MEMORIAL OF SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR

SATURDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 28, 2025

MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/memorial-of-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary/

[The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated on Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost]

MEMORIAL OF SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-june-28th/ )

Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Our Blessed Mother Mary!

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | June 28, 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-113/

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.🙏🏽

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

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

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

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Today’s Bible Readings and Reflection for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary | June 28, 2025

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 2:41-51

“His mother kept all these things in her heart”

“Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus, at the young age of twelve, displays that single-minded devotion to God and to God’s purpose and work, as He says to His worried parents, ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ Jesus’ single-minded, single-hearted, devotion to God His Father, was a trial for His mother, Mary. The Gospel reading says that she did not understand what her young son meant. She had to learn to let Him go to God’s purpose, God’s work and the Gospel suggests that it was a struggle for her at times. Yet, she allowed her own heart to be given over to what God wanted for Jesus and for herself, even though it did not always come easy to her. Her struggle to do this is the struggle of each one of us. When it comes to God and His Son, we are tempted to have a divided heart, to give just some of our heart to God. The heart of Jesus is the heart of God, a heart full of love for humankind. It is a heart that can be , it was on the cross. The heart of Mary is the heart of a mother, a heart that is full of love for her aschild, a heart that is easily broken because whatever affects her child affects her deeply.  Today’s memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary places Mary before us as an inspiration and encouragement to us in our struggle. Her human heart is the perfect human response to Jesus’ Sacred Heart of love and that is why we can turn to her with confidence and ask her to pray for us sinners now, as we try to respond to the love of Jesus in the wholehearted way that she did.

On today’s memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we are being invited to recognize Mary as one in whom the Lord made both integrity and praise to spring up. A wonderful example of her praise of God is her great prayer, the Magnificat, to be found at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. As well as being a woman of praise, she was a woman of integrity. There was nothing false about her. She gave her heart to God and her life was an expression of that dedication of herself to God. Her heart was immaculate in the sense that there was no trace of sin or self-centredness there. She lived for God, surrendering to God’s purpose for her life, ‘let it be to me according to your word’. She was the prime example of what the Gospels call the ‘pure in heart’.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, after the celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, reminds us all of the special link and connection that Jesus our Lord has with His mother Mary, and just how the loving, Immaculate Heart of Mary is truly a reflection of her own Son’s Most Sacred Heart. Mary’s heart is full of love for all of us, her adopted children, as we all have been entrusted by the Lord to her to be our own mother, and as we also become her own children by faith. Therefore, today, as we commemorate this Feast in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Mother of God and also our own mother, let us all hence commit ourselves anew to love the Lord, our God and Saviour, through the examples that our beloved mother herself had shown, in how Mary had dedicated her whole life to love her Son, and how she had dedicated her whole life to obey God’s will and becoming the perfect example for all of us in how we should live our own lives as Christians. Let us all henceforth renew our faith in the Lord our God, entrusting ourselves in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, His Mother, as well as in His Most Sacred Heart, that we may strive from now on, in our best ability and effort to walk ever more faithfully in His presence, distancing ourselves from sin, and turning once again into the path of righteousness and justice, following the path that God has shown us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to turn to our Blessed Mother Mary with confidence and ask her to pray for us sinners and continue to guide us in our journey of faith through life, that we may always ever be faithful, at all times. Amen 🙏🏽

Today’s Bible Readings and Reflection for Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | June 28, 2025
Reading 1: Genesis 18:1–15
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:46–47, 48–49, 50 and 53, 54–55
Gospel: Matthew 8:5–17

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 8:5–17

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed”

In today’s Gospel, we encounter the great humility and deep faith of a Roman centurion a man of worldly authority who recognizes true divine power in Jesus. Though he commands soldiers, he kneels before Christ and acknowledges his own unworthiness. His words, “only say the word and my servant will be healed,” have echoed through centuries and now form part of our Eucharistic prayer before Holy Communion. This moment of faith moves Jesus so deeply that He declares, “In no one in Israel have I found such faith.” The centurion becomes a model for us a reminder that true faith is not about religious background or status, but about trust in God’s power and surrender to His will.

Jesus’ response is immediate: the servant is healed at that very hour. But the Gospel doesn’t stop there. As Jesus enters Peter’s house and heals his mother-in-law, and later cures many others, we see that Christ’s mercy and healing are not bound by time, place, or social standing. He meets the broken where they are, and His word has power to restore. The prophecy from Isaiah is fulfilled: “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Today we are reminded that Christ does not stand at a distance from our suffering He enters into it with compassion and divine authority.

