FRIDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 18, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST; SAINT FREDRICK, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Camillus de Lellis, Saint Frederick, and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-18th/)
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | July 18, 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-132/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today is Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time! Today, EWTN celebrates a Votive Mass of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
[A votive mass in the Catholic Church is a Mass offered for a special intention or in honor of a particular mystery, saint, or event, rather than for the liturgical observance of the day. It is celebrated at the discretion of the celebrant, outside of the regular liturgical schedule, and is not tied to the Divine Office for that day.
Key aspects of a votive mass:
- Special Intention: Votive Masses are offered for a specific intention, such as thanksgiving, supplication, or in honor of a particular saint or mystery of faith.
- Not Tied to the Liturgical Calendar: They are celebrated on days when the Mass of the day is not prescribed, allowing for flexibility in choosing the appropriate Mass.
- Flexibility in Choice: Votive Masses can be chosen from the Roman Missal or from other Masses throughout the year, depending on the celebrant’s discretion and the specific intention.
- Focus on Devotion: They are intended to foster devotion and highlight central aspects of the Catholic faith, such as the Trinity, the Eucharist, or the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Examples: Common examples include votive Masses for the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Heart, Precious Blood, or specific saints.
Votive Masses offer a way for the faithful to connect with their faith through personalized prayers and celebrations, while still adhering to the structure and guidelines of the Catholic liturgy. ]
Today, we give thanks to God for the gift of life and the grace to see this month. During this month of July, may the Precious Blood of Jesus cover and protect us, heal our wounds, and strengthen our faith. We pray for all those celebrating their 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🙏🏽
PRAYER AND APPRECIATION FOR THE CLERGY AND RELIGIOUS:
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” ~ 1 Timothy 5:17
“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
We thank God for the gift of life and especially thank Him for blessing us all with the special gift of the Clergy, who have sacrificed their lives to serve in the Lord’s Vineyard.
We pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, all religious men and women, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We thank them for their faithful, dedicated, and loving service to the people of God. Praying for God’s wisdom, knowledge, and good health of body and mind upon them. Amen 🙏🏽
With special intention for all Priests who are going through mental health challenges. May the good Lord heal them and grant them peace, and may our Blessed Mother Mary comfort them as they go through challenging times. May we, the faithful, also be instruments of God’s peace and comfort to them, offering our understanding and support in tangible ways. Amen 🙏🏽
For the repose of the gentle soul of Rev. Fr. Matteo Balzano and souls of all the faithful departed. 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 🙏🏽
A 35 Year Old Italian Catholic Priest Takes His Own Life – A Letter to Fr. Matteo Balzano | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMi5ZGUzYY4
Italian priest’s suicide underscores humanity of priests https://share.google/vEgHP9SgeFYaIEXEH
‘You were, above all, a friend’: Eulogy for Italian priest who died by suicide https://share.google/RPPfYIlJcOEowuvr2
PRAYER FOR VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS: We join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world, for the victims of natural disasters which have brought destruction and disaster to so many countless lives. We particularly pray for the victims of the recent flooding in Central Texas, may God restore what was lost and console all those who are grieving, injured, or have lost loved ones. Eternal rest grant unto those who lost their lives and let perpetual light shine upon them. 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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
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/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings for Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time | July 18, 2025
Reading 1: Exodus 11:10—12:14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:12–13, 15 and 16bc, 17–18
Gospel: Matthew 12:1–8
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 12:1–8
“For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
“Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
In today’s Gospel, we find Jesus walking through a grainfield with His disciples on the Sabbath. Hungry, they begin to pluck and eat the grain an action the Pharisees immediately condemn as unlawful. The Pharisees criticize Jesus’ disciples for satisfying their hunger in a way they considered inappropriate on the Sabbath, by eating some of the grain as they walk through the cornfield. But Jesus, with divine authority and piercing clarity, dismantles their rigid interpretation of the law. He defends what His disciples are doing. He gives priority to human need over a strict interpretation of a religious law, even a law as important as the Sabbath law. This exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees shows us something of Jesus’ priorities. He was concerned for human well-being. He wanted the hungry to be fed, the thirsty to have clean water, the homeless to be housed, the sick to be cared for, the rejected to be welcomed. These were the values that He lived by and religious law was at the service of those values. Jesus lived by these values because He knew that they were God’s values. This is why He goes on to quote from the prophet Hosea, ‘What I want is mercy, not sacrifice’. God gives greater priority to people showing mercy to others than to people offering him sacrifice in the Temple. Showing mercy to others entails providing for people’s basic needs, such as ensuring that the hungry are fed. Jesus could speak as God’s representative.
