Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Wednesday after Epiphany of the Lord!
WEDNESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 8, 2025
OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025 [Details and links below]
On this Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and all the Saints, we humbly pray and thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, our Savior Jesus Christ! For the safety and well-being of all our children and school children as they return to school this new year after the Christmas holiday. We pray for God’s guidance and protection upon them. We continue to pray for peace all around the world, particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine-Russia and other parts of the world. We pray for an end to the wars and conflicts, and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. For the gentle repose of the 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
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | January 8, 2025 on EWTN” |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | January 8, 2025 |
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | January 8, 2025 |
https://www.youtube.com/live/n4dCH8OMhas?si=d-gmVxbH5y5YS4PU
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| January 8, 2025 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUALš¹JOYFULš¹LUMINOUSš¹SORROWFULš¹GLORIOUS” oĆ¹n YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday After Epiphany | January 8, 2025
Reading 1,Ā First John 4:11-18
Responsorial Psalm,Ā Psalms 72:1-2, 10, 12-13
Gospel,Ā Mark 6:45-52
OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025
Pope Francis opens the Holy Door Ushering in the Jubilee of Hope | ‘Hope is Alive’ | Vatican News | December 24, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/25/pope-francis-opens-the-holy-door-ushering-in-the-jubilee-of-hope-hope-is-alive-vatican-news-december-24-2024/
- On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the First Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica | Jubilee 2025 Inauguration | December 24, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/24/pope-francis-opening-of-the-holy-door-and-christmas-eve-mass/
- On Christmas Day, Pope Francis delivered hisĀ Urbi et OrbiĀ message to the people of the city of Rome and the world from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at noon | https://youtu.be/jP2UZHtDjFg?si=tOfXdzrZ2vLPXRT3
- On 26 December, for the first time in the Jubilee tradition, Pope Francis opened a fifth sacred portal in a Roman prison – Rebibbia Prison, a gesture of hope that shows his ongoing closeness to detainees | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/26/watch-pope-francis-opens-the-holy-door-at-rebibbia-prison-and-presides-holy-mass-jubilee-2025-december-26-2024/
- On Sunday, 29 December, the Pope opened the Holy Door of his cathedral, Saint John Lateran, which on November 9, 2024 celebrated the 1700thĀ anniversary of its dedication | Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/29/full-rite-opening-of-the-third-holy-door-of-the-basilica-of-st-john-lateran-and-holy-mass-on-the-feast-of-the-holy-family-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph-rome-jubilee-of-hope-2025-december-29-2024/
- Then, on 1 January 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major was opened | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/01/opening-of-the-holy-door-of-basilica-of-st-mary-the-major-january-1-2025/
- Lastly, Sunday, 5 January 2025, marks the opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/05/opening-of-the-holy-door-basilica-of-saint-paul-outside-the-walls-jubilee-2025-live-from-rome-january-5-2025/
These last three Holy Doors will be closed on Sunday, 28 December 2025.
THE JUBILEE PRAYER
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen šš½
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS, BISHOP – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 8TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Bishop.
SAINT APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS, BISHOP: Saint Apollinaris Claudius (2nd c.), also known asĀ Apollinaris the Apologist was a bishop in what is today Turkey. He was aĀ ChristianĀ leader and writer of the 2nd century. He was one of the most illustrious Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia of the 2nd century who became famous for his polemical treatises against theĀ hereticsĀ of his day, whose errors he showed to be entirely borrowed from theĀ pagans. In 177 A.D. he published anĀ “Apologia”Ā for the defense of Christians, addressed toĀ the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and appealing to the Emperor’s own experience with the “Thundering Legion”, whose prayers won him the victory over theĀ Quadi, a people inhabiting the country now called Moravia. One of his legions, the twelfth, was composed chiefly of Christians. When the army was perishing for want of water, the soldiers of this legion fell upon their knees and invoked the assistance of God. The result was sudden, for a copious rain fell, and aided by the storm, they conquered the Germans. The emperor gave this legion the name āThundering Legionā and mitigated his persecution.
It was to protect his flock against persecution that St. Apollinaris addressed his apology to the Emperor to implore his protection and remind him of the favor he had received from God through the prayers of the Christians. In light of this miracle, Apollinaris requested the Emperor’s protection of Christians from persecution. St. Apollinaris’ work earned him the moniker, “Apollinaris the Apologist.” St. Appolinaris had written many excellent treatises against the heretics but none of his writings is still in existence. His writings are largely lost, and what we know of his work comes to us from other early Christian writers including St. Jerome and Eusebius. Eusebius, St. Jerome, Theodoret, and others speak of him in the highest terms and great eulogies and they furnish us with the few facts that are known of him. The exact date of the death of St. Apollinaris is not known, but it probably occurred before that of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Roman Martyrology mentions him on the 8th of January.
PRAYER:Ā God, You made St. Appolinaris an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the Faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly Pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory.
Amenš
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Wednesday After Epiphany | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 6:45-52
āTake courage, it is I, do not be afraid!ā
“After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once He spoke with them, āTake courage, it is I, do not be afraid!ā He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.”
