SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 23, 2025
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time!
Today is day eight of the novena for the protection of human life, and day six of the week of prayer for Christian Unity. As we continue this year’s week of prayer for Christian Unity, and novena for life, we join our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world in praying for the safety, well-being and protection of the life of every human person, from conception to natural death and for peace, love, justice and unity in our divided and conflicted world so we can better build God’s Kingdom here on earth.
We pray for God’s grace and mercy upon us through this Ordinary Time, and may the Lord grant us the grace to serve Him in spirit and in truthš
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2025: Started Saturday, January 18, 2024 and ends Saturday, January 25, 2025 [Reflections and Prayer links below]
9 DAYS FOR LIFE: PRAY TO PROTECT HUMAN LIFE 9 Days for LifeĀ is a novena for the protection of human life. January 16-24, 2025 [Prayer and Novena link below]
OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025 [Details and links below]
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | January 23, 2025” |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | January 23, 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 23, 2025 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| January 23, 2025 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUALš¹JOYFULš¹LUMINOUSš¹SORROWFULš¹GLORIOUS” oĆ¹n YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday, January 23, 2025
Reading 1,Ā Hebrews 7:25-8:6
Responsorial Psalm,Ā Psalms 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17
Gospel,Ā Mark 3:7-12
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/
9 DAYS FOR LIFE: PRAY TO PROTECT HUMAN LIFE
9 Days for Life Novena Prayer Link | January 16-24, 2025 | USCCB | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/17/9-days-for-life-novena-usccb/
9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each dayās intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. We continue our novena for life prayer, we pray for the protection of human life. We particularly pray for the safety and well-being of the unborn and all children. May the good Lord protect the life of every human person, from conception to natural death. Amen šš½
“Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.” ~ Isaiah 44:2
PRAYER FOR THE UNBORN: Lord, Creator of Life, You have blessed us with the privilege of bringing new life into the world. Open our hearts and minds to recognize Your special gift of children and Your great love for each of us created in Your image and likeness. Through love, You sent your Son Jesus to redeem us, and through love, He entered our world as an unborn child in the womb of Mary, His mother. We now turn to Mary for her prayers and intercession as we struggle to protect innocent unborn children from decisions that seek to destroy them. Following Mary’s example as mother and disciple, let us proclaim the truth of our faith, assist those in crisis, and protect those most vulnerable, unwanted, and unloved. May the good Lord protect the life of every human person,Ā from conception to natural death. Amen šš½
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2025: January 18-25, 2025
Theme for 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: āDo you believe this?ā (John 11:26)
DAY 6: THE CHURCH: COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/23/2025-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2-day-6/
Today is day six of the week of prayer for Christian Unity, which is celebrated around the world from January 18th – 25th. As we continuerf this year’s week of prayer for Christian Unity, we join our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world in praying for peace, love, justice and unity in our divided and conflicted world so we can better build God’s Kingdom here on earth. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, look down with pity upon us and keep us all united in peace, love and faith, so that we may all be truly one in Christā¦Amenš
All Christian Churches and communities worldwide are invited to use the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 resources to pray together for the unity among churches throughout the year.
Material for each day of the Week of Prayer. The texts provided for personal or communal prayer for each of the eight days include two scripture readings and a psalm. The biblical texts for each day highlight in turn key statements of the Nicene Creed.
Day 1: The fatherhood and care of God who rules the universe
Day 2: Creation as Godās work
Day 3: The Incarnation of the Son
Day 4: The Paschal Mystery: The Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Day 5: The Holy Spirit, the giver of life and joy
Day 6: The Church: Community of believers
Day 7: Baptism into the Death and Resurrection of the Lord
Day 8: Waiting for the Kingdom and the life to come
Reflections and Prayer Links for 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity:
Reflections and Prayers for the Eight Days: A Journey through the Nicene Creed | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/18/2025-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/
Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and throughout the year | 2025 EN WPCU.pdf| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/18/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2025-january-18-25-2025/
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 children all over the world. 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
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF WILDFIRES AND DISASTERS: We continue to pray for the victims of the current wildfires in the United States (Los Angeles, California) and victims of natural disasters across the world. We especially pray for those that have lost their lives and their families.