In the Gospel, Jesus reminds the Pharisees of King David who ate the bread of offering when in need, and of the temple priests who labor on the Sabbath yet are guiltless. He points out something radical: “here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple’. That “something” is Jesus Himself, the living presence of God. The Temple was traditionally understood to be the privileged place of God’s presence in the world. Jesus, however, is now the privileged place of God’s presence in the world. He speaks and acts as God would speak and act. Jesus shows that God’s highest value is mercy, the loving care of others in their need. Jesus wants us, His followers, to make God’s highest value our own in the way we relate to others. Christ’s concluding words “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” cut to the heart of true religion. God is not impressed by ritual without compassion, or by law-keeping devoid of love. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. And Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, redefines holiness as the integration of justice, mercy, and humility. How often are we like the Pharisees quick to judge others’ actions, bound by appearances, and slow to show compassion? Today’s Gospel invites us to examine our hearts: Are we so focused on being “right” that we forget to be merciful? Jesus teaches that it is love, not legalism, that fulfills the law.
In the first reading, we stand at the threshold of liberation. The final plague looms, and God gives Moses and Aaron a sacred instruction that will change the course of Israel’s history the institution of the Passover. God tells them to prepare a spotless lamb, whose blood will mark their doorposts and protect them from the coming judgment. This event will not only secure their physical deliverance but will also become a lasting memorial of God’s saving power for generations to come. This passage is deeply symbolic. The lamb without blemish points forward to Christ, the true Paschal Lamb, whose blood shields us from eternal death. The command to eat the lamb in haste, “with your loins girt,” is a reminder that salvation calls for readiness God is about to act, and His people must be ready to follow. This moment teaches us that redemption is not only God’s initiative but also our invitation to respond in faith, obedience, and trust. As Israel prepared to leave Egypt behind, we too are called to leave behind whatever binds us: sin, fear, despair, comfort zones. God desires our freedom, and He provides the way marked by blood, sustained by grace, and guided by His presence.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.” Today’s Psalm is a beautiful declaration of gratitude. The psalmist, overwhelmed by God’s goodness, asks: “How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?” It’s a question we, too, should ask. God has loosed our bonds, called us His servants, and offered us the cup of salvation. The psalm speaks of sacrifice not as obligation, but as thanksgiving. Our response to God’s mercy must be praise, surrender, and love. And even when we offer our best, we do so knowing it is only by His grace that we stand. In offering the “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” we don’t earn God’s favor we acknowledge it. Let this Psalm inspire us to be a people who remember, who return thanks, and who proclaim God’s goodness even when it costs us something.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are called to ponder on the Scriptures. Am I quick to judge like the Pharisees, or quick to show mercy like Jesus? What “old Egypt” is God asking me to leave behind so I can walk in freedom? Do I still try to earn God’s love, or do I respond in gratitude to what He has already given? Have I forgotten to give thanks for the countless ways God has spared, saved, and sustained me? How can I better align my heart with Jesus, who desires mercy over empty rituals? Today’s readings remind us that God desires not our perfection, but our participation in His mercy and love. The Lord does not look for empty observance He seeks hearts that are ready, grateful, and free. Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it in mercy, and we are called to imitate that mercy. The Passover lamb of Exodus foreshadowed the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who liberates us not just from physical bondage but from sin and death. Let us walk forward like the Israelites with staff in hand and hearts ready to trust. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may we be disciples who feed on mercy, and who live the Sabbath not just as a rule, but as a relationship with the Lord of Rest.
Lord God of mercy and justice, You are our Deliverer and our Rest. Thank You for the saving power of the true Paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice frees us from sin and death. Cleanse our hearts from legalism and pride, and teach us to walk in compassion, not condemnation. Help us to remember with gratitude the many ways You have redeemed, protected, and sustained us. Strengthen our faith to leave behind all that enslaves us, and give us the courage to follow You with ready hearts. May we never lose sight of Your mercy, and may our lives reflect the love You desire more than sacrifice. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST; SAINT FREDRICK, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 18TH: Today, the Church honors three heroic witnesses of faith and mercy: Saint Camillus de Lellis, Priest (Patron of the sick, hospitals, nurses, and physicians), who turned from a life of sin to found a religious order dedicated to the care of the sick and dying; Saint Frederick, Bishop and Martyr (Patron against persecution and injustice), a courageous shepherd who gave his life defending the truth of the Gospel; and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons, Martyrs (Patroness of large families and steadfast faith), a mother who, along with her sons, offered their lives for Christ under brutal Roman persecution. Through the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these faithful saints, we lift our hearts in prayer today for all the sick and dying, especially those afflicted by cancer, chronic illness, or abandonment. We remember those enduring persecution for their faith, all caregivers and healthcare workers, and families who are suffering due to violence, war, or separation. May these saints strengthen our hope, deepen our courage, and renew our love for Christ in every cross we carry. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | July 18th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Camillus de Lellis, Saint Frederick, and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-18th/)
SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST: Born in 1550 in Italy, Saint Camillus de Lellis was a man transformed by grace. Once a soldier consumed by gambling and violence, he underwent a deep conversion after encountering the Franciscans and the poor. Though physically afflicted by a festering leg wound, Camillus grew in holiness through service to the sick, finding Christ in their suffering. With guidance from Saint Philip Neri, he founded the Order of the Ministers of the Sick the Camillians who took a fourth vow: to serve the sick even at the risk of their own lives. Camillus died in 1614 and was canonized in 1746. Saint Camillus shows us that God’s mercy can completely reshape even the most wounded life. His legacy reminds us that caring for the sick is not just a corporal work of mercy it is a holy vocation of love.