In the first reading, Abraham shows radical hospitality to three mysterious visitors who appear at the heat of day. He runs to greet them, offers rest, water, and a feast all without knowing their full identity. In return, he receives a divine promise: that within a year, his wife Sarah will bear a son. Sarah, overhearing this, laughs in disbelief. She has grown old and her body no longer carries the capacity for childbearing. But the Lord responds, “Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do?” This encounter reveals the patient fidelity of God and His power to work wonders beyond human expectation. Sarah’s laughter is the laughter of a heart grown weary with waiting, yet God’s promise breaks through that weariness with hope. How often do we, like Sarah, laugh not out of joy but doubt unsure that God can still bring new life to the barren places in our hearts or situations? Today we are reminded that even in delay or apparent impossibility, God remains faithful. What He promises, He fulfills.

In the Responsorial Psalm, Mary’s Magnificat becomes the response to both the Gospel and Genesis reading. Her song of praise is a declaration that God remembers the lowly, lifts up the humble, and fulfills His promises. “The Lord has remembered His mercy.” In Mary, we see the opposite of Sarah’s doubt an immediate and wholehearted yes to the impossible. God’s mercy meets both the doubter and the believer, the weary and the trusting. Whether we stand amazed like Abraham, skeptical like Sarah, or surrendered like Mary, God draws near and keeps His word.

Reflecting on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are called to ponder on the Scriptures. Do I believe that God’s word has the power to heal me, even now? Like the centurion, am I willing to lay down control and admit my need for divine help? In what ways am I like Sarah laughing at God’s promises because they seem too good or too late? Do I still trust that nothing is too marvelous for the Lord? How can I open my heart today like Mary, to believe that God remembers His mercy and fulfills what He has promised? Today’s readings call us to a living faith a faith that believes God’s word can heal, restore, and bring forth new life even when all seems lost or delayed. The centurion teaches us to approach Jesus with humility and trust, knowing that even a single word from Him can change everything. Abraham and Sarah remind us that God’s promises often unfold in His time, not ours, and Mary’s Magnificat assures us that God never forgets His mercy. Let us live as people who trust in the impossible, welcome the Lord in unexpected moments, and proclaim His faithfulness to a world in need. No situation is beyond His reach, and no heart is too distant to be restored. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and let our faith rise, our hope be renewed, and our life bear witness to the power of God’s word at work.🙏🏽

Lord Jesus, I come before You with faith, like the centurion, knowing that Your word alone brings healing and peace. Strengthen my trust when I feel unworthy or unsure. Teach me to welcome Your presence in the ordinary moments of my life, like Abraham did, and help me recognize the divine even when it is hidden. Turn my doubt into joy, my fear into confidence, and my waiting into hopeful expectation. Let me never forget that You are the God who remembers His mercy and fulfills every promise in Your perfect time. Amen. 🙏🏽

MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (SATURDAY FOLLOWING THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST) AND SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 28TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (Patron of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama), Doctor of the Church, Bishop and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Irenaeus and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world, especially those suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏🏽

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary | Feast Day: Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/memorial-of-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary/

Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | June 28th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-june-28th/ )

MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: Today, the church celebrates the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated on the Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost, the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart, which is celebrated on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. The coming together in this way of the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary brings home to us the unique relationship between Jesus and His Mother Mary. The closeness of the two celebrations shows how the heart of Mary is close to the heart of her Son. The word ‘Immaculate’ comes from the Latin noun ‘macula’, which in English means a spot or stain, and the Latin adjetive ‘maculatus’, which means stained. Immaculatus, then, is unstained. When we speak of the immaculate heart of Mary we are stating that her heart was free of all moral stain. It was a heart that was completely given over to God, and to her Son, who was God incarnate. She is to be found among ‘the pure in heart’, whom Jesus declares blessed because they will see God. Mary had that purity of heart or intention; she was single minded in her devotion to God and to her Son, who was also God’s Son. This devotion honors Mary’s perfect purity of heart in virtue of her Immaculate Conception, and the perfect union of her heart—on fire with love for God and her spiritual children—with the heart of her Son, Jesus. The traditional image of the heart of Jesus is of a pierced heart, a heart that has suffered because of love. The heart of Mary is also a pierced heart. When Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon said to Mary, ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too’. This memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary celebrates Mary as one whose heart is given over completely to God’s will and purpose for her life. The Sacred Heart of Jesus reveals God’s unconditional love for us all. Mary’s immaculate heart reveals her total love for God, with all her heart, mind, soul and strength. In two passages in the Gospel of Luke we have reference to Mary treasuring and pondering in her heart the sacred events of Jesus’ life, which became the foundation of the pious devotion to the Heart of Mary in the Church.

