SUNDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 21, 2025

FEAST OF SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST | SEPTEMBER 21ST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-21st/)

Watch “Holy Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at the Parish of St. Anne | Live from the Vatican | Angelus Prayer with Pope Leo XIV | September 21, 2025 | “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | 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/catholic-daily-mass-september-21-2025/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025: JUBILEE PRAYER | Link to the prayer of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/08/the-jubilee-prayer/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family.

Today, Sunday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time. We experience this moment of grace, prayer and communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.

We joyfully welcome the gift of this month, September and thank God for the gift of life! Lord Almighty, we thank You for granting us the grace to see this new beginning, and we entrust every day of this month into Your loving hands. May September be a season of renewal, hope, and abundant blessings for us and our families. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of children all over the world, especially those beginning the new school year. Bless those who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new opportunities, and milestones this month, and be near to those who carry heavy burdens in their hearts.

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary on this special Feast day, we ask for healing for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, strength for the weary, peace in troubled homes, and provision for all in need. Guide our steps in righteousness, protect us from harm, and fill our hearts with faith, joy, and gratitude. May this month draw us closer to Your will, and may every day be a testimony of Your goodness and mercy in our lives. We begin this month with trust in Your unfailing love, Lord, and we surrender all that lies ahead into Your hands. Amen 🙏🏾

On this feast day, through the intercession of the Saint(s) we celebrate today, St. Matthew and with the help of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for all accountants, bankers, financial workers, and those entrusted with public service. We humbly pray for the poor and those in need, for all those who are marginalized in our society. For those who are imprisoned, especially those who are unjustly imprisoned. We pray for those who fight for truth, peace, justice, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God protect us all and keep us safe and united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽

We continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest.

Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, mothers, workers, and all those who labor in this world. May the Lord bless the work of their hands, and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of September. 🙏🏽

We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our loved ones who recently passed away, and we continue to pray for the souls in Purgatory; lost souls. For the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4

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🙏🏽

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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of September | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-september/

COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/

PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/prayer-for-the-beginning-of-a-new-school-year/

MEET THE NEW SAINTS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/canonization-of-carlo-acutis-pier-giorgio-frassati/

SAINT CARLO ACUTIS (1991–2006): a teenager from Milan, passionate about computer science, he used new media to spread the faith and love for the Eucharist. Beatified in 2020, he is a model of digital evangelization. | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-carlo-acutis/

PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI (1901–1925): a young man from Turin, sportsman and mountain enthusiast, he stood out for his charity towards the poor and his joyful witness to the Gospel. Beatified in 1990, he is the patron of young people and students. | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-pier-giorgio-frassati/

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Sunday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | September 21, 2025
Reading 1: Amos 8:4–7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 113:1–2, 4–6, 7–8
Reading 2: 1 Timothy 2:1–8
Gospel: Luke 16:1–13 (or Luke 16:10–13)

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 16:1–13

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

“Jesus said to His disciples, ‘A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, “What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.” The steward said to himself, “What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.” He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” He replied, “One hundred measures of olive oil.” He said to him, “Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.” Then to another the steward said, “And you, how much do you owe?” He replied, “One hundred kors of wheat.” The steward said to him, “Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.” And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.’”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents the parable of the dishonest steward a puzzling but powerful lesson on stewardship, trust, and eternal priorities. Though the steward acted dishonestly, he was commended for his shrewdness. In the parable, the steward suddenly finds himself in a crisis situation when his employer, the rich owner of the estate, calls him up and gives him his notice because he had been wasteful with his employer’s property. Perhaps he was guilty of the ancient equivalent of putting his hand into the till. In the crisis situation in which he suddenly found himself he took decisive action. This action he took was with a view to gaining friends, building up a bank of good will so that when the day came when he had to leave his job there would be people out there who would welcome him into their homes. Whatever might be thought about the morality of what he did in significantly reducing people’s debts to his master, his crisis brought home to him the importance of people in his life. He knew that when the storm broke, he would need other people around him, and, rather late in the day, he set about ensuring that such people would be there when he needed them. The steward in this parable is not much of a hero, just as the younger son in prodigal son parable wasn’t much of a hero either. Yet, Jesus was prepared to tell stories about very flawed people who, nonetheless, had something to teach us. In the parable of today’s Gospel reading, even the steward’s employer has to grudgingly acknowledge the steward’s astuteness. Just as the steward’s world was about to collapse, he finally got his priorities right. He used money, while he still had control of it, to win him friends, recognizing that friends are a more valuable commodity than money, and that people are a much greater treasure than all the material possessions in the world.

