Author: Resa

SECOND WEEK OF LENT

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 18, 2025

MEMORIAL OF SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, AND SAINT ALEXANDER OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND MARTYR | Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Tuesday, Second Week of Lent.

May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey. Amen 🙏🏽

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “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/2025/03/18/catholic-daily-mass-15/

NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/11/novena-to-saint-joseph/

We thank God for granting us the grace to successfully complete our Novena to Saint Joseph. May St. Joseph intercede for us all. Amen🙏🏽

DAY 12: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/18/day-12-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/

WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/

PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer, during this time of his hospitalization after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We thank God as his health continues to improve and we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.

Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽

LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/

STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

Today, as we continue our Lenten journey, we reflect on Jesus’ words: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, who sought recognition and honor rather than true service to God. He calls us instead to a life of humility, where greatness is found in serving others. True discipleship is not about titles or public approval but about sincere devotion to God and love for our neighbor.

Lent is a time to examine our hearts. Are we practicing what we preach? Are we serving with humility, or are we seeking recognition? The first reading from Isaiah reminds us that God desires true conversion: “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow.” His mercy is boundless, but it requires us to turn away from sin, seek justice, and live righteously. The Psalm echoes this call: “To the upright, I will show the saving power of God.” True worship is not just about rituals but about a heart fully given to God.

Let us, therefore, walk this Lenten path with sincerity, seeking humility, mercy, and true transformation. May we not be consumed by appearances but strive for an authentic relationship with God, rooted in love and service.

Heavenly Father, grant us the grace to embrace humility, to serve without seeking recognition, and to live with hearts open to Your transforming love. Purify our intentions, strengthen our resolve to follow Christ, and lead us to true conversion. May our lives reflect Your glory. Amen. 🙏🏽

Wishing us all a grace-filled and spiritually uplifting Lenten journey. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.

On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

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 and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 🙏🏽

THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/

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/

DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (a steadfast defender of the faith known for his catechetical teachings that guided many to a deeper understanding of Christ) and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem, Bishop and Martyr (a courageous shepherd who endured persecution for the sake of Christ and strengthened the Church through his wisdom and holiness).

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we humbly pray for bishops, catechists, and all who teach the faith, that they may be faithful witnesses to the truth of the Gospel. We ask for the grace to remain steadfast in our faith, to seek deeper understanding of God’s word, and to stand firm in the face of trials. May we, like Saint Cyril, dedicate ourselves to growing in knowledge of Christ, and may we, like Saint Alexander, remain courageous in proclaiming the faith, even in the midst of adversity.

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽

We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽

Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽

God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽

LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards

Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽

SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, AND SAINT ALEXANDER OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND MARTYR: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 18TH: Today, we honor and celebrate the Memorial of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem, Bishop and Martyr. Saint Cyril,
an early witness to the sacred sites of Christian devotion, was a remarkable theologian and catechist who dedicated his life to teaching the faith and defending orthodox doctrine. His contributions to the Church, especially through his catechetical lectures, continue to guide Christians in understanding the fundamental truths of Catholicism. Saint Alexander, a bishop and martyr, is remembered for his unwavering faith in the face of persecution. He remained steadfast in faith and was willing to suffer death for the Faith. His leadership strengthened the Church in Jerusalem, and his sacrifice remains an inspiration for those who suffer for the sake of Christ. Through the intercession of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem, we humbly pray for all bishops, catechists, and theologians who teach and defend the faith. May they be filled with wisdom and courage. We also pray for those enduring persecution for their beliefs, that they may remain steadfast in their love for Christ. We pray for the conversion of sinners and for all Christians during this season of Lent 🙏🏽

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽

Saint(s) of the Day | March 18th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386 A.D.) was a fourth-century bishop and Doctor of the Church, a well-educated man from Jerusalem and a scholar of Sacred Scripture whose writings are still regarded as masterful expressions of Christian faith. St. Cyril is also remembered for his exhaustive Biblical knowledge, and his endurance in the face of misunderstanding and opposition. St. Cyril was born in Jerusalem around the year 315 to his parents who were probably Christians and he seemed to care for them a great deal. He exhorted catechumens to honor parents “for however much we may repay them, yet we can never be to them what they as parents have been to us.” We know he also had a sister and a nephew, Gelasius, who became a bishop and a saint. He was born shortly after the legalization of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Although that legalization put a stop to many of the persecutions that threatened the Church for two centuries, it indirectly gave rise to a number of internal controversies – both in regard to theology, and the jurisdiction of bishops – in which Cyril would find himself involved. St. Cyril received an excellent education in classical Greek literature as well as the Bible. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Maximus of Jerusalem in the year 345 and succeeded him as bishop of Jerusalem in 348. On May 7th, soon after his ordination as Bishop a miraculous apparition of a cross appeared in the sky, visible to the whole city. During his early years as a bishop, most likely around 350, he delivered a series of lectures to new initiates of the Catholic Church. Twenty-four of the lectures have survived and are studied today. In a 2007 general audience, Pope Benedict XVI praised the saint for providing an “integral” form of Christian instruction, “involving body, soul, and spirit.” St. Cyril’s teaching, the Pope said, “remains emblematic for the catechetical formation of Christians today.