“Most Merciful God, Be āour refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distressā (Psalm 46:1). You created us and sustain us by Your almighty power. Your mercy knows no bounds. At this time of great suffering, we entrust all victims of the wildfires to You. Comfort them, fill them with Your grace, and provide for their needs. We entrust all who have died to Your merciful Heart. Cleanse them of their sins and welcome them into Your heavenly Kingdom. Give wisdom and prudence to those managing this disaster. Give courage and resolve to those on the front lines. Keep them safe and successful in their efforts. Command the winds and the flames to obey You, Lord, as You once calmed the stormy seas. Pour the water of Your grace upon these destructive fires. Stay them with Your powerful hand. Angels of God, come to the aid of those most in need of Godās mercy. Protect them, guide them, and reveal to them Godās holy will. St. Florian, patron of firefighters, pray for those bravely battling the flames. St. Michael the Archangel, defend them in their peril. Saints in Heaven, we beseech your prayer. Intercede for those most in need. From this tragedy and chaos, bring hope and peace. Turn sorrow into compassion. Turn confusion into faith. Turn despair into divine hope. We place all our trust in You, Most Merciful God, knowing that You will bring forth new life and healing from the ashes of this trial. May Your name be glorified now and forever. Amen” šš½
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN THE ALMSGIVER, PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND SAINT ILDEFONSUS, BISHOP AND SAINT MARIANNE COPE, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 23RD: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria and Saint Ildefonsus, Bishop and Saint Marianne Cope, Religious.
SAINT JOHN THE ALMSGIVER, PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA: St. John the Almagiver also known as St. John the Merciful was John Eleemon Cypriot by birth. He was born in 555 on the island of Cyprus in the city of Amathus as the son of Epiphanius, governor ofĀ Cyprus, and was of noble descent. In early life he was married and had children, but his wife and children soon died, after which he entered religious life. He was theĀ ChalcedonianĀ Patriarch of AlexandriaĀ in the early 7th century (from 606 to 616). On the death of theĀ PatriarchĀ Theodore, the Alexandrians besoughtĀ EmperorĀ PhocasĀ to appoint John his successor, which was accordingly done. St. John the AlmsgiverĀ was a widower probably over 50 when he wasĀ appointed or acclaimedĀ PatriarchĀ of Alexandria. One of the first steps he took was to make a list of several thousand needy persons, whom he took under his especial care. He always referred to the poor as his “lords and masters”, because of their mighty influence at the Court of the Most High. He assisted people of every class who were in need. He sought to serve his masters, the poor, through the direct giving of alms and the establishing of hospitals. He is said to have sat openly available in church on Wednesdays and Fridays so that the poor could speak with him.
St. John opposed Monophysitism and employed Sophronius (later Patriarch of Jerusalem) and John Moschus in his battle against the followers of Severus of Antioch. A man of exemplary uprightness, in his zeal for the faith he strove mightily to fight the many heresies among the Christians in Egypt; but above all, he was famous for his singular generosity, humility, and sympathy towards all, especially the poor. His mercy was so great that the report of it reached the Persian invaders of Jerusalem, who desired to see him because of it. When the Persians invaded Alexandria, St. John returned to Cyprus where he died peacefully in c. 619 at the age of sixty-four. Sophronius and Moschus authored vitae of their friend and mentor. The body of St. John was kept at Constantinople until the XV Century, when the sultan gave it to King Matthias of Hungary. The relics were translated to Bratislava in the XVII century. He is the Patron Saint of Casarano, Italy and of Limassol, Cyprus.
Saint John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria ~ Pray for us š
SAINT ILDEFONSUS, BISHOP: St. Ildefonsus is highly regarded in Spain and closely associated with devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which he fostered by his famous work concerning her perpetual virginity. Born around 607 in Toledo, Spain, Ildefonsus came from a distinguished and
noble family and wasĀ theĀ nephew of St. Eugenius, his predecessor in the See of Toledo and he was probably a pupil of St. Isidore of Seville.
