THIRD WEEK OF LENT
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 26, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT LUDGER, BISHOP OF MÜNSTER, APOSTLE OF SAXONY | Lives of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day/
DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Daily Saints, Holy Mass, Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Scripture Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/reflections/
Greetings, and blessings, beloved family, and Happy Wednesday, Third Week of Lent!
We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey and may this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. Wishing us all a love-filled and spiritually enriching Lenten journey. Amen🙏🏽
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/2025/03/26/catholic-daily-mass-22/
DAY 19: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/26/day-19-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/
LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/
STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS
“Loving God, we thank you for the unwavering faith and leadership of Pope Francis. As he recovers from his hospitalization, we humbly ask for your healing touch upon his body, your peace upon his mind, and your comfort for his spirit. Grant him strength, renewed energy, and a continued ability to serve your flock with compassion and wisdom. We entrust him to your loving care, and we pray that he may soon be restored to good health, if it be your will. Through Christ our Lord, Amen”🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.
On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, particularly Saint Joseph, Patron of the dying, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for 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 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 labors 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 🙏🏽
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
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/
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/
A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽
God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽
LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT LUDGER, BISHOP OF MÜNSTER, APOSTLE OF SAXONY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 26TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Ludger, the first Bishop of Münster and the Apostle of Saxony (Patron Saint of Groningen, Netherlands; Deventer, Netherlands; East Frisia; Diocese of Münster, Germany; Werden, Germany). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and this Holy Saint, we humbly pray for the conversion of sinners, for persecuted Christians, for an end to religious and political unrest, and for justice, peace, love, and unity in a world torn apart by war, terrorism, racism, and countless other acts of violence against human life.
Saint Ludger, Bishop of Münster, Apostle of Saxony ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | March 26th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
( Direct link to detailed history of the lives of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day/ )
SAINT LUDGER, BISHOP OF MÜNSTER, APOSTLE OF SAXONY: Saint Ludger of Münster (743-809), also known as Saint Ludger of Utrecht. He was a dedicated missionary among the Frisians and Saxons, founder of Werden Abbey, and the first Bishop of Münster in Westphalia. He is often called the ‘Apostle of Saxony’ for his tireless efforts in bringing Christianity to the Frisians and Saxons.
St. Ludger was born in Friesland (the Netherlands) about the year 743. He came from a noble family and, from a young age, demonstrated a deep love for learning and faith. St. Ludger’s father, a nobleman of the first rank, at the child’s own request, committed him very young to the care of Saint Gregory, Bishop of Utrecht, a disciple of Saint Boniface and his successor in the government of the see of Utrecht. Saint Gregory nurtured his vocation and educated him in his monastery of Utrecht, and gave him the clerical tonsure. St. Ludger, desirous of further religious studies, passed over into England, and spent four and a half years at a famous school at York, under Alcuin, Rector one of the greatest scholars of his time.
In 773 he returned home, and when Saint Gregory died in 776, his successor, Alberic, compelled Saint Ludger to receive the priesthood. The new bishop employed him for several years in preaching the Word of God in Friesland, where he converted great numbers, founded several monasteries, and built many churches. The pagan Saxons then entered and ravaged the country, and drove out the missionaries. Saint Ludger traveled to Rome to consult Pope Adrian II as to what course he should take, and what he thought God required of him. He then retired for three and a half years to Monte Cassino to study Saint Benedict’s Rule; there he wore the habit of the Order and conformed to its practices during his stay, but made no religious vows. In 787, Charlemagne overcame the Saxons, conquering Friesland and the coast of the Germanic Ocean as far as Denmark. Saint Ludger was sent by the Emperor, who had heard of him, to evangelize the pagans of five districts; thus he returned into East Friesland, where he brought the Saxons to the Faith, with the province of Westphalia. He founded the monastery of Werden, twenty-nine miles from Cologne. In 802, Hildebald, Archbishop of Cologne, in spite of his strenuous resistance, ordained him Bishop of Munster. He joined to his diocese five cantons of Friesland which he had converted, overseeing the newly converted regions, and founded the monastery of Helmstad in the duchy of Brunswick.
Saint Ludger’s holiness extended beyond his missionary zeal he was a man of deep prayer, humility, and wisdom. Once, he was being accused and summoned to Emperor Charlemagne’s court on accusations of wasting and misusing church funds, and neglecting the embellishment of churches. The prince ordered him to appear at court. Saint Ludger, when summoned before the Emperor, was at prayer, and told the messenger he would follow him as soon as he had finished his devotions. He was sent for three times before he was ready, and his delay was represented to the Emperor by the courtiers as contempt for his Majesty. He delayed his arrival to finish his prayers. The Emperor, with some emotion, asked Saint Ludger why he had made him wait so long, though he had sent for him often. The bishop answered that although he had the most profound respect for his Majesty, yet God was infinitely above him; he owed his first duty to God. He said that while we are occupied with Him, it is our duty to forget everything else. This answer made such an impression on Charlemagne that he dismissed him with honor and disgraced his accusers.