In 351, three years after St. Cyril became the Bishop of Jerusalem, a large cross-shaped light appeared for several hours in the sky over the city – an event that many interpreted as a sign of the Church’s triumph over heresy. It could also, however, be understood as a sign of the suffering the new bishop would undergo in leading his flock. Unlike many other Eastern bishops and priests of the fourth century, St. Cyril did not allow his classical learning to lead him away from believing in the full humanity and divinity of Christ. However, the man who consecrated St. Cyril as a bishop, Archbishop Acacius of Caesarea, was an ally of the Arians – who claimed that Jesus was a creature and not God. Because of his connection to the archbishop, St. Cyril himself was unjustly suspected of heresy by many of his brother bishops. But he also found himself at odds with Archbishop Acacius, who claimed to have jurisdiction over the birthplace of the Church. Altogether, these disputes led to St. Cyril being exiled from Jerusalem three times in the course of 20 years due to misunderstandings, intrigue, and politics. St. Cyril first took refuge with Silvanus, Bishop of Taraus. He appeared at the Council of Seleucia in 359, in which the semi-Arian party was triumphant. Acacius was deposed and St. Cyril seems to have returned to his see. But the emperor was displeased at the turn of events, and, in 360, St. Cyril and other moderates were again driven out, and only returned at the accession of Julian in 361. In 367, a decree of Valens banished all the bishops who had been restored by Julian, and St. Cyril remained in exile until the death of the persecutor in 378. In 380, St. Gregory of Nyssa came to Jerusalem on the recommendation of a council held at Antioch in the preceding year. He found the Faith in accord with the truth and expressed admiration of his pastoral efforts, but the city was a prey to parties and corrupt in morals. In 381, St. Cyril participated in the Second Ecumenical Council, which condemned two different forms of Arianism and added statements about the Holy Spirit to the Nicene Creed of 325. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem is one of the early Church Fathers and one of the most important sources for how the early Church celebrated the liturgy and sacraments during the first few decades after Christianity was legalized. St. Cyril of Jerusalem died in 386. For St. Cyril’s work in catechesis he was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883.

PRAYER: O God, who through the Bishop Saint Cyril of Jerusalem led your Church in a wonderful way to a deeper sense of the mysteries of salvation, grant us, through his intercession, that we may so acknowledge your Son as to have life ever more abundantly. 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🙏

SAINT ALEXANDER OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. Alexander was a student with Origen at the famous Christian school of Alexandria in the late second century. He became bishop of Cappadocia. For steadfastly proclaiming the faith, he was imprisoned two times and the Romans tried to kill him by throwing him to the lions, but it didn’t work. The beasts would not attack him! When the wild beasts refused to devour him, he was carried off as a prisoner to Caesarea and as the historians say, “The glory of his white hairs and great sanctity formed a double crown for him in captivity”. During the persecution of Severus was imprisoned for several years and in chains. (204-211).

Following his release from prison, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was proclaimed Coadjutor Bishop there in the year 212. Demetrius, the Bishop of Alexandria, censured Alexander for participating in the ordination of Origen and for encouraging Origen to teach in churches while still a layman. Despite this, Alexander received Origen in exile. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Alexander developed a great theological library which was helpful to the community and to other ancient theologians who contributed to the Church’s thinking. During the persecution of Decius, he was seized and again imprisoned.

After making a public confession of faith, St. Alexander was  condemned and thrown to the wild beasts, but they refused to attack him. St. Alexander was then taken to Caesarea where he died in chains in the year 251. The Church recognizes  St. Alexander as a martyr. St. Alexander, despite his great learning and important ecclesiastical positions, was known as an individual of great mildness, especially in his sermons, he was known for the sweetness of his preaching. When put to the test during two persecutions, he remained steadfast in faith and was willing to suffer death for the Faith. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.

