Saint of Vocations to the Dominican Order, Faculty of Engineering University of Santo Tomas Manila, Philippines). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these Saints, we humbly pray for vocation to the priesthood and religious life and we pray for the sick and dying, we particularly pray for those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. May God grant them His divine healing and intervention. Amen šš½
St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Priest ~ Pray for us šš½
Saint (s) of the Day | February 13th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SAINT CATHERINE DE RICCI, VIRGIN: St. Catherine (1522-1590) was born at Florence, Italy in 1522, to a respectable merchant family. The Ricci are an ancient family in Tuscany. She was given the name Alexandrina at her baptism, but she took the name of Catherine at her religious profession. Having lost her mother in her infancy, at a young age she took the Blessed Virgin Mary as her mother. Her father placed her in the Convent of Monticelli, near the gates of Florence, where her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, was a nun when she was between the age of six and seven. To her, this place was a paradise, but after some years her father took her home. As a child, she spoke to her guardian angel, prayed the rosary, and did penances. Attracted to the religious life, and with the consent of her father,Ā she received the religious veil in the convent of Dominicanesses at Prat, in Tuscany in the year 1535 at fourteen years of age. For two years she suffered inexpressible pains under a complication of violent distempers, which remedies only seemed to increase. These sufferings she sanctified by the interior disposition with which she bore them, and which she nourished by assiduous meditation on the passion of Christ. The victory over herself, and purgation of her affections was completed by a perfect spirit of prayer; for by the union of her soul with God, and the establishment of the absolute reign of his love in her heart, she was dead to and disengaged from all earthly things.
Most wonderful were the raptures of St. Catherine in meditating on the passion of Christ, she developed into a great mystic and could bilocate, with an intense devotion to the Passion of Christ, which was her daily exercise, but to which she totally devoted herself every week for many years. Catherine would go into ecstasy from noon every Thursday through 4:00 p.m. on Friday, experiencing in a mystical manner the sufferings of Christ during his Passion. She was also given the spiritual gift of the stigmata at 20; Christ’s wounds would appear on her body through the course of the ecstasy. She experienced the āEcstasy of the Passionā for 12 years. After enduring much humiliation for years on account of these sufferings, she was eventually accepted as a holy woman and later became prioress. The saint was chosen, when very young, first as mistress of the novices, then sub-prioress, and, in the twenty-fifth year of her age, was appointed as perpetual prioress. Her advice was widely sought on many spiritual and practical matters. Despite being cloistered, she kept up a loving correspondence with many relatives, friends, and her spiritual children. The reputation of her extraordinary sanctity and prudence drew her many visits from a great number of bishops, princes, and cardinals. Among those in her correspondence were three future popes, the Cardinals Cervini, Alexander of Medicis, and Aldobrandini, who all three were afterwards raised to St. Peter’s chair, under the names of Pope Marcellus II, Pope Clement VIII, and Pope Leo XI. She is said to have received a ring from the Lord as a sign of her espousal to him; to her, it appeared as gold set with a diamond; everyone else saw a red lozenge and a circlet around her finger.
One of the miracles that was documented for her canonization was her appearance many hundreds of miles away from where she was physically located. This involved appearing in a vision St Philip Neri, a resident of Rome, with whom she had maintained a long-term correspondence. Neri, who was otherwise very reluctant to discuss miraculous events, confirmed the event. After a long illness she passed from this mortal life to everlasting bliss and possession of the object of all her desires on the feast of the Purification of our Lady, on the 2nd of February, in 1589, the sixty-seventh year of her age. The ceremony of her beatification was performed by Clement XII in 1732, and that of her canonization by Benedict XIV in 1746. She’s the Patron Saint of the sick, gravely ill, Prato, Italy.
PRAYER: Almighty God, you brought our sister Catherine to holiness through her contemplation of you Son’s passion. As we remember the dying and rising of your Son, help us to become courageous preachers and teachers of these mysteries. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever”ā¦Amen šš½
BLESSED JORDAN OF SAXONY, PRIEST: Blessed Jordan (C. 1190-1237) was a Dominican Priest and one of the first leaders of the Dominican Order. Bl. Jordan was a Saxon named Gordanus, or Giordanus, a German of noble descent. Referred to in Latin as Jordanis, also known as de Alamania. He received a pious upbringing, and was noted for his charity to the poor from an early age. Educated in Germany, he received a Bachelor of Divinity in Paris and Masters’ degree in theology at the University of Paris by 1219, when he met St. Dominic. The next year he joined the Dominican Order of Preachers in 1220 under Saint Dominic himself, and became Prior Provincial of the Order in Lombardy in 1221. When Dominic died, Blessed Jordan succeeded Dominic and was elected as the second Master General of the Order in 1222. Under his administration, the Order spread throughout Germany and into Denmark and Switzerland.
