SATURDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 5, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA, PRIEST; SAINT ATHANASIUS THE ATHONITE, ABBOT AND SAINT ZOE OF ROME, MARTYR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, and Saint Zoe of Rome | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-5th/)
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/01/first-fridays-and-first-saturdays-devotions/
FIRST FRIDAYS DEVOTION: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | July 5, 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-119/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today is Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time! We give thanks to God for the gift of life and the grace to see a new month. As we step into the month of July, may the Precious Blood of Jesus cover and protect us, heal our wounds, and strengthen our faith. We pray for all who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new beginnings, and special moments in this month of July. May God’s blessings overflow in their lives. May this month bring peace to troubled hearts, direction to the lost, comfort to the grieving, and strength to the weary. In all things, may His will be done and His name be glorified. Amen. 🙏🏽
On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we humbly pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted 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 all those who are marginalized in our society, the poor and the needy. 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 continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
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 & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. 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 July.🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of July | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-july/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS:
The FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION is a Catholic practice that involves attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion and praying and adoring before the Blessed Sacrament on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row. The devotion originated in the 17th century after Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and spoke of His Sacred Heart. Jesus promised that those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays of nine consecutive months will receive the grace of final perseverance. The devotion is a way to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to atone for sins. The devotion is also known as the Communions of Reparation to the Sacred Heart or the Nine First Fridays Devotion. The Roman Catholic Church fully approved the devotion.
Some elements of the First Fridays Devotion include:
Sacramental Confession: A preparation for the devotion
Holy Communion: Received on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row
Holy Hour: Spent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer for the Holy Father: A prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father
The devotion is said to offer many spiritual blessings, including:
Increased Grace: The soul is strengthened and intimacy with Christ is deepened through the frequent reception of the Eucharist
Inner Peace: Trusting in Jesus’ promises can bring comfort in times of trial
Forgiveness and Healing: Reparation for sins can bring peace to the heart and renewal in Christ
Final Perseverance: Those who complete the devotion with love and faith are assured of Christ’s presence at the moment of death
The FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION originated from the 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. During these apparitions, Our Lady asked for acts of reparation to be made on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, with the intention of atoning for the sins committed against her Immaculate Heart. While the Sacred Heart of Jesus promises abundant blessings, including peace, consolation, and assistance at the hour of death, to those who faithfully observe nine consecutive First Fridays. Similarly, Our Lady extends her maternal protection and the promise of salvation to those who commit to five consecutive First Saturdays in honor of her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promises her assistance and graces especially at the hour of death, as well as peace and consolation in families and eventual salvation for those who faithfully practice the First Five Saturdays devotion. It involves attending Mass, receiving communion, praying the Rosary, and meditating on its mysteries on 5 consecutive first Saturdays with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The promises of Mary for the First Five Saturdays devotion:
On each First Saturday, after receiving communion, reciting the Rosary, and meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary, Our Lady promised to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all those who make this devotion in reparation to Her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promised to grant peace to families who fulfill this devotion.
Those who fulfill the devotion will be consoled by Our Lady and will see Her eventually in heaven.
Our Lady promised to assist in the salvation of those who practice this devotion by the graces of Her Immaculate Heart.
These First Saturday Prayers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are recommended for those participating in the Five First Saturdays devotion.
Please see below links for both First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions:
First Fridays Devotion: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-fridays-first-saturdays-devotions/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings for Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | July 5, 2025
Reading 1: Genesis 27:1–5, 15–29
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 135:1b–2, 3–4, 5–6
Gospel: Matthew 9:14–17
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 9:14–17
“Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?”