PRAYER: Saint Alexander of Jerusalem, holy Mother of God and all the Saints, who have pleased God in your lives; pray to Christ my Lord that I might live this day in peace, love and humility.  Pray unto God for me, O holy Saint Alexander, well-pleasing to God: for I turn to You, who are a speedy helper and intercessor for my soul. Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent | March 18, 2025
Reading 1, Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 23:1-12

“They preach but they do not practice”; “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

“Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

In today’s Gospel reading, from the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Lord spoke to His disciples and followers, and to the people who were assembled to listen to Him, about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law and why they should listen to them but not to follow what they had been doing, in how they practiced their faith and in their actions, in parading their piety and actions before everyone so that they could be praised and honoured for all of those actions. The crux of the problem here is that, many among the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law at the time of the Lord acted high and mighty, lording over the others whom they deemed and considered as less worthy and less pious than they were, and they even persecuted those who did not practice the Law in the manner that they had done. According to the Gospel reading, Jesus refers to the Pharisees as those who tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders. In contrast, Jesus had said earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, ‘Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest’. Jesus’ work consisted in lifting unnecessary burdens from people’s shoulders rather than laying such burdens on people’s shoulders. Most of us have to deal with burdens of one kind or another as we go through life. Some burdens are necessary and unavoidable; they are the burdens of love, the burdens that come to us from giving ourselves to others in one way or another. Jesus is critical of those who impose unnecessary burdens on others. We can all be guilty of doing that from time to time. Rather than imposing unnecessary burdens on others, our calling is to help carry each other’s burdens, to make life less burdensome for each other. In doing that we will be acting in the spirit of the one who said, ‘Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest’. The Lord helps us all to carry our burdens, both the necessary and inevitable ones and the unnecessary ones. Saint Paul was very burdened as he wrote to the church in Philippi from his prison cell. Yet, he could say to that church, ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me’. The Lord strengthens us to carry our burdens so that we can help to carry the burdens of others. As St. Paul writes to the churches of Galatia, ‘Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ’. The law of Christ, which is the law of love, the fruit of the Spirit, is not about burden imposing but burden lifting.

As Jesus says towards the end of the Gospel reading, ‘the greatest among you must be your servant’. Jesus defines greatness in terms of service of others. Jesus calls on His disciples to give attention to others. It is those who humble themselves in the service of others who will be exalted, whereas those who exalt themselves and look for honour for themselves will be humbled. Jesus gives expression to His teaching in His own life. St. Paul says of Jesus that He emptied Himself taking the form of a servant and that He humbled Himself, even to the point of death, death on a cross. We are called to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Lent is a time when we try to enter more fully into the mind and heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reflecting on the Gospel reading, Jesus calls us to an authentic and humble faith, where our actions align with our words. It is easy to fall into the temptation of seeking approval and admiration from others, but Jesus warns against this mindset. Instead, He urges us to follow His example of selfless love and service. As we go through Lent, we must examine our hearts and ask: Are we living out our faith sincerely, or are we more concerned with appearances? Do we serve others with humility, or do we seek recognition? Jesus calls us to true discipleship one rooted in love, humility, and a sincere desire to follow God’s will.

Our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Isaiah showed us all the Lord’s clear reminders and warnings to His people, the people of Israel and Judah, about the dangers of sin and what sin and evil could bring about for them, ruin and destruction, just as it had happened in the past. The Lord presented the example of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were infamous for their great wickedness and sins, the evils and disobedience which they had committed, and also their refusal to listen to the Lord and His messengers, that the two cities were destroyed by the great rain of fire and brimstone from Heaven, and henceforth, the two cities were eradicated from the face of the earth, never to be populated or remembered again. By mentioning those two cities, and remarking that His people were like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord was in fact making a clear point before all of them that they had all been disobedient and wicked in their way of life and in their actions, and the Lord certainly knew about all that they had done. He therefore warned them of what they would also suffer if they continued to persist in their path of rebellion and evil, and if they refused to repent from their many sins, wickedness and faults. However, at the same time, the Lord also presented to His people a clear avenue and pathway for them to come back to Him, telling them that even if their sins were truly terrible, He would still welcome them back to His loving Presence and forgive them, if they would reject their sinful ways and abandon their evil and wickedness.