Blessed Jordan used his talents for preaching. By his powerful preaching, he also brought in new recruitsāe.g., St. Albert the Great. During one of his sermons, grace from the Holy Spirit called Saint Albert the Great into the Order. He is the author of Libellus de principiis Ordinis Praedicatorum (“Booklet on the beginnings of the Order of Preachers”), a Latin text which is both the earliest biography of Saint Dominic and the first narrative history of the Order’s foundation. The life of St. Dominic that he wrote is very valuable source of information about the Saint. Blessed Jordan is particularly remembered for his ability to turn a phrase. For example, when he was asked what was the best way to pray, he replied: āThe way in which you can pray most fervently.ā Bl. Jorden helped Blessed Diana d’Andalo found the monastery of Saint Agnes. In 1237, Blessed Jordan went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with two of the Brothers. Their ship was wrecked by a storm off the coast of Syria, and all on board perished. His cult was approved in 1825 by Pope Leo XII. He’s the Patron Saint of Vocations to the Dominican Order, Faculty of Engineering University of Santo Tomas Manila, Philippines.
PRAYER:Ā O God, You endowed Blessed Jordan with wonderful zeal to save souls and power to propagate religious life. Through his merits and prayers, enable us to live always in this same spirit and so attain the glory reserved for us in heaven. Amen šš½
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass | Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time | February 13, 2025
Reading 1,Ā Genesis 2:18-25
Responsorial Psalm,Ā Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Gospel,Ā Mark 7:24-30
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 7:24-30
“The dogs under the table eat the childrenās scraps”
“Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, āLet the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.ā She replied and said to him, āLord, even the dogs under the table eat the childrenās scraps.ā Then he said to her, āFor saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.ā When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”
In todayās Gospel reading, Jesus was in Tyre, a predominantly pagan city on the Mediterranean coast and a pagan woman approaches Jesus to heal her very disturbed daughter. In the Gospels, most of the people who approach Jesus for help are Jews, like Himself. It seems that Jesus regarded His ministry as primarily to Jews. As He says to the pagan woman, āThe children should be fed firstā, the children being the people of Israel, the children of God. It is only after Jesus rose from the dead that He would instruct His disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations, Jews and pagans. However, this pagan woman was not prepared to wait; her daughter was in great need. Normally, the parents of a sick child are never prepared to wait; they insist that their child be cared for immediately. When Jesus says, in a little parable, āit is not fair to take the childrenās food and throw it to the house dogsā, the woman identifies with the house dogs, ābut the housedogs under the table can eat the childrenās scrapsā. In other words, the children and the housedogs can eat at the same time, with the housedogs benefiting from the childrenās untidy eating habits. Jesus couldnāt but respond to such an ingenious response; He had to heal the womanās daughter. His timetable of a ministry to the Jews before a ministry to pagans had to give way. Jesus shows us that we need to hold our plans, our programmes, our timetables, lightly. Human need takes priority over all else. God calls out to us through those in great need, even when that need disrupts our carefully laid out plans. God can be speaking to us through the unexpected and unplanned event and through those who are very different from us. We need something of the freedom that Jesus displayed, the freedom of the Spirit, to go where God is leading us and to do what God is asking of us.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading, we all may find it a little disturbing when Jesus
said to the pagan woman, āThe children should be fed firstā, the children being the people of Israel, the children of God and then went on to say, āit is not fair to take the childrenās food and throw it to the house-dogsā. Jesus was picking up a term that Jews often used with reference to pagans. Yet, Jesus was using an image here, like a little parable. He is not calling the woman a house-dog. He is simply saying that like the house-dogs who have to wait until the children are fed first, the pagans will have to wait a little longer before experiencing the fruits of the presence of Godās kingdom. However, as said in the Gospel, this woman, this passionate mother, was not prepared to wait. She turns Jesusā image to her advantage declaring that house-dogs often eat the crumbs that fall from the childrenās table, with the result that children and house dogs end up eating together. Jesus recognized her wit and her faith and immediately responded to her request. The woman displays the kind of determined faith we all need, especially in these time. This is a faith that is not easily silenced or weakened, even in the face of the Lordās apparent unwillingness to respond to us at times. The story of the pagan woman confirms that sometimes our relationship with the Lord can take the form of a wrestling match or an argument, and the Lord seems to be at ease with that. According to the Book of Genesis, Jacob wrestled with God. This woman was, in a sense, wrestling with Jesus. There can be an element of wrestling with God in our own faith. Our faith can be put to the test when the Lord does not appear to hear our prayer. At such times we need to be as tenacious in our faith as the Syrophoenician woman was.
