SATURDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 21, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (JESUIT SEMINARIAN) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-june-21st/ )
DAY FOUR: NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS | Novena dates: June 18–26, 2025. The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart is June 27, 2025 | Novena links and prayers below | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | June 21, 2025 | “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-109/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today is Saturday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time.
On this special feast day, we pray for all those who are marginalized in our society, the poor and the needy. We pray for justice, peace and love in our world today. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world. We 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. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏🏽
We thank God for the gift of life and, we lift up in prayer all who celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and all those marking special milestones in June. May the Lord bless and favor them abundantly, guide their steps, and grant them joy, peace, and good health of body and mind. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, workers and all those who labour 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 the Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of June🙏🏽
AN EFFICACIOUS NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
DAY FOUR
Attributed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Saint Padre Pio recited this novena every day for all those who requested his prayers.
This novena can be prayed any time of year or, as did Padre Pio, perpetually throughout the year. However, it is traditionally prayed for nine days prior to the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart.
Pray all prayers below every day during the novena
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Prayer One:
O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (name your request here)
Our Father…; Hail Mary…; Glory Be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Amen 🙏🏽
Prayer Two:
O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (name your request here)
Our Father…; Hail Mary…; Glory Be To the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Amen 🙏🏽
Prayer Three:
O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (name your request here)
Our Father…; Hail Mary…; Glory Be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Amen 🙏🏽
Concluding Prayer:
O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners
and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
your tender Mother and ours.
The Hail Holy Queen (The Salve Regina)
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us O most holy Mother of God, That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽
Optional Litany to the Sacred Heart
By St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Hail, Heart of Jesus, save me!
Hail, Heart of my Creator, perfect me!
Hail, Heart of my Savior, deliver me!
Hail, Heart of my Judge, grant me pardon!
Hail, Heart of my Father, govern me!
Hail, Heart of my Spouse, grant me love!
Hail, Heart of my Master, teach me!
Hail, Heart of my King, be my crown!
Hail, Heart of my Benefactor, enrich me!
Hail, Heart of my Shepherd, guard me!
Hail, Heart of my Friend, comfort me!
Hail, Heart of my Brother, stay with me!
Hail, Heart of the Child Jesus, draw me to yourself!
Hail, Heart of Jesus dying on the Cross, redeem me!
Hail, Heart of Jesus in all your states, give yourself to me!
Hail, Heart of incomparable goodness, have mercy on me!
Hail, Heart of splendor, shine within me!
Hail, most loving Heart, inflame me!
Hail, most merciful Heart, work within me!
Hail, most humble Heart, dwell within me!
Hail, most patient Heart, support me!
Hail, most faithful Heart, be my reward!
Hail, most admirable and most worthy Heart, bless me!
Lord Jesus,
let my heart never rest until it finds You,
who are its center, its love, and its happiness.
By the wound in Your heart,
pardon the sins that I have committed
whether out of malice or out of evil desires.
Place my weak heart in Your own divine Heart,
continually under Your protection and guidance,
so that I may persevere in doing good
and in fleeing evil until my last breath.
Amen 🙏🏽
Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious | Saturday, June 21, 2025
Reading 1: 2 Corinthians 12:1–10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:8–9, 10–11, 12–13
Gospel: Matthew 6:24–34
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 6:24–34
“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil”
“Jesus said to His disciples: “No one 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 God and mammon. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
In today’s Gospel reading, at the end Jesus makes a distinction between the pagans who set their hearts on food, drink and clothing and his followers who are to set their heart on the coming of God’s kingdom and on what He calls ‘God’s righteousness’, which is the doing of God’s will. That distinction governs all Jesus has been saying prior to this statement. We are not to worry about our earthly life, what we are to eat and drink, and about our body, what we are to wear, to the point where this worry becomes dominant in our lives. It goes without saying that for those who lack the basic necessities of life, what to eat and drink and how to be clothed will be the dominant concern of their lives, and Jesus is clear in His teaching that we have a responsibility to meet their needs, declaring that what we do or fail to do to them we do or fail to do to him. Seeking first the kingdom of God will often mean feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. However, Jesus seems to be primarily addressing those who are in danger of allowing their concern for material things to become dominant in their lives or, in the language of the Gospel reading, those who are in danger of becoming slaves of money. We can be overly anxious about matters that are not of ultimate importance and not anxious enough about what really matters in the Lord’s eyes. Jesus is less concerned with the presence of anxiety in our lives as with the focus of our anxiety. He met many people in the course of His ministry who were anxious about the wrong things. The Lord wants us to be anxious, to set our heart on, what really matters. He calls on us to allow His own anxiety for the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will to become the dominant anxiety in our lives.
