TUESDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 29, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS; SAINT FELIX II, POPE; SAINTS SIMPLICIUS, FAUSTINUS AND BEATRICE, MARTYRS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Saint Felix II, and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-29th/)
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | July 29, 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-143/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today is Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time! 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🙏🏽
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
We 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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints” ~ Psalm 116:15
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 🙏🏽
On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we humbly pray for the well-being and safety of all grandparents and the elderly. We 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 🙏🏽
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, Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus| Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Reading 1: Exodus 33:7–11; 34:5–9, 28
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:6–7, 8–9, 10–11, 12–13
Gospel: John 11:19–27 or Luke 10:38–42
Gospel Reading: John 11:19–27
“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”
“Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 10:38-42
“Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things”
“Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
In today’s Gospel readings as we celebrate the feast of Saint Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Martha appears in two of the four Gospels, Luke and John. In each case, in the company of her sister Mary. In one of the two Gospel readings for today’s feast, the one from John, Martha is portrayed as a woman in grief, because of the death of her brother Lazarus. Martha, her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus are referred to as loved by Jesus, as friends of Jesus. This is a family of disciples who have experienced the love of God present in Jesus and have responded to that love. Martha’s grief at the death of her brother Lazarus is the grief of a disciple, of a believer. Her opening words to Jesus on his arrival seem to express her disappointment at Jesus’ absence at the time of her brother’s death, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died’. She symbolizes every believer who struggles to come to terms with the apparent absence of the Lord in the face of the stark reality of the death of a loved one. Yet, her grief does not leave her hopeless, as is evident from her subsequent words to Jesus, ‘I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, He will grant you’. To the grieving, yet hopeful, Martha, Jesus reveals Himself as the resurrection and the life and He then makes a wonderful promise that has spoken to grieving believers down through the centuries. The promise declares that all who believe in Jesus already share in Jesus’ risen life, and that the moment of physical death will not break that life-giving communion with Jesus. The question Jesus addresses to Martha, ‘Do you believe this?’ is addressed to every believer, and we are all asked to make our own Martha’s response to Jesus’ question. ‘Yes, Lord, I believe…’.
In our Gospel readings today, we are brought into the intimate moment of grief and hope shared between Jesus and Martha. As her brother Lazarus had died, in her sorrow she speaks words many of us may have whispered in seasons of loss: “Lord, if you had been here…” Yet her heart, full of sorrow, also shines with faith: “Even now, I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Martha’s profession of faith stands as one of the clearest declarations of who Jesus is: “the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus responds not with mere comfort, but with a revelation that changes everything: “I am the resurrection and the life.” He calls us not only to believe in a future resurrection, but to place our faith in Him as the present and eternal source of life. His presence brings life where death seems final, hope where grief weighs heavy, and healing even in what seems broken beyond repair. Like Martha, we are invited to bring our honest questions and hurts to Jesus, but also to renew our trust in His power and promise.
Reflecting on the first reading, In Exodus, we witness Moses’s intimate relationship with the Lord, speaking with Him “face to face, as one man speaks to another.” This profound image reveals that true leadership in faith is born in deep communion with God. In the tent of meeting, Moses not only receives the law but also stands as an intercessor for the people. He boldly pleads for mercy, acknowledging the stubbornness of the people yet asking the Lord to “receive us as your own.” His prayer is a mirror of Christ’s intercession for us a foreshadowing of the mercy made manifest in Jesus. Despite the failings of the people, God reveals Himself with enduring love: “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” This divine self-description is one we must return to often, especially in times when we feel unworthy, sinful, or distant. God’s justice is real, but His mercy reaches beyond our imagination. Moses’s fasting for forty days and nights also reminds us that intimacy with God often requires sacrifice, perseverance, and spiritual hunger.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, the Psalm echoes the revelation of God’s character: merciful, gracious, and compassionate. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” These words wrap us in the warmth of God’s faithful love, especially when we reflect on our failings or weaknesses. He does not deal with us according to our sins, but lifts us up through His love. This is the kind of compassion Jesus revealed to Martha and Mary personal, tender, and healing.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are challenged to ask: Are there moments in my life where I, like Martha, have felt abandoned or disappointed but still chose to trust? Am I willing to approach Jesus with both my questions and my faith? Do I take time, like Moses, to meet with God in the quiet places of my life, or have I neglected the “tent” of prayer and communion? How often do I stand in the gap for others through prayer and intercession? Do I trust in God’s mercy more than I fear His judgment? Let us, like the siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, make our homes and hearts places where Jesus is welcomed and loved. Let us listen like Mary, serve like Martha, and trust like Lazarus who was called back to life by the voice of the Savior. May our faith not only confess that Jesus is the Christ but also live with the assurance that He is with us, now and always, bringing life where there was once death. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace as we continue to strive to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You are the Resurrection and the Life. In moments of sorrow, fear, or confusion, help us to cling to You as Martha did with hearts full of both honesty and faith. May we recognize Your presence in our suffering and trust that nothing is beyond Your power to heal. Lord, like Moses, draw us into deeper communion with You. Let our lives be marked by prayer, intercession, and unwavering confidence in Your mercy. Teach us to be present to others in their grief, to comfort as You comforted, and to hope as Martha hoped. Renew in us a living faith that overcomes every shadow of death. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS; SAINT FELIX II, POPE; SAINTS SIMPLICIUS, FAUSTINUS AND BEATRICE, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY – JULY 29TH: Today, the Church joyfully celebrates the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (Patrons of siblings, hospitality workers, homemakers, and the sick), beloved siblings and close friends of Jesus; Saint Felix II (Patron of confessors of the faith), 4th-century pope and faithful defender of orthodoxy; and the courageous Martyrs Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice (Patrons of sibling unity and steadfast faith under persecution), who gave their lives for Christ under Roman persecution.