In the midst of the second world war Pope Pius XII put the whole world under the special protection of our Savior’s Mother by consecrating it to her Immaculate Heart, and in 1944 he decreed that in the future the whole Church should celebrate the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This is not a new devotion. In the seventeenth century, St. John Eudes preached it together with that of the Sacred Heart; in the nineteenth century, Pius VII and Pius IX allowed several churches to celebrate a feast of the Pure Heart of Mary. Pope Pius XII instituted today’s feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the whole Church, so as to obtain by her intercession “peace among nations, freedom for the Church, the conversion of sinners, the love of purity and the practice of virtue” (Decree of May 4, 1944). We commemorate this Feast in honor of the interior life of Mary, mother of Jesus, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus Christ, and her motherly and compassionate love for all mankind. Traditionally, the Immaculate Heart is depicted pierced with seven swords or wounds, in homage to the seven dolors of Mary and roses, usually red or white, wrapped around the heart. Patron Saint of Apostleship of Prayer, Ratnapura Diocese, Alliance of Sacred Hearts, Russian Territories, Scotland, Central Africa, Republic of the Congo, Angola, Ecuador, Panama, Minglanilla, Cebu, Philippines, and, Georgia.

HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death… Amen🙏🏽 

THE MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen🙏🏽

PRAYER: Lord our God, you made the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary the home of your eternal Word and the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Give us a heart that is free from sin and attentive to your will, that, faithful to your commandments, we may love you above all things and seek to help others in their need. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏🏽

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

SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR: Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Bishop, Martyr, and Doctor of the Church. Declared Doctor Unitatis (“Doctor of Unity”) by Pope Francis in 2022, Saint Irenaeus is remembered as one of the first great theologians of the Church. A disciple of Saint Polycarp who himself was taught by Saint John the Apostle Irenaeus was deeply rooted in the Apostolic Tradition. He served as Bishop of Lyons in the 2nd century and bravely defended the Christian faith against the Gnostic heresies that threatened the Church. In his most famous work, Against Heresies, Irenaeus clearly refuted false teachings and affirmed the truth of Christ’s Incarnation, the goodness of creation, and the unity of Scripture and Tradition. His writings continue to shape Catholic theology and witness to a faith that is both deeply intellectual and pastorally grounded. He died a martyr around the year 202 A.D., sealing his teachings with the ultimate witness of his life. Through his intercession, may we be renewed in fidelity to the truth of Christ, grow in unity as one Body, and remain steadfast in proclaiming the Gospel in love and clarity.

PRAYER: O God, who called Saint Irenaeus to bear witness to Your truth and to strengthen the peace and unity of the Church, grant that we, inspired by his teaching and example, may grow in faith and love, and work always for the unity of all believers. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Saint Irenaeus of Lyons ~ 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 the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we turn to our Blessed Mother, whose heart was pierced with sorrow yet remained full of grace and unwavering trust. May we learn from her example to treasure God’s word deeply, even when we do not fully understand His ways. Through her maternal intercession, may our hearts become more pure, more patient, and more surrendered to the will of God. As we reflect on the faith of the centurion, the divine mercy shown to Abraham and Sarah, and the healing compassion of Christ in today’s Gospel, we lift up our hearts in prayer. We pray for all who are in need of healing physical, emotional, or spiritual especially those suffering in silence. May they encounter the gentle touch of Christ, who bore our infirmities and carried our diseases. We pray for an increase in faith, like that of the centurion, that we may trust God’s word even when we cannot see the outcome. Inspired by Saint Irenaeus, fearless defender of truth and unity, we also pray for the Church in her mission to preserve the integrity of the Gospel in a world confused by false teachings. May God grant unity among Christians, wisdom to theologians, and courage to those who stand for the truth. We remember the persecuted, the weary, and the doubting, asking the Lord to fill every heart with renewed hope, unwavering faith, and enduring peace.

LET US PRAY

My merciful Jesus, You continually come to me, approaching me to reach out and touch me with Your grace. You desire my healing and strengthening every day. Help me to be open to all that You wish to bestow and please free me from all that keeps me down. May I rise up in service of You and Your holy will so that Your Kingdom may be built up more fully through me. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽

And on this memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, help us to imitate the purity, integrity, and surrender of her heart. May her maternal love guide us closer to You, and may her prayers sustain us when we struggle to understand Your ways. Touch the hearts of the suffering, comfort the broken, and lead all souls to the healing embrace of Your mercy. In all things, may we proclaim Your greatness and trust in the promise of Your eternal love. Lord God, You are the One who sees, who heals, and who fulfills all promises in Your perfect time. Strengthen our faith when it falters, and teach us to trust in Your word with the humility and boldness of the centurion. Like Abraham and Sarah, may we believe that nothing is too marvelous for You. Like Saint Irenaeus, may we stand firm in the truth, working for unity and peace in Your Church. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Saint Irenaeus of Lyons ~ 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 and fruitful Saturday and relaxing weekend 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

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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