Reflecting on our first reading from the book of Isaiah is a powerful call to repentance. The prophet addresses the people as the “princes of Sodom” and “people of Gomorrah,” emphasizing the gravity of their sins. However, despite their disobedience, God offers them an invitation: “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow.” Today’s reading reveals God’s immense mercy. He does not desire destruction but transformation. True repentance requires action: putting away evil, seeking justice, and defending the vulnerable. God’s promise is clear if we obey Him, we will experience His blessings, but if we continue in disobedience, we will face the consequences of our choices.

The Responsorial Psalm echoes this message by reminding us that God does not desire empty sacrifices but a heart that is truly dedicated to Him. “To the upright I will show the saving power of God.” Faith is not about mere rituals or outward displays of piety; it is about genuine conversion and a commitment to righteousness. The verse before the Gospel calls us to make a new beginning: “Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” As we continue this Lenten journey, let us reflect: Are our actions consistent with our faith? Do we practice humility and service, or are we more concerned with appearances? Are we truly seeking justice, mercy, and a renewed heart? QLent is a season of transformation. God is inviting us to return to Him with sincerity and love. Let us embrace His mercy, walk in humility, and commit ourselves to a faith that is not just spoken but truly lived.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded to be humble and righteous in all of our actions and deeds, in each and every moments of our lives. We have to be humble and attuned to our sins and faults, all the wickedness we have committed, and endeavour to overcome them, replacing them instead with righteousness and virtue. We are reminded to turn away from sin and to embrace God’s path, His love and grace. Let us all therefore seek the Lord with renewed heart and mind, with the strong and genuine desire to be forgiven and to be reconciled with Him, with the strong desire to repent and turn away from our many sins and wickedness. Let us all seek the forgiveness and mercy of God, and do our best so that our lives from now on may be truly worthy of Him in all things, which we can gain inspiration from the life and faith of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly the Saints we celebrate today, St. Cyril of Jerusalem and St. Alexander of Jerusalem. We are called to be inspired by the great examples that our holy predecessors, so that our whole lives may be great examples and inspirations for everyone around us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace during this season of Lent and may He empower us all to live ever more courageously in His presence, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽

Heavenly Father, cleanse our hearts and renew our spirits. Help us to embrace humility, serving others as Christ did. May we live out our faith in sincerity, avoiding hypocrisy and seeking true conversion. Teach us to follow Your will with a heart full of love and justice. May our lives reflect Your grace and truth, leading us ever closer to You. Amen 🙏🏽

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”

As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540

PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we reflect on Christ’s Transfiguration, we pray for the grace to listen to Him and be transformed by His presence. May this Lenten journey deepen our faith, strengthen our trust in God’s promises, and renew our commitment to live as citizens of heaven. We also pray for those struggling with doubt and uncertainty, that they may find hope in God’s faithfulness. Joining Pope Francis in his March prayer intention, we pray for families in crisis, that they may experience healing through forgiveness and a renewed appreciation for one another. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. Amen 🙏🏽

LET US PRAY:

My humble Lord, thank You for the witness of Your humility. You chose to put all people first, even to the point of allowing Yourself to experience the suffering and death which was a consequence of our sins. Give me a heart that is humble, dear Lord, so that You can use me to share Your perfect love with others. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen. 🙏🏽

Lord Jesus, You teach us that true greatness is found in humility and service. Help us to cast aside all forms of pride and self-righteousness, that we may follow You with sincerity and love. Purify our hearts, that we may live out our faith with integrity, seeking only to glorify You. Strengthen us in this Lenten journey, that we may walk in true repentance and holiness. Jesus, we trust in You. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, and Saint Alexander of Jerusalem ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽

May this Lenten season bring us deeper conversion, unwavering trust, and a heart open to God’s transforming love. Wishing us all a safe, blessed, grace-filled and fruitful week. Amen. 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

SECOND WEEK OF LENT

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 17, 2025

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PATRICK, APOSTLE OF IRELAND, BISHOP AND MISSIONARY| Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Monday, Second Week of Lent and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! 🍀

May Saint Patrick intercede for all those who bear the name Patrick and us all and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey. Amen 🙏🏽

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “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/2025/03/17/catholic-daily-mass-daily-tv-mass-5/

NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/11/novena-to-saint-joseph/

DAY 11: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/17/day-11-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/

WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/

PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer, during this time of his hospitalization after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We thank God as his health continues to improve and we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.

Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽

LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/

STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

Today, as we continue our Lenten journey, we reflect on Jesus’ words: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged.” Let us all therefore continue to journey through this time and season of Lent with contrite heart, desiring to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy, and at the same time, showing mercy and love, compassion and kindness to those around us as well. May all of us be truly forgiven by God and be reconciled with Him through this great opportunity of this Lenten time and season.