Through their intercession and that of Our Blessed Mother Mary, we lift our prayers for all families especially siblings for unity, healing, and peace in our homes and the world. We pray for homemakers, caregivers, and all who serve quietly behind the scenes; for the sick and the dying, particularly those battling cancer and terminal illness. We remember the persecuted, the poor, and those struggling in difficult times. May travelers be safe, sinners be converted, and the Church be strengthened in holiness and mission. 🙏🏾
Saint (s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | July 29th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Saint Felix II, and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice I| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-29th/ )
SAINTS MARTHA, MARY, AND LAZARUS: These three siblings of Bethany welcomed Jesus into their home and hearts, offering Him love, friendship, and faith. Martha served with devotion, Mary listened with reverence, and Lazarus witnessed to the power of Christ’s resurrection. In 2021, Pope Francis officially expanded the memorial of July 29 to honor all three Martha, Mary, and Lazarus for their exemplary witness of hospitality, discipleship, and deep trust in Jesus.
Tradition holds that after the Resurrection, they evangelized in France Martha leading a community of women, Mary continuing a contemplative life, and Lazarus becoming the first bishop of Marseilles. Together, they remind us that holiness blossoms in family life, in acts of service, listening hearts, and unwavering belief.
PRAYER: Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, teach us to welcome Christ with open hearts, to listen to His word, and to trust Him even in sorrow. Strengthen all families in faith and love. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT FELIX II, POPE AND CONFESSOR (D. 365): Saint Felix II served during a turbulent era marked by the Arian heresy. Though originally installed under controversial circumstances, his fidelity to Christ and the Church remained evident. After exile and years of quiet witness, he died around 365 and was venerated as a saint. His life reflects the trials of faithful leadership and perseverance amid confusion and division.
PRAYER: O Lord, through the steadfast faith of Pope Felix II, guide all who serve the Church in leadership. May we remain faithful in truth and charity. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINTS SIMPLICIUS, FAUSTINUS & BEATRICE, MARTYRS (D. 304): These brave siblings gave their lives for Christ during the persecution of Diocletian. Simplicius and Faustinus were beheaded and thrown into the Tiber. Their sister Beatrice, who retrieved and buried their bodies, was later martyred by strangulation after refusing to renounce Christ. Their witness is immortalized in Roman catacombs and early Christian art.
PRAYER: Saints Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice, may your courage and faith strengthen all who face trials today. Pray for siblings to remain united in Christ’s love. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Saint Felix II, and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice — 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 Ours 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 Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus faithful friends of Jesus and in honor of Saint Felix II and the holy martyrs Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice, we entrust our prayers to God, who is rich in mercy and compassion. We pray for all families, especially siblings, that love and unity may flourish in their homes. For homemakers, caregivers, and all who serve in hidden yet holy ways may they be strengthened in grace. We lift up the sick, the dying, and those facing long-term illness, especially those with cancer or in palliative care. May those who feel forgotten or abandoned know the nearness of Christ. We pray for Church leaders and communities facing persecution, for travelers and the displaced, and for all who seek the face of God in prayer and service.
LET US PRAY
Lord, You befriended this ordinary family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. You visited their home, received their hospitality, gently corrected them when needed and eventually raised them to the new life of eternal glory. May I also welcome You into the home of my soul, within my family and into every aspect of my life. Please come to me and raise me to the newness of the life of grace. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Loving Father, as You revealed Your glory to Moses and renewed Your covenant with Your people, draw near to us today and renew us in love. Like Martha, may we serve with joy; like Mary, may we listen at Your feet; like Lazarus, may we rise from all that binds us. Strengthen our faith in the resurrection and deepen our trust in Your presence. Inspired by the witness of Saint Felix II and the courage of Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice, may we remain steadfast in times of trial. Heal the wounded, comfort the sorrowing, and fill every longing heart with Your peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Saint Felix II, and Saints Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrice ~ 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, safe, grace-filled Wednesday and fruitful week🙏🏽
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 Missions 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