At an early age, despite the determined opposition of his father, he embraced the monastic life in the monastery of Agalia, near Toledo. While still quite young, he enterd the Benedictine monastery of Agalia, he was ordained a deacon, around the year 630 and went on to become its Abbot. In that capacity he attended the Councils of Toledo in 653 and 655. He was called by King Reccesvinth, near the end of 657 to fill the archiepiscopal throne of Toledo. The clergy and people elected this holy man to succeed his uncle, St. Eugenius, as Archbishop of Toledo. He performed his episcopal duties with diligence and sanctity and governed the Church of Toledo for just over nine years until his death on January 23, 667.
This Saint was a favorite subject for medieval artists, especially in connection with the legend of Our Ladyās appearance to present him with a chalice. Ildephonsus had a strong devotion to the Blessd Mother, and it is said that one day he was praying before the relics of Saint Leocadia, when the martyr arose from her tomb and thanked the saint for the devotion he showed towards the Mother of God. It was also related that on another occasion the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in person and presented him with a priestly vestment, to reward him for his zeal in honoring her. St. Ildefonsus was a prolific writer, but unfortunately only four of his works have survived. Among these are the one already mentioned and an important document of the history of the Spanish Church during the first two-thirds of the 7th century, entitled āConcerning Famous Menā.
PRAYER:Ā God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Ildefonsus as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Help us through his intercession to keep the Faith he taught by his word and follow the way he showed by his example. Amenš
SAINT MARIANNE COPE, RELIGIOUS: St. Marianne Cope (1838ā1918), also known as St. Marianne of Molokai, was a German-born American immigrant. St. Marianne Cope was born in western Germany in 1838. She worked in a New York factory before entering the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse.Ā She entered religious life in Syracuse, N.Y. in 1862. She served as a teacher and principal in several schools in the state and established two of the first hospitals in the central New York area: St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica and St. Josephās Hospital in Syracuse. She spent her early years serving as a leader in health care and education.
In 1883, when the Hawaiian government was searching for a religious order to run a station for victims of leprosy, the Syracuse sisters volunteered immediately. Mother Marianneās community was the only one of fifty to respond positively to an emissary from Hawaii who requested Catholic sisters to provide health care on the Hawaiian Islands, especially to those with leprosy. Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii in 1883. She devoted 35 years to caring for those afflicted with Hansenās disease (leprosy) in Molokai, Hawaii. Over the next five years, St. Marianne set up a system of long-term education and care for her patients. She ministered to patients at Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai. Her time of service overlapped with the last years of St. Damien of Molokai, a priest who served victims of Hansenās disease and himself died of leprosy. She also opened a hospital and a school for girls on the island of Maui, and took charge of the home St. Damien of Molokai established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, dignity, and fun into the colony.
Despite her direct contact with leprosy patients over many years, she was not afflicted by the disease, which some consider miraculous. St. Marianne promised her sisters that none of them would ever contract the disease. To this day, no sister has. Her care earned her the affectionate title ābeloved mother of the outcasts.ā St. Marianne died in 1918 and was beatified on May 14, 2005 and canonized on October 21, 2012, both by Pope Benedict XVI. “At a time when little could be done for those suffering from this terrible disease, Marianne Cope showed the highest love, courage and enthusiasm,” Pope Benedict XVI said in his homily during the Mass for her canonization. “She is a shining and energetic example of the best of the tradition of Catholic nursing sisters and of the spirit of her beloved Saint Francis.” St. Marianne feast day is January 23.
Saint Marianne Cope, Religious Religious ~ Pray for us š
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Reading for today’s Holy Mass, Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
“The unclean spirits shouted, āYou are the Son of God,ā but Jesus warned them sternly not to make Him known”
“Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush Him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon Him to touch Him. And whenever unclean spirits saw Him they would fall down before Him and shout, āYou are the Son of God.ā He warned them sternly not to make Him known.”