Our first reading today from the Book of Genesis is the continuation of the account of the moment when the Lord created the world and the entire Universe, how He prepared the beautiful and most amazing Gardens of Eden for us mankind to reside in, and today, we are shown how God made the first man, Adam a companion in the form of the first woman, Eve. God made Adam a companion in Eve so that he would not be alone, and would have become complete with the woman, blessed by God, being fruitful and multiple, with children as gifts from God, to share the love and joy of Godās blessings and grace together as one people of God. God also entrusted His creation to mankind, to all of us for us to take good care of them and to be responsible stewards and caretakers of all that He had created.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all being reminded of the great love, compassion and kindness that God has shown to each and every one of us. We are reminded how fortunate all of us are that God has always known what we needed, and how He has shown His love to us most generously in various occasions, again and again. God never gave up in loving us all and despite our disobedience against Him, our frequent refusal to obey Him and listen to His words, He still patiently reached out to us nonetheless and desires for us to be reconciled and reunited to Him, to be loved again by Him and no longer be lost to Him, just as He has always desired. We are reminded again in the Scriptures that God has loved us so greatly and desired for us to enjoy forever the eternal glory and inheritance that He has provided for us, and all of us are equally beloved by God, no matter what our backgrounds or status are. But we must have that faith in Him and His Providence, and we should not allow ourselves to be easily divided by all sorts of prejudices and biases which we may have, and we must not allow ourselves to be tempted by pride, ego and ambitions, which have led many to their downfall, including many among the Pharisees, the teachers of the Law and many among the people of God at the time, for thinking that they were better and superior than others, and thus refused to listen to Godās words delivered to them through Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. We are called to emulate the lives and examples of the Holy men and women, particularly those whom we celebrate today, St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin and Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Priest. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to provide us all whatever we need, and may He continue to strengthen us all in faith so that we may not be easily swayed by all sorts of the temptations of the world, that we will remember the love of God for each one of us, putting Him ahead of all others things in our lives, obeying Him and His commandments, and not to give in to our human desires or to be intimidated by any kind of obstacles or challenges in our path. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace to be exemplary in our way of life, in our actions, words and deeds so that we may inspire others to follow in our footsteps and be faithful to God as well. May God bless our every efforts, our works, actions and endeavours, and be with us always, through our lives, at all times, helping us to resist the many temptations of sin and worldly glory. In all things, and at all opportunities, may we always glorify Him, now and forevermore. Amen šš½
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 theĀ PresentationĀ (February 2) orĀ CandlemasĀ 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. BlaiseĀ andĀ St. AnsgarĀ (February 3); St. AgathaĀ (February 5); St. Jerome Emiliani and St. Josephine BakhitaĀ (February 8); St. ScholasticaĀ (February 10); Our Lady of LourdesĀ (February 11); Sts. Cyril and MethodiusĀ (February 14); Seven Founders of the Orders of ServitesĀ (February 17); St. Peter DamianĀ (February 21); Chair of St. PeterĀ (February 22) andĀ St. PolycarpĀ (February 23). The Optional Memorial ofĀ PolycarpĀ (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 āthe Light of Revelation to the Gentiles who will save His people from their sins.ā 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 magnificenceāexposing our sinfulness and need for conversionāpropels 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 Lentāfasting, prayer, almsgivingālaying 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. šš½
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12539
PRAYER INTENTIONS: 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. Every life is a gift. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. 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. We pray for all those who are sick, we particularly pray for sick children, the mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from breast cancer and other cancers and 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 the safety and well-being of us all and our families. We pray for an end to war, political and religious unrest. 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 the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and 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 spiritsā¦ 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. During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, for an end to the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen šš¾
Let us pray:
My merciful Lord, I trust in Your perfect love for me and for all peoples. I pray especially for those who carry heavy burdens and for those whose lives are deeply intertwined with evil. Please set them free, dear Lord, and welcome them into Your family so that they become true children of Your Father. May I have the humility and faith I need to help bring forth this abundance of grace for others. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen šš½
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Catherine de Ricci and Blessed Jordan of Saxony ~ Pray for us šš½
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 during this Ordinary Time. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week. May God keep us all safe and well ~ Amen šš½
Blessings and Love always, Philomena š