One of the morals Jesus draws from the parable that He tells is, ‘use money, tainted as it is, to win your friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity’. We all gather an enormous amount of stuff as we go through life; anyone who has had to move house knows that only too well. Sooner or later we have to let it all go; we can’t take it with us as we leave this life. In that sense, in the words of Jesus in the Gospel reading, our material possessions fail us, they do not endure. However, the relationships that we form in life do endure. Saint Paul in his great hymn to love in his first letter to the Corinthians says that love never ends. Authentic love endures beyond the grave into eternity. Jesus speaks about the friends we make in this life welcoming us into the tents of eternity. When there was more money around than there is today, people spoke a lot about the importance of investments. Those with money to spare often wonder how best to invest it so as to get the greatest return on it. The Gospel reading today, and, indeed, the whole of Jesus’ life and ministry, suggests that our first investment should be in people. We are to invest ourselves in others; we are to use whatever resources we have in the service of others, whether that be material resources, or personal resources of time, energy, training or talents. Jesus is the supreme example of someone who invested Himself fully in others. He lived and died for others, for all of us. Saint Paul said of Him that ‘for your sakes He became poor so that by His poverty you might become rich’.

In today’s parable a crisis moment brought home to the steward that his true wealth consisted not in accumulating goods for himself but in establishing relationships within the community. It can take a crisis in our own lives to bring home to us that our true wealth lies in the loving relationships that we have formed with others, with our family, with our friends, and with who those who cross our path in life, many of whom may live far from us and in very different circumstances to our own. The difficult and painful experiences in life can bring us closer to others and, thereby, to the Lord. Jesus does not praise dishonesty but highlights prudence using resources wisely with an eye toward the future. The steward recognized his time was short and acted decisively. Likewise, we are called to recognize the fleeting nature of earthly wealth and to use it for eternal purposes: to serve God, help the poor, and advance His Kingdom. Most of us have more money at our disposal than our parents and, certainly, than our grandparents. In some respects, we have come a long way. How we use what we possess will, perhaps, be the real test of how far we have come. In trying to discern how best to use our resources, the life and the message of Jesus continues to have a lot to say to us. Wealth is not evil in itself, but it becomes dangerous when it enslaves us, blinding us to God’s will. Christ’s warning is clear: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” The heart must choose one master, for divided loyalties inevitably lead us away from God.

Reflecting on the first reading, in the prophecy of Amos, God condemns those who exploit the poor and manipulate the vulnerable for personal gain. The prophet exposes dishonest merchants who can’t wait for holy days to end so they may cheat with false measures, undervalue the needy, and trample upon the lowly. The Lord warns: “Never will I forget a thing they have done.” This is a sobering reminder that God sees every injustice, no matter how hidden. The reading calls us to examine our integrity in daily dealings, whether in business, relationships, or community life. Do we respect the dignity of others, or do we let greed and convenience overshadow compassion? The cry of the poor is always heard in heaven, and we are called to act justly, defend the vulnerable, and live with honesty before God.

Reflecting on the responsorial psalm “Praise the Lord, who lifts up the poor.” Psalm 113 beautifully complements the message of Amos. The psalmist proclaims the greatness of God, not because of wealth or power, but because He stoops down to raise the lowly and seat them with princes. The psalm is both a hymn of praise and a reminder of divine justice: the Lord sees the poor and the forgotten, and He exalts them. This psalm challenges us to imitate God’s heart lifting up the downtrodden, offering encouragement, and practicing mercy in our daily lives. True worship is not only found in words of praise but in reflecting God’s concern for the least among us.

In the second reading, St. Paul urges the community to lift up “supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for everyone,” including kings and those in authority. His vision is one of peace, where the Church becomes a praying people, interceding for the world. Prayer, Paul teaches, should not be self-centered but universal, because God “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” This reading reminds us that our stewardship includes not only material resources but also our spiritual responsibility to pray for justice, peace, and the conversion of hearts.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are challenged to ask: Am I faithful with the little responsibilities entrusted to me each day? What do I value most, God or wealth? Do I allow material wealth to dictate my choices, or do I use it to serve God and others? In what ways am I called to raise up the poor and vulnerable in my community? Do I dedicate enough time to prayer, not just for myself, but for the wider Church and world? Let us walk faithfully in the little things, knowing that God sees and blesses our integrity. May we always choose Him above worldly gain and use our lives to lift up the poor, intercede for the world, and proclaim with joy: “Blessed be the name of the Lord, both now and forever.” May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain steadfast in faith and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽

Lord Jesus, You teach us that no one can serve two masters. Help me to set my heart firmly on You and not on the passing wealth of this world. Grant me wisdom to use what You have entrusted to me for Your glory and for the good of others. Keep me from the snare of greed and help me to place my trust in You above all things. Purify my intentions, strengthen my faith, and make me a faithful steward, trustworthy in small matters and great. May we serve You alone, Lord, so that our lives may lead others to the joy of Your eternal Kingdom. Amen 🙏🏽

FEAST OF SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 21ST: Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist (Patron of accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, financial officers, tax collectors, stockbrokers, customs officers, guards, and security personnel). Once a tax collector, Matthew responded generously to Christ’s call, leaving behind his work to follow the Lord. Chosen as one of the Twelve and inspired by the Holy Spirit, he later became the author of the first Gospel, proclaiming Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. His life reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and that true conversion leads to mission.