Today’s Gospel reading gives us a picture of great crowds of people coming to Jesus, not just from Judea and Galilee, but from much further afield, from Idumea, Transjordania, Tyre and Sidon. In particular, all who were afflicted in any way came forward to touch Him. It was the people who were suffering, who were distressed, who had least going for them, that came to Jesus in the biggest numbers. They sensed that he had come to heal their brokenness, that he had come in a special way for the suffering, the broken, the lost. We too come to the Lord with the greatest urgency when we are struggling, when we are in some kind of distress. Like the crowds in the Gospel reading, we reach out to touch the Lord in our brokenness, recognizing Him as the source of healing and life. The Lord is as available to us as He was to the crowds of Galilee; He remains strength in our weakness, healing in our brokenness, life in our various experiences of death. We can approach Him with the same confidence of being well received as the people in the Gospel reading today. Every human being Jesus met was poor and broken to some degree; yet, it was only those who recognized their own poverty and brokenness who responded to Jesus. The Gospel reading suggests that it is above all the sense of our own need, the awareness of our own poverty, that opens us up to the Lordās presence to us. We all need the Lord, because what we receive from Him cannot be received from any merely natural source. That is why He calls on us to seek Him, to ask of Him, to knock on His door, or in the image of todayās Gospel reading, to touch Him. We keep reaching out to touch Him in our brokenness because we have a need deep within us that only He can satisfy. One of the privileged ways we touch the Lord is in the Eucharist, which has been aptly described as broken bread for a broken people.
Our first reading today from the Epistle to the Hebrews is a continuation of the discourse about the truth and identity of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world and the Messiah which the Jewish people had long awaited for. Yesterday’s author spoke about Melchizedek and his connections and associations to Christ, and today we again explore the role of Jesus Christ our Lord as our One, True and Eternal High Priest, as the One through Whom all of us have received the assurance of salvation because He has broken the chains and dominion of sin and death that once had control over all of us. This was particularly directed to the Jewish people in order to explain to them why there was no more need for them to offer sacrifices anymore as they had been mandated by the Law. The author explained that all the sacrifices which the people had offered up to that time were all temporary and reflections of the one true Sacrifice and Offering which the Lord Jesus, as the High Priest offered once and for all for everyone. It was also highlighted how the High Priest and the other priests had to offer sacrifices in atonement for their own sins first before offering the sacrifice for the people, and they also offered the sacrifices and blood of lambs, goats and others that could not atone for the multitudes of sins of so many. And in contrast, Jesus Christ, the One, True and Eternal High Priest had no need to offer sacrifices for Himself because He Himself is without any sin or blemish, perfect in all things beyond comparison. More importantly, what He offered was none other than His own Self, His own Most Precious Body and Blood as the Son of God and Son of Man, as well as the Paschal Lamb of sacrifice, offered as the only worthy offering worth all of the multitudes of the innumerable sins, faults and mistakes of all mankind from the very beginning of time, from the time of Adam and Eve right up to the very end of time. His incarnation into this world made possible the perfection of God and His Divinity to transcend our human nature and make Himself that perfect offering and sacrifice on our behalf. And the Lord Jesus truly did suffer most grievously for our sake, as He willingly bore the great and unimaginable weight of the Cross upon His shoulder, and as the scourges were brought upon Him, nails piercing through His Body, broken and His Blood outpoured for us. As the perfect and most unblemished sacrifice, Our Lord as the Lamb of God offered for us all His own Most Precious Body and Blood for our salvation, and He did it once and for all on Calvary, on His Cross, which is the Altar of His Sacrifice. And by His great grace, He has also extended this same Sacrifice to each and every one of us through the authority and power that He has given to His Church through His disciples. It is one of the core tenets of our Christian faith that we believe in the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, the dogma on Transubstantiation. What we all believe is that during each and every celebrations of the Holy Mass, more appropriately known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the same Sacrifice of Our Lord at Calvary, our One, True and Eternal High Priest has been brought to us, transcending time and space. Each and every one of our priests have all received this same power and authority, that at the moment of the Consecration of the bread and wine, those are turned completely and utterly into the substance and essence of the Lord, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. That is what we all believe in, and we truly believe in the Lord our God Who has manifested Himself in the flesh, so that He could be with us, making Himself approachable and reachable by us, no longer separated by the veil and chasm of sin and death.