Saint Ludger was favored and blessed with the gifts of miracles and prophecy, though he sought to keep these hidden and desired that these not be published. He continued serving tirelessly until his final day. His last sickness did not hinder him from continuing his functions up to and including the last day of his life, which was Passion Sunday. On that day he preached very early in the morning, said Holy Mass towards nine, and preached again before nightfall, in another town. Knowing his time had come, he foretold his own death that night. He told those with him that he would die during the night, and indicated a place where he had he had prepared in his monastery of Werden Abbey where he wished to be interred. He died as he foretold, on March 26, 809 at midnight. Saint Ludger’s legacy lives on in the diocese of Münster, the monastic communities he founded, and the countless souls he brought to Christ.
Patronage: Groningen, Deventer, East Frisia, Roman Catholic Diocese of Münster, Germany and Essen-Werden, Germany.
PRAYER: Dear St Ludger, student of St Gregory, devoted missionary and fearless apostle, you tirelessly spread the light of Christ to those in darkness. Lend me your steadfast determination to serve Christ. Through your intercession, grant us the courage to proclaim the Gospel in our own time, to remain steadfast in prayer, and to trust in God’s providence. Help us to live lives of faith and service, seeking first the Kingdom of God. Amen. 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, may we learn from St. Ludger this great lesson of giving You our full attention while in prayer. Lord, forgive us for the times that we are easily distracted or so quickly leave you to answer a phone or talk to a friend. We thank you for your patience and mercy, dear Father, and pray that we are daily conformed to be more like your saints in heaven. In Christ’s name we pray… Amen🙏🏽
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
*Today’s Bible Readings: Third Week of Lent | Wednesday, March 26, 2025
*Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
*Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
*Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19
“Whoever keeps and teaches the law will be called great”
“Jesus said to His disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Himself spoke to the people assembled to listen to Him, declaring that He has not come to abolish or override the Law of God or the Prophets but instead to complete them. He came to reveal the true meaning, intention and purpose of the Law of God to the people, teaching them what the Law of God is truly all about, and calling upon all of them to do God’s will and to obey His Law and commandments in the manner that they should have done. This is because by that time, many of the people of God had lost sight of the true intention and purpose of the Law of God, and hence, has become ignorant of the path that God has called all of them to walk through and follow in their respective lives. God has given them all His Law so that they may all come to know Him and to love Him, and yet, they allow themselves to be swayed and tempted into the path of sin and disobedience. Jesus recognized all that good and valuable in His own Jewish tradition; He came to enhance and complete that goodness and value through His teaching and His way of life. Jesus was always open to the good in every institution. Rather than abolishing something because it was less than perfect, He worked to bring the good that was there to completion. Rather than condemning people because they had failed to live up to their calling, Jesus saw the good in them and worked to bring it to perfection. There is a lesson for all of us in Jesus’ way of relating to institutions and people. Our intolerance of imperfection can blind us to the good that is also there. Our calling is to recognize the good wherever it is to be found, even when it is hidden or clouded by other realities, and, having recognized the good, to call it forth by our loving attentiveness. If the Jewish Law embodied a great wisdom, Jesus’ teaching embodied an even greater wisdom because Jesus Himself was the Wisdom of God. If the Jewish Law was the way to life, Jesus’ teaching was life-giving to an even greater extent, because it is the way that leads to eternal life beyond this earthly life.
Reflecting on today’s Gospel, Jesus assures His disciples that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. He emphasizes that not even the smallest part of the law will pass away until all is accomplished. He warns that those who break God’s commandments and lead others astray will be least in the Kingdom of heaven, but those who obey and teach them will be called great. Jesus’ words challenge us to see God’s commandments not as outdated rules but as a path to holiness. Many times, we are tempted to disregard certain teachings of our faith, thinking they are no longer relevant. However, Christ calls us to a deeper understanding of God’s law is not meant to restrict us but to bring us into fullness of life. To follow Christ is to embrace His teachings completely, even when they challenge us. We are not only called to obey but to bear witness to others through our lives. If we wish to be great in God’s Kingdom, we must strive for faithfulness, allowing His law to transform us from within.