PRAYER: O God, who adorned Saint Camillus with extraordinary charity for the sick, pour into our hearts the spirit of Your love. May we see Christ in the suffering and serve them as we would serve You, especially at the hour of their death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
SAINT FREDERICK, BISHOP AND MARTYR: Saint Frederick of Utrecht (c. 780–838), a noble and holy bishop, worked tirelessly to root out pagan practices and reform moral decay in the Netherlands. Known for his zeal, wisdom, and courage, he confronted sin both publicly and privately including among the imperial family. His boldness cost him his life: on July 18, 838, after celebrating Mass, he was assassinated by agents of the imperial court. His final words echoed Psalm 116: “I shall praise the Lord in the land of the living.” Saint Frederick reminds us that truth must sometimes be spoken at great personal cost. Fidelity to God’s Word is worth more than the approval of men.
PRAYER: Lord, You gave Saint Frederick the strength to speak truth with love and to shed his blood for the faith. May we, inspired by his example, stand firm in righteousness, bear witness to the Gospel, and follow You with undivided hearts. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS: In second-century Rome, Saint Symphorosa a Christian widow and her seven sons were arrested under Emperor Hadrian. Refusing to renounce their faith, each child was subjected to a different form of torture and death. Their mother, having instructed them in the faith, was drowned with a stone tied around her neck. Their martyrdom, echoing that of the Maccabean brothers, is a stunning testimony to familial courage and unwavering faith in Christ. Their relics rest in the Church of St. Angelo in Rome. Saint Symphorosa and her sons remind us of the sacred duty to pass on the faith with courage, even in the face of persecution. Their unity in martyrdom reveals the power of love rooted in Christ.
PRAYER: O God, who crowned Saint Symphorosa and her seven sons with the glory of martyrdom, grant us the grace to remain steadfast in our trials and to pass on the flame of faith with joy and boldness. May their witness inspire our families to holiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Camillus de Lellis, Saint Frederick, and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons ~ 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: As we reflect on the liberating power of God’s mercy in the Exodus, the saving blood of the Lamb, and Jesus’ desire for mercy over sacrifice, we bring before the Lord the deep cries of our world. We pray for all those who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit especially the sick, the dying, and those in hospitals or homes without care. May the example of Saint Camillus inspire renewed compassion in all who serve the sick. We pray for courage among Church leaders and the faithful, that like Saint Frederick, we may speak truth boldly and with love in the face of injustice and persecution. We remember families who are enduring separation, violence, or pressure to abandon their faith—may the witness of Saint Symphorosa and her sons strengthen their hope and unity. We also pray for all caregivers, nurses, and physicians, and for the grace to offer our sacrifices in love, not routine. May God’s mercy lead us all to deeper conversion and joyful trust in His will.
LET US PRAY
My divine Judge of All, You and You alone know the heart, and You and You alone are capable of acting as Judge. Please exercise Your authority in my life so that I can perceive my own sin. As You do, please also free me from the tendency to judge and condemn. Fill me, instead, with a heart full of mercy and truth toward all. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord God, You who delivered Your people from bondage and gave them the sign of the Lamb’s blood for protection, grant that we, too, may be covered by the blood of Christ and walk in the freedom of Your mercy. May we learn to offer not only sacrifices, but hearts filled with compassion and justice. Through the intercession of Saint Camillus, give comfort to the sick and strength to caregivers. Through Saint Frederick’s bold witness, fortify those who stand for truth in a hostile world. And through Saint Symphorosa and her seven sons, bless every family that clings to You in suffering. May we become living offerings of mercy in our time. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Camillus de Lellis, Saint Frederick, and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons ~ 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 Friday 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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