“The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus compares His ministry to that of a wedding feast. He refers to Himself as the bridegroom and to His disciples as the bride. In the Galilee of Jesus’ time a village wedding could last several days. It was one of the few occasions when villagers could enjoy a really good feast. Fasting was out of the question. Jesus is the presence on earth of the divine bridegroom calling Israel and, through them, all humanity into a renewed relationship of faithful love with God. The faithful Lord is seeking to evoke a faithful response from His people. This is a celebratory moment, when fasting would be out of place. Jesus is inviting people to celebrate the boundless mercy of God towards all. The prophets often spoke of God as a bridegroom and His people as His bride. Jesus claims to embody this divine bridegroom. He further suggests that His public ministry is like a wedding celebration in that it is a time for rejoicing. Jesus informs the Pharisees that during this special time of His public ministry, fasting is not appropriate. It is, rather, a time for sharing table, and Jesus shared table with all sorts of people. At table He revealed God’s hospitable love, especially to those who felt beyond the reach of God’s love. In keeping with that wedding image for this public ministry, Jesus goes on to speak of the new wine of His ministry. Wine is associated with sharing table, especially in the setting of a wedding feast. Jesus reminds His interrogators that the new wine of His ministry calls for new wineskins, a way of life in keeping with the good news proclaimed by His life. We are always in the presence of the risen Lord, the divine bridegroom, and He is always offering us new wine, the new wine of God’s kingdom. One of the privileged moments when we are offered this new wine is at the Eucharist. Jesus’ gift of new wine, the good news of God’s hospitable love, will always call on us to keep abandoning old wineskins, ways of life that are not in keeping with the good news He brings. We always stand before the Lord’s call for a renewal of life that is worthy of the presence of the bridegroom, a way of life that is capable of containing in some way the new wine of God’s loving presence in Jesus.
The question that the disciples of John the Baptist put to Jesus in today’s Gospel reading suggest that they recognized a clear difference in style between the ministry of John and the ministry of Jesus. John the Baptist’s ministry and that of his disciples was characterized by fasting and other ascetic practices. While the ministry of Jesus and His disciples was marked more by celebration. The response that Jesus gives to the question from the disciples of John is rich with meaning: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” Indeed, Jesus goes on to compare His ministry and presence among the people to that of a bridegroom at a wedding feast. As long as the bridegroom is present, the time is one of joy and celebration. Mourning and fasting will come later, when the bridegroom is taken away. Jesus is not dismissing the value of fasting but redefining the context. His coming marks a new moment in salvation history one that cannot simply be contained within old customs or rigid expectations. The image of new wine needing new wineskins is a call to open our hearts to the freshness and radical love that Christ brings. The Gospel invites us to not only examine our spiritual habits but also our openness to God doing something new in our lives. Are we ready to let go of what no longer serves our growth and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into vessels of living grace?
In our first reading, we encounter a complex moment from the Book of Genesis the deception of Isaac by his wife Rebekah and son Jacob, which results in Jacob receiving the blessing meant for Esau. While the act of deception may be troubling, it reminds us of how God’s purposes often unfold through human weakness and imperfection. Rebekah’s actions, though manipulative, were driven by her understanding of God’s earlier prophecy that the younger son would receive the blessing. Jacob, though flawed, would go on to become the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. This story reveals a God who can work even through our mistakes and missteps to bring about His greater plan. It also challenges us to reflect on how we discern God’s will and whether we trust Him enough to let His timing unfold without manipulation. Even in tangled relationships and uncertain outcomes, God’s providence moves forward.
The Responsorial Psalm proclaims: “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good!” Today’s Psalm is a song of adoration a hymn that celebrates the goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty of God. It reminds us that we are God’s possession and that He acts according to His will both in heaven and on earth. It calls on all who serve the Lord to lift up their voices in praise, not out of routine, but out of love for a God who has chosen us and called us His own. As we reflect on the ways God has moved in our lives, let us respond not just with songs, but with hearts that live in gratitude and trust.