Through his intercession, and with the help of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for all accountants, bankers, financial workers, and those entrusted with public service. We lift up the sick and the dying, especially those with cancer, mental illness, and terminal diseases. We remember the poor, widows, and the needy, asking God for peace, unity, and healing in marriages, families, and across our world. We entrust to the Lord our Holy Father, bishops, priests, religious, and the entire Church, praying for vocations and the conversion of sinners. May the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed rest in God’s eternal peace. Amen. 🙏🏾

Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | September 21st | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-21st/)

SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST (1st Century): Saint Matthew, also called Levi, was born in Capernaum and worked as a tax collector for Herod Antipas. His profession made him an outcast among the Jews, yet it also prepared him with literacy and record-keeping skills. When Jesus passed by his customs post and called him, Matthew immediately left everything behind and followed Him (cf. Mt. 9:9). Soon after, he hosted a meal where Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners, showing that no one is excluded from the mercy of God.

Matthew became one of the Twelve Apostles and is traditionally credited with writing the first Gospel, originally composed in Aramaic for Jewish Christians. His Gospel emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets and repeatedly uses the phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven,” unique to his account. According to tradition, Matthew preached the Gospel among the Jews for many years before traveling abroad to share the faith. While accounts of his later life vary, many traditions hold that he was martyred in Ethiopia while offering Mass, around the year 65 AD. In Christian art, Matthew is often symbolized by a winged man, recalling the opening of his Gospel with Christ’s human genealogy. His name means “Gift of God,” a reminder of the grace of conversion and the mission to share the Good News. His relics were later transferred to Salerno, Italy, where he is still venerated today.

Quote from the Bible: Matthew 5:44, Jesus Christ: “But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

PRAYER: O God, You called Saint Matthew from the work of tax collecting to become an Apostle and Evangelist. Through his example and intercession, grant us the grace to rise from sin, to follow You wholeheartedly, and to proclaim Your mercy to others. May we, like him, be faithful witnesses of the Gospel in word and deed. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/

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 POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER: For our relationship with all of creation. Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER | MONTH OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS: September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, inviting us to unite our hearts with Mary in her profound sharing of Christ’s Passion. As Simeon foretold, “a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35), and throughout her life Mary endured deep sorrows that culminated at Calvary. In her silent strength and unwavering faith, she became the compassionate Mother of all Christians, offering her suffering with Christ for the salvation of the world.

This month, the Church calls us to meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary: Simeon’s prophecy, the Flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple, meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, receiving His lifeless Body, and placing Him in the tomb. By reflecting on these sorrows, we learn patience in trials, compassion for the suffering, and a deeper love for Jesus who suffered for us.

Prayers such as the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, the Rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows help us to walk with Mary in her suffering and to discover hope and consolation in her maternal heart.

“Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us to stand with you at the Cross, sharing in Christ’s love and redemptive sacrifice.”

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏾

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540

PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we reflect on today’s readings, we pray that our hearts may be free from greed and dishonesty, choosing instead to live with integrity and faithfulness as Jesus teaches in the Gospel. May we, like St. Matthew, who left everything to follow Christ, learn to place God above wealth and worldly gain, using our blessings to serve others and build His Kingdom. We pray for leaders, as St. Paul urges in his letter to Timothy, that they may govern with justice and promote peace. We also lift up the poor and the oppressed, mindful of the prophet Amos’ warning against exploitation, asking that the Lord raise them up in dignity and hope.

LET US PRAY:

Lord, You are perfect Wisdom; You are Prudence Itself. Please flood my mind and will with Your divine presence and fill me with a desire to make Your perfect will the central mission of my life. Please help me to know how to order my days so that everything I do gives You glory and works toward the salvation of souls, beginning with my own. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽

Heavenly Father, You call us to be faithful stewards of the gifts entrusted to us. Grant us the grace to serve You above all things, to use our resources for the good of others, and to seek first Your Kingdom. Through the intercession of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, may we grow in trust, humility, and courage to follow You wholeheartedly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏾

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and during this gentle rhythm of Ordinary Time, may our hearts remain open to the quiet working of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide, renew, and strengthen us each day. May this new month be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, Sunday, fruitful week ahead, and a fulfilling month of September🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | Global Missions Now Awards |

North Texas Catholic Magazine | Dr. Philomena Ikowe – Life on Purpose (pages 44-45) | https://www.flipsnack.com/A9DFE877C6F/north-texas-catholic-magazine-mar-apr-issue-2025/full-view.html