One of the most reassuring verses in our first reading today refers to Jesus as āliving forever to intercede for all who come to God through Himā. We are given an image of the risen Lord praying for all who come to God through Him. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Romans, expresses this same conviction. He refers to āChrist Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for usā. Jesus interceding for all who come to God through Him is reflected in our Gospel reading according to Mark, who tells us that great crowds from a very wide area came to God through Jesus. The Lord ministered to His people, healing their sick and casting out evil spirits from those who have been afflicted, among other things that He had done. Their longing for God brought them to Jesus because they recognized Jesus as one in whom God was present and through whom God was at work. When they came to God through Jesus they discovered Jesus to be someone who was working on their behalf, healing their afflictions. The letter to the Hebrews in our first reading today is reminding us that the same Jesus, now risen Lord, continues to work on our behalf, interceding for all who come to God through Him. His continual prayer for us is prior to our prayer to Him. His working on our behalf is prior to our working on His behalf. His prayer for us, His work for us, is a given, and all our own prayer and work is always located within that graced context.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scripture today, we continue on the discourse about the identity of Jesus Christ as the High Priest of all and the Son of God, all the miracles and wonders that He has performed among the people, we are all reminded about Who it is that we believe in, in our faith and belief as Christians so that we all may know how we may share about Him to all others whom we encounter in our respective daily lives. All these sacrifices and wonders showed us once again of the most generous and wonderful love of God made clear and tangible for us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour. As Christians, it is therefore very important that we must always be grateful of everything that God has done for us, in all the sufferings and the sacrifices He had made for our sake. It is sad to know that quite a few Christians do not truly recognise and appreciate the Lord for what He had done for us, when as our Gospel reading today mentioned, that even evil spirits proclaimed Him as the Holy One of God. Have we made the Lord to be the very centre and focus of our lives? Or have we instead allowed the many temptations around us, our many pursuits for power and glory to distract us away from God and His salvation? Let us all therefore remind ourselves to be ever more faithful to the Lord in all things, and to commit ourselves ever more wholeheartedly in each and every moments of our lives, so that by our every actions and commitment, our every words, deeds and interactions with one another, we will draw ever closer to God and to His grace. Let us all remind ourselves of these things as we continue to move forward in life, making good use of the time and opportunities which have been presented to us. Let us no longer take Godās love for granted, but do our best from now on to do His will wholeheartedly, to love Him with all of our might and strength from now on, as we all should do. We are called to emulate the Holy men and women, and Saints of God, particularly the Saints we celebrate today, Saint John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria and Saint Ildefonsus, Bishop and Saint Marianne Cope, Religious. May all of us as Christians, as Godās beloved people, continue to be good role models in all of our lives, our every moments and actions, so that by our lives we may truly be the living examples and the shining beacons of Godās light, love and truth, illuminating this world darkened by sin and evil. May all of us continue to persist in our efforts and works, in doing what we can so that by our lives, Godās Name may truly be glorified, and many more souls may be saved by their return to the Lord. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace and empower each one of us to walk in His light, that we may inspire many more people to follow our examples and to walk in our footsteps, for the salvation of many more souls. May the good Lord be with us always, and may He continue to bestow His blessings and love on us, so that we may also be truly loving in all of our words, actions and deeds. May God bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen š
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 2025: 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!
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this feast day, we humbly pray and 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! And as we begin the Ordinary Time, may the Lord grant us the grace to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 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 sick with heart diseases, strokes, mental illness, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. 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:
My saving God, I turn to You, this day, and seek to be single-minded in my love and devotion to You. Help me, first and foremost, to listen to Your transforming Word and to allow that Word to become the central focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen š
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Mother Mary, Saint John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria and Saint Ildefonsus, Bishop and St. Marianne Cope ~ Pray for usš
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/
SIR G.L.I OPIEPEāS HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org
https://youtu.be/gB31nuOFx0A?si=mSoZs-wiByhGsY
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
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/
THE JUBILEE PRAYER
Link to the prayer of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/08/the-jubilee-prayer/
Thanking God for the gift of this new year and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all as we begin this Ordinary Time. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe, healthy, prosperous, and grace-filled New Year and week. Amenš
Blessings and Love always, Philomena š