Reflecting on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to look at our own willingness to follow Jesus. How open am I to the new things God wants to do in my life? Am I still trying to pour the new wine of the Spirit into the old wineskins of my comfort zones or outdated attitudes? When God’s plan unfolds in unexpected ways like in the story of Jacob and Esau do I try to control the outcome, or do I trust His timing? In moments when tradition and transformation seem to collide, do I cling to the old out of fear, or do I let grace stretch me into someone new? And as I reflect on the joy of the bridegroom’s presence, do I remember that holiness is not just about rules and rituals, but about intimacy with Jesus?Let us go forward today with hearts open to the newness of God’s grace. The Lord is not interested in us simply maintaining appearances or clinging to the past, but in becoming renewed through His Spirit. As we walk through moments of sorrow, joy, and unexpected turns, let us praise God for His mercy, trust in His providence, and open ourselves to His transformative love. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may we, like fresh wineskins, be ready to receive the outpouring of new life He offers each day. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You are the Bridegroom who brings joy to every heart that welcomes You. As You spoke of new wine and new wineskins, help me to embrace the transformation You desire for my life. Let not my fears or attachments to the past hinder the work of Your Spirit within me. Teach me to trust in Your timing like Abraham, to persevere through complicated moments like Rebekah and Jacob, and to rejoice in the presence of Your mercy as the disciples did. May I never cling to hollow rituals but always be rooted in Your love, ready to become a new vessel of Your grace. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA, PRIEST; SAINT ATHANASIUS THE ATHONITE, ABBOT AND SAINT ZOE OF ROME, MARTYR~ FEAST DAY: JULY 5TH: Today, we celebrate the memorial of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria (Patron of physicians and Eucharistic devotion), a fiery reformer and founder of the Barnabites who rekindled faith in a spiritually lukewarm Church; Saint Athanasius the Athonite (Father of cenobitic monasticism on Mount Athos), a bold Byzantine abbot who brought order and renewal to Eastern monastic life; and Saint Zoe of Rome (Patron of speech disorders and married women), a noblewoman and early martyr whose miraculous healing led to bold witness and martyrdom under Roman persecution. United through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these courageous saints, we offer prayers today for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from terminal illnesses and hidden afflictions; for those seeking healing of body, mind, and spirit; for peace in places of spiritual dryness or persecution; and for all who long for a deeper encounter with Christ. May these saints teach us to love boldly, pray fervently, and trust God’s will in all things. Amen. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | July 5th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
( Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, and Saint Zoe of Rome | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-5th/)
SAINT ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA, PRIEST: Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502–1539), a noble-born physician from Cremona, Italy, became a priest and one of the great spiritual reformers of the 16th century. Deeply influenced by the teachings of Saint Paul, he saw that the Church of his day was in need of healing not just of bodies, but of hearts and souls. As a physician, he treated the sick; as a priest, he ministered to sinners, catechized children, inspired the youth, and rekindled Eucharistic devotion through preaching and the Forty Hours devotion. He founded the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul (Barnabites), the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul, and the Laity of Saint Paul all with a mission to revive love for the Eucharist, reform religious life, and promote holiness among clergy and laity alike. A man of deep asceticism and immense charity, Anthony burned himself out with tireless zeal, dying at only 36. Even in death, miracles surrounded him, and his incorrupt body became a testament to the life of holiness he lived. Canonized in 1897, he remains a model of priestly renewal and Eucharistic love.
PRAYER: Lord God, inflame us with the same fervent love You placed in Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, that we may labor for the renewal of Your Church with courage and compassion. Saint Anthony Mary, pray for us. 🙏🏽
SAINT ATHANASIUS THE ATHONITE, ABBOT: Saint Athanasius the Athonite (c. 920–c. 1003), born Abraham of Trebizond, was a brilliant scholar and teacher in Constantinople before forsaking prestige for a hidden life with God. Drawn to deeper solitude, he embraced monastic life and eventually founded the Great Lavra on Mount Athos now considered the spiritual heart of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. Amid resistance from hermits who feared change, Athanasius brought order and community to a land of solitude. With support from Emperor Nicephoros Phocas, he built a monastery that continues to inspire thousands to this day. He introduced a cenobitic rule, uniting monks under obedience, liturgical rhythm, and charity. A man of deep mystical insight and practical wisdom, he died in a tragic construction accident at the Lavra he built. Yet his legacy lives on, shaping Orthodox monasticism to this day.