In our Gospel, as Jesus speaks directly to the anxious and the weary, He reminds us of a fundamental truth: we cannot serve two masters. In a world driven by competition, accumulation, and the fear of not having enough, Jesus calls us back to the freedom of trust. “You cannot serve God and mammon.” This stark statement asks us to choose: whom will we trust God or worldly security? Jesus doesn’t merely warn against materialism; He offers an invitation to radical dependence on the Father who provides all we truly need. Jesus urges us not to worry about food, clothing, or the future. He does not diminish the reality of our needs but reframes them in the context of faith. Look at the birds, the wildflowers they do not toil or store, yet they are sustained and clothed in beauty. Are we not more valuable than they? In these lines, Jesus points to the Father’s tender care and asks us to live not from fear but from faith. Worry, He teaches, adds nothing to life. Instead, we are called to seek first the Kingdom to align our hearts with God’s will, to prioritize love, truth, justice, and holiness and all else will be provided. This Gospel is not a denial of responsibility but an invitation to reorder our priorities. When we place God at the center, when we truly seek His righteousness, the rest falls into place not always as we expect, but always according to His perfect wisdom. The final line is gentle yet powerful: “Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” In other words, take each day as it comes. Trust God with tomorrow.
In our First Reading today, Saint Paul gives us a profound insight into the paradox of Christian strength. He recounts a mystical experience being caught up to Paradise but refuses to boast in it. Instead, he chooses to boast in his weakness. Why? Because it is in weakness that God’s power is made perfect. St. Paul speaks of a “thorn that was given to him in the flesh,” a mysterious suffering that humbled him, which he considered to be a messenger of Satan. In other words, as far as he was concerned it was detrimental to his spiritual well-being. Whatever St. Paul is referring to, he had an expectation that the Lord would take it from him, in response to his persistent prayer. ‘Three times, I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it would leave me’. St. Paul’s prayer was answered but not in the way he expected, not in the way he wanted it to be answered. St. Paul was not delivered from his thorn in the flesh. Instead the Lord assured him that this negative experience provided an opportunity for the Lord to work powerfully in St. Paul’s life. The Lord’s grace would see St. Paul through. Sometimes our greatest personal struggles can be the means through which we grow in our relationship with the Lord. Our most painful experiences can open us up to a power that is greater than any merely human strength within ourselves. If we turn to the Lord in the midst of such experiences, like St. Paul, our prayer will always be answered, even if the thorn in the flesh does not leave us.
According to our first reading, even though St. Paul pleaded with God to remove the suffering, the answer he received was one that echoes across generations: “My grace is sufficient for you.” This passage is a source of comfort to anyone burdened by suffering, chronic illness, spiritual struggle, or emotional pain. St. Paul’s example shows that God does not always remove our trials, but He always infuses them with grace. Our limitations become places of encounter with divine strength. When we embrace our vulnerability with humility, we create room for Christ to dwell in us and act through us.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” This psalm is a song of trust and encouragement. It reminds us that those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. The psalmist speaks from experience those who fear the Lord are not abandoned. “Come, children, hear me,” he says. Like a spiritual mentor, the psalmist teaches us that a life anchored in reverence for God brings joy and fullness, even amid life’s storms. The Lord surrounds and delivers those who fear Him. He is not far from the suffering; He is near to those who call out in faith.
As we reflect and meditate on today’s Sacred Scriptures, we are invited to look inward. What “masters” compete for my loyalty—success, security, pride, approval? Do I seek first the Kingdom of God each day, or do I often allow fear and anxiety to take control of my heart? What is my “thorn in the flesh,” and how can I begin to see it not as a curse but as a space for grace? Do I truly believe that God sees me as more valuable than the birds of the sky and the lilies of the field? Am I willing to trust in divine providence, not only in word but in daily surrender? Let us not be ruled by fear or enslaved by the pursuit of worldly gain. Instead, may we fix our hearts on the Kingdom of God, trusting in His daily provision and embracing the grace found in our weakness. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and with our eyes set on heaven and hearts anchored in Christ, may we walk each day in peace, in purpose, and in faithful surrender to the God who never fails. 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, teach me to live one day at a time, trusting in Your love and providence. Remove the chains of anxiety and open my eyes to the beauty of Your care all around me. When I feel weak, may I lean into Your strength. When I am tempted to serve the world, call me back to seek Your Kingdom first. Give me the grace to rest in Your sufficiency and to find peace in Your will. In all things, may Your power be made perfect in me. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (JESUIT SEMINARIAN) ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 21ST: Today, Holy Mother Church honors Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a radiant example of youthful holiness, purity, and self-giving love. Born into nobility and destined for military greatness, Saint Aloysius chose instead the path of humility, chastity, and radical service to Christ. As we celebrate his memorial, we entrust to his powerful intercession all young people, especially Catholic youth, seminarians, and students discerning their vocation. We pray for the sick and the dying, especially those battling terminal illnesses like cancer or enduring long suffering in silence. Through his example of self-sacrifice during plague and illness, we also remember and pray for all who care for the sick, particularly in times of pandemic and crisis. We lift up families torn by division, the poor and forgotten, and especially the Church and her priests that they may be strengthened by the spirit of purity, service, and joy that marked Saint Aloysius’s short but holy life. May our Blessed Mother, to whom he consecrated his heart, intercede with him for us. Amen. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | June 21st https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-june-21st/ )
SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (JESUIT SEMINARIAN): Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568–1591) was born into the Italian nobility, the eldest son of the Marquis of Castiglione. Though trained from childhood in the arts of war and courtly life, Aloysius’s heart was set on God. By the age of nine, he had made a private vow of perpetual virginity, and from then on, lived with deep devotion, mortification, and spiritual fervor. To guard his purity, he kept his eyes lowered in the presence of women and lived with constant prayer and penance. He encountered holiness early: he received First Communion from Saint Charles Borromeo and was later guided spiritually by Saint Robert Bellarmine. Despite opposition from his family, who wished him to become a bishop for influence and power, Aloysius renounced his title and inheritance at the age of eighteen and entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). He was known for his humility, intense interior life, and his self-discipline.