Today’s Gospel reading portrays Jesus at prayer. Jesus had been busy, He just spent the day teaching and helping to feed a crowd of five thousand people in the wilderness. Having sent His disciples away across the Lake of Galilee, He Himself went off into the hills to pray. According to the Gospel, although He went off alone to pray, Jesusā prayer did not really remove Him from people. In fact, it seems to have made Him more sensitive to the struggles of others. As He was praying, Jesus became aware of His struggling disciples, battling against a head wind, and worn out with rowing. Jesus approached the boat of His disciples as they struggle with the strong wind, and when the disciples saw Him they were terrified. Jesus immediately confronts their fear, and spoke words of great reassurance to them, āCourage! It is I! Do not be afraidā. In the profound words of our first reading, ‘God is love’. The reading further states that God showed He was Love by giving us the most precious gift God could give us, His only Son. If God is Love, the godly person is the loving person, the holy person is the giving person, the one who gives generously of Himself or herself to others. The most god-like person, in that sense, the most loving person, was, of course, Jesus. If Jesus is the face of God, God in human form, then there is no need for His disciples to be afraid of Him, as if they might be afraid of ghosts. There is nothing sinister about the Lordās coming over the waters. He comes in love to help and support them. The Lord comes to us in the same way. He comes in love to steady our ship, to calm and direct us. There is no place for fear in our relationship with Him. As we welcome His coming in love, as we receive Him into the boat of our lives, He calls on us to relate to each other as He relates to us, in the same loving way that leaves no place for fear. Just as no one should ever fear the Lord, no one should ever fear any of us, because in the words of the first reading, He is āperfect loveā. The reading declares: āfear is driven out by perfect loveā. That is why in the Gospel reading Jesus says to His struggling disciples, āCourage! It is I! Do not be afraid!ā In prayer, we open ourselves to the Lordās presence; we become attuned to the Lord who is present to us. The Lord whom we approach in prayer is full of love for others; as we draw near to Him, we are caught up into the Lordās concern for others It is perhaps not surprising that all prayer tends to become intercessory prayer. Authentic prayer will deepen our communion with others, especially with those who are struggling, like the disciples in the Gospel reading. The Lord who was present to His disciples in their struggle with the elements is present to us in our struggles. His perfect love for us can give us courage as we face into the challenges of life.
In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle, St. John spoke to the faithful regarding the matter of love and how each and every one of them ought to show their love to one another, their compassion and care for those who are around them, because that was exactly what the Lord had done for us all, out of His endless compassion for us, His ever generous love and care, His patience in showing us His loving kindness, in His desire to see us all saved from our predicament and certain destruction because of our many sins. While it is true that because of our disobedience we have fallen into sin and been corrupted by those sins, but God never condemned us or desired our destruction. Instead, it is by those sins, unrepented and unforgiven that we have fallen into damnation. That is why as St. John mentioned very clearly in his Epistle that the salvation of God has come into our midst through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Divine Word Incarnate, the Divine Son of God Who assumed our human nature and existence so that by His entry and arrival into this world, He might manifest before us all, the love of God in all of its perfection, and showed it all to us. And that was exactly what the Lord had done. He has given us all His only begotten Son so that by His suffering and death, all of us may be saved and redeemed from our sins, and have the sure path towards Him and the eternal life and true joy that can be found in Him alone. Through His perfect and ever enduring love, God has opened for us the path to salvation.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded again of the love of God, His Presence in our midst and His faithfulness to the Covenant which He had made with all of us, and how we all should not be afraid or hesitant to follow Him because if we put our faith and trust in Him then rest assured that we will be well taken care of and provided for, and even though we may encounter challenges, difficulties, obstacles and trials in our path, but as long as we remain firmly faithful in Him, then we shall not falter and shall continue to sail through the storms and troubles of life with God by our side, as He leads us to the right path and true happiness with Him. We are called to put our trust and faith in the Lord, believing in Him, His love and providence, and not let our fears, uncertainties and doubts to cloud our judgment and path in life. We must do our very best to remain firm in our dedication and commitment to God, opposing the temptations to abandon the Lord and instead embracing the many other alternatives and false assurances of the world. We must not give in to our fears, but instead trust in the Lord, just as those disciples remained in the boat, and believed in the Lord, and did not abandon the ship to save themselves. Therefore, let us all remember our faith in God and also our obligation to take good care of one another, to help guide each other in our journey towards the Lord. We are reminded to emulate the Holy men and women and the Saints, particularly Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Bishop, who we celebrate today. We are called to be good role models, inspirations and help for one another, to help lead and guide everyone towards the Lord and His salvation. As Christians, let us all be the bearers of the Good News of God, to be the shining beacons of His truth and love, to be His witnesses and courageous servants in our world today, so that by our exemplary living and actions, we may proclaim Him and His light, His love and truth to many more people around us, now and always. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us all, and may He bless our every good works and endeavours, for His greater glory. Amen šš½
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JANUARY | MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. After the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph and told him that the Childās name should be called Jesus, meaning āGod Saves.ā According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after his birth a male child was to be circumcised, receive his name, and become a full member of Godās covenant people. According to the old Roman liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus was celebrated on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, the same day that He was given His sacred name. Currently we celebrate the SolemnityĀ of the Mother of God on January 1st and honor the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3rd. For Catholics, Jesusā sacred name is the object of a special devotion symbolized by the monogram āIHS,ā (sometimes called a Christogram), which is the first three letters of the GreekĀ spelling of His name.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12538
THE POPEāS MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY – FOR THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION: Let us pray for migrants, refugees, and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2025
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/
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast day, we humbly pray and thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, our Lord Christ! We pray for the safety and well-being of everyone and for all those traveling during this season of Christmas and new year. We pray for peace, love and unity in our marriages, our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. 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 souls of the faithful departed and for all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, 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 worldā¦ Amenš
Let us pray:
Lord, once again I turn to Your most compassionate Heart. Help me to lift my eyes toward You and to turn away from the sources of my anxiety and fear in life. Fill me with faith and hope in You and give me the courage I need to put all my trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen š
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Bishop ~ Pray for us š
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines:
DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org
SIR G.L.I OPIEPEāS HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION |
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/
THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/
PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/
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. Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season and new year. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe, healthy, prosperous, and grace-filled New Year! Amenš
Blessings and love always, Philomenaš
Leave a Reply