PRAYER: Lord, as You led Saint Athanasius to bring peace and discipline to Your monks, guide us to seek the solitude of Your presence and the strength of spiritual community. Saint Athanasius the Athonite, pray for us. 🙏🏽
SAINT ZOE OF ROME, MARTYR: Saint Zoe of Rome (d. 286 A.D.) was a noblewoman during the era of Emperor Diocletian’s brutal persecution of Christians. Afflicted with muteness for six years, her life changed when she encountered Saint Sebastian. At his blessing, her speech was miraculously restored, and with her first words, she glorified God. Moved by faith and touched by grace, she and her husband converted to Christianity and were baptized. Zoe’s bold devotion led her to pray openly at the tomb of Saint Peter a dangerous act in pagan Rome. Arrested for her witness, she was martyred by being hung by her hair over fire, where she suffocated and died. Even in death, her testimony lived on, appearing in a vision to Saint Sebastian to encourage him. Her name, Zoë, means “life” in Greek not merely biological life, but eternal, divine life the kind Christ came to offer. Through her martyrdom, she witnessed to the life that no suffering can extinguish.
PRAYER: Gracious Lord, through the example of Saint Zoe, help us embrace our crosses with courage and trust in the life You alone can give. Saint Zoe of Rome, pray for us. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, and Saint Zoe of Rome ~ 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 JULY: For formation in discernment. Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JULY | MONTH OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS: July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ a profound devotion that honors the redeeming power of Christ’s Blood shed for our salvation. Flowing from His Sacred Heart, this Blood is the price of our redemption, the source of grace in the sacraments, and the seal of the New Covenant. It reminds us that salvation was not won lightly, but through the ultimate sacrifice of love. This month, the Church invites us to meditate on the infinite value of Christ’s Blood poured out during His Passion from Gethsemane to Calvary and in every celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We are called to offer acts of reparation for the sins of the world and to intercede for the conversion of souls. Devotions such as the Litany of the Precious Blood, the Chaplet of the Precious Blood, and daily consecration to the Precious Blood help deepen our union with Christ crucified.
As Saint John Chrysostom once said, “The Precious Blood is the salvation of souls; it purifies, sanctifies, and strengthens.” In our trials, let us take refuge beneath the cross, trusting in the Blood that speaks of mercy, victory, and eternal life.
“Precious Blood of Jesus, save us and the whole world.”
O Most Precious Blood of Jesus, fountain of salvation, we adore You. Wash us clean of sin, protect us from evil, and draw us into deeper love and union with You. Amen. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this memorial of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, and Saint Zoe of Rome, we lift our hearts in prayer for all who are in need of renewal, healing, and courage. We pray for those who are weary from striving without rest, that they may encounter Christ and be filled with new wine in fresh wineskins. May our priests and religious be strengthened in zeal like Saint Anthony, and may all who live in solitude or hidden service, like Saint Athanasius, find joy in God’s presence. For those who suffer silently or are persecuted for their faith, may the intercession of Saint Zoe bring boldness and peace. We pray for the Church, especially where she is misunderstood or attacked, that mercy may triumph over judgment, and that all who are spiritually hungry may be filled with the life of Christ. 🙏🏽
LET US PRAY
My transforming Lord, You continuously offer to renew me, transform me and elevate me to the life of grace. I thank You for this Gift and desire to accept it with all my heart. May I always be ready and willing to say “Yes” to You and the transformation that awaits me as I discover this ever new treasure of Your Grace. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You came not to patch what is old, but to make all things new. Pour into our hearts the new wine of Your Spirit, that we may rise from lifeless ritual into living relationship. Teach us to fast with purpose, to worship with sincerity, and to walk in mercy above sacrifice. Through the intercession of Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, inflame our love for the Eucharist and strengthen all who labor for renewal in the Church. By the witness of Saint Athanasius, form us in discipline and perseverance, and may we embrace silence that listens and prayer that transforms. And like Saint Zoe, grant us unwavering faith even in the face of suffering, that our lives may glorify You in both word and deed. May we follow You joyfully, leaving behind the old for the promise of what You are doing anew in us. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, and Saint Zoe of Rome ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and 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 new month be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, grace-filled and safe month of July 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
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