While still in formation and before becoming a priest, a plague broke out in Rome. Though of delicate health himself, Aloysius volunteered to serve in hospitals, caring for the sick and dying. He contracted the disease and after months of suffering, died at the age of 23 on June 21, 1591, on the octave of Corpus Christi, whispering the name of Jesus as he passed into eternal life.
His unwavering devotion, innocent soul, and sacrificial love made a deep impression on his contemporaries and continue to inspire the Church. Saint Aloysius is venerated as the Patron Saint of youth, teenagers, students, Jesuit novices, and those suffering from epidemics. In our time, he is often seen as a patron of those who care for AIDS or pandemic patients a model of holy service in times of contagion.
PRAYER: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, your radiant love for Christ and heroic service in the face of illness shine as a bright light for today’s youth and all who seek purity and purpose. Pray for us, that we may strive for holiness even in our youth, and live for what is eternal. May we, like you, entrust everything to God and give ourselves fully to His will. Help the young to say “yes” to God with joy and courage. Amen. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Aloysius Gonzaga ~ 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 JUNE: That the world might grow in compassion. Let us pray that each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from his Heart, learn to have compassion on the world.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE | MONTH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS: June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a powerful sign of Christ’s love and mercy. His Heart, pierced and crowned with thorns, burns with compassion for all humanity. This devotion calls us to return love for love to console His Heart and make reparation for sin and indifference. Rooted in the revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the Church invites us this month to deepen our trust in Jesus, especially through First Friday devotions, the Litany of the Sacred Heart, and acts of consecration. His words echo in our hearts: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29).
The Sacred Heart shows us what true love looks like patient, humble, and self-giving. In a world often cold and restless, we find peace and healing in His Heart.
“Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.”
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach us to love as You love. Fill our hearts with compassion, mercy, and a deep desire to follow You. Amen 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, we lift our hearts in prayer for all youth and young people throughout the world that they may be inspired by his example of purity, prayer, and courage to seek holiness above all else. We pray for seminarians, students, and those discerning their vocations, that they may respond with generous hearts to God’s call. We remember all who are sick, especially those suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses, and those who, like Saint Aloysius, dedicate themselves to the care of the sick and dying. May God strengthen healthcare workers, caregivers, and families facing hardship. We pray for peace in anxious hearts and for trust in Divine Providence, especially for those burdened by fear, financial distress, or uncertainty about the future. May the poor, the forgotten, and those weighed down by the trials of life be comforted by the God who provides. We entrust our Church, her priests, and all who serve God’s people to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask that they be renewed in zeal and grace. May we all learn to seek first the Kingdom of God, trusting that everything else will be added in His perfect time.
LET US PRAY
My Lord and God, You are worthy of all of my love. You and You alone must become the single focus of all of my love. As I love You, dear Lord, help me to discover all that Your will directs me to love more and all that Your will calls me to detach from. May I choose only You and that which is contained in Your holy and perfect will. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Eternal Father, You are our refuge and our strength. Teach us, like Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, to live with purity of heart and unwavering trust in You. Free us from anxiety and help us to seek first Your Kingdom. In our weakness, may Your power be made perfect, and in our trials, may Your grace sustain us. Strengthen all young people to walk the path of holiness and fill our hearts with a desire for what is eternal. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Aloysius Gonzaga ~ Pray for us🙏🏽
Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and as we now enter the 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 week be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled start to Ordinary Time, and a peaceful and relaxing weekend🙏🏽
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 Missons 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