Our first reading today from the Book of Deuteronomy, details the words of the Lord that He spoke to His people through Moses, who reminded all of them of just how blessed and fortunate they are to have been beloved in such a way by the Lord, their Lord and God. Moses told the people to listen to their God and to follow Him wholeheartedly, and not harden their hearts and minds against Him any longer. He reminded them all that the Law of God, the commandments and the path the Lord has shown them have been presented to them and therefore they should walk in the path of God and to pass down the knowledge of the Law and the truth of God through the generations to come. Moses hence exhorted and called on all the people of God to be truly holy just as the Lord Himself is holy, and to be good just as their Lord and Master is good. God still loved His people and us all very much despite all those wickedness that they had committed. He even gave His people the reassurances that He would not abandon them and He will guide them all to the path towards salvation and eternal life. In the end, He fulfilled His promises and gave us the most perfect gift of all, that is none other than Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. If according to our first reading today, the people of Israel are blessed, we are even more blessed. As Jesus declares in today’s Gospel reading, those who keep Jesus’ words and teach others to do the same will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. We thank God for what we have received through His Son, and we pray that we would always treasure it and seek to pass it on to others.
Reflecting on today’s first reading, Moses reminds the Israelites of the wisdom in God’s commandments. He urges them to observe the statutes of the Lord, for in doing so, they will reflect His greatness to other nations. The laws given to Israel were not just legal codes; they were meant to shape them as a people set apart for God. Moses warns them not to forget these teachings but to pass them on to future generations. This passage invites us to examine how we treat the wisdom God has revealed to us. Do we truly cherish His word, or do we take it for granted? Do we pass on the faith to others, especially to those entrusted to our care? Just as the Israelites were called to be a witness to the nations, we are called to reflect God’s truth in our lives, drawing others closer to Him.
The psalmist praises the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness to His people. God’s word is not distant or hidden it is proclaimed clearly for His chosen ones. He strengthens and blesses those who remain in His presence. This psalm reminds us that obedience to God’s word is not burdensome but life-giving. When we embrace His commands, we experience His protection, guidance, and peace. Do I see God’s commandments as a burden or as a gift leading me to holiness? Am I faithful in following Christ’s teachings, even when they challenge me? How do I share God’s truth with others through my words and actions?
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are called to dedicate more of our time, effort and works to the Lord and do whatever we can to be righteous, good and faithful in all things, following and obeying God’s Law and commandments at all possible opportunities. Let us all come towards the Lord with renewed hearts and minds, full of the desire to love the Lord our God, and to follow Him ever more wholeheartedly from now on. Let us all seek the Lord with all of our strength and might, and let us commit ourselves to walk virtuously and righteously in God’s path henceforth, to be good role models and examples in all things, to be the good examples and inspirations to all the people all around us. Let us all be the bearers of God’s truth, His light and salvation to everyone around us, so that more and more people may come ever closer towards the Lord through us. Let us all resist the evils and temptations of sin present all around us. Let us be ever more dedicated to the Lord and commit ourselves to His cause with ever greater zeal and faith from now on. May the Lord be with us always, and strengthen us amidst all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in the path of our obedience and journey of faith towards Him. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace to be faithful and dedicated and may this Lent be a great season and time of renewal of our faith and be ever stronger in our love for our Lord. Amen 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, You have given us Your law to guide us in truth and holiness. Help us to embrace Your teachings with love, knowing that they lead us closer to You. Give us the strength to remain faithful and the courage to be witnesses of Your word in the world. May we always seek to live according to Your will, trusting that Your commands are life-giving. Amen. As we journey through Lent, let us renew our commitment to God’s word. His teachings are not burdens but a path to true freedom. By living in obedience to His law, we become witnesses of His wisdom and love to the world. May we always strive to follow Him wholeheartedly, knowing that His way leads to eternal life. 🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Lord, as we honor Saint Ludger, who tirelessly preached the Gospel, we pray for bishops, priests, and missionaries. May they remain faithful to Your truth and lead others to holiness.Grant us the grace to embrace Your commandments with love. May parents and teachers guide the young in faith, and may we all live as witnesses of Your wisdom in the world. For those struggling in their faith, may they find strength in Your word. Help us to remain steadfast in truth and share it with courage. Saint Ludger, pray for us.
LET US PRAY
My most high Jesus, You have called us to a new height of holiness. You have called us to perfection. Enlighten my mind, dear Lord, so that I may understand this high calling and pour forth Your grace, so that I may embrace my moral duty to the fullest extent. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord, help us to see Your commandments as a gift leading us to holiness. May we, like Saint Ludger, teach and live Your word with joy. Strengthen us to uphold the faith and pass it on to others. May our lives reflect Your truth and draw others to You. Bless our families and communities. Keep us faithful to Your will, that we may one day rejoice in Your Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen 🙏🏽
Save Us Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Ludger, Bishop of Münster, Apostle of Saxony ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
May this Lenten season deepen our trust in God’s providence and open our hearts to His transforming grace. Wishing us all a blessed and grace-filled Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent. Amen. 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
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