Lent invites us to embrace this call to self-giving love. Jesus does not seek to avoid suffering but embraces it for the salvation of the world. His words challenge us: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” Are we willing to surrender our will, trusting that God’s ways lead to eternal life?

Heavenly Father, help us to follow Your Son in the way of self-sacrificial love. Give us the grace to let go of worldly attachments and embrace the path of holiness. May we, like Christ, glorify Your name in all that we do. Amen 🙏🏽

Wishing us all a grace-filled and spiritually uplifting Lenten journey. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.

On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

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 and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 🙏🏽

THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/

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/

DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Today, we honor and celebrate the Memorial of Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop, and Missionary. St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world’s most popular Saints. St. Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, he is the primary Patron Saint of Ireland, the other Patron Saints being Brigit of Kildare and Columba. St. Patrick was an influential Saint, a man of deep faith and unwavering mission who, 1,500 years ago, brought Christianity, the light of Christ to the people of the little country of Ireland. Enduring hardships, captivity, and opposition, he remained steadfast in his calling, transforming a once-pagan land into a stronghold of Christianity. Through his preaching, countless souls came to know the truth of the Gospel, and Ireland flourished as a center of faith and learning. St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland; Nigeria; diocese of Fort Worth, Texas; archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts; diocese of Burlington, Vermont; diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; archdiocese of New York; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut; diocese of Portland, Maine; diocese of Sacramento, California; invoked against snakes; fear of snakes; sins; snake bites; against ophidiophobia; engineers; ophidiophobics; excluded people.

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Patrick on this feast day, we humbly pray for all missionaries, that they may continue to spread the Good News with courage, faith and perseverance and for God’s protection and Christ’s presence in their lives. May we, like Saint Patrick, embrace our calling to witness Christ in our daily lives, bringing His love to those around us. May his example inspire us to trust in God’s providence, to forgive those who have wronged us, and to live with hearts on fire for the Gospel. We pray for bishops and leaders of the Church, for those who work for reconciliation, and for those called to the difficult mission of conversion and evangelization. We pray for priests, hermits, and those who dedicate themselves to prayer and penance. May their examples inspire us to trust in God’s providence, embrace sacrifice, and labor for the salvation of souls.

Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽

We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽

Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽

God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽

LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards

Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽

SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PATRICK, APOSTLE OF IRELAND, BISHOP AND MISSIONARY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 17TH: Today, we honor and celebrate the Memorial of Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary. The Patron Saint of Ireland; Nigeria; diocese of Fort Worth, Texas; archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts; diocese of Burlington, Vermont; diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; archdiocese of New York; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut; diocese of Portland, Maine; diocese of Sacramento, California; invoked against snakes; fear of snakes; sins; snake bites; against ophidiophobia; engineers; ophidiophobics; excluded people. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Patrick on this feast day, we humbly pray for all missionaries, for courage and faith and for God’s protection and Christ’s presence in our lives. We pray for bishops and leaders of the Church, for those who work for reconciliation, and for those called to the difficult mission of conversion and evangelization. We pray for priests, hermits, and those who dedicate themselves to prayer and penance. May their examples inspire us to trust in God’s providence, embrace sacrifice, and labor for the salvation of souls.

Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽

Saint(s) of the Day | March 17th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

SAINT PATRICK, APOSTLE OF IRELAND, BISHOP AND MISSIONARY: St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world’s most popular saints. St. Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, he is the primary Patron Saint of Ireland, the other Patron Saints being Brigit of Kildare and Columba. St. Patrick was an influential Saint who, 1,500 years ago, brought Christianity to the little country of Ireland.

St. Patrick (387-461) was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, to a wealthy Roman-British parents in 387 A.D., the son of Calpurnius, a Roman-British deacon, and Conchessa. He was kidnapped by some Irish raiders at the age of sixteen while he was tending his sheep and sold as a slave to a Druid high priest. He served his heathen master as a shepherd and spent much time in prayer as he labored in the fields. Despite the harshness of the life there, he not only held on to his Faith but also learned the science of prayer and contemplation. Spending long hours in prayer, Patrick grew in faith, love for God, and trust in Divine Providence. He also acquired a perfect knowledge of the Celtic language and the Druid cult, which later enabled him to evangelize the Celtic people.

After six years of slavery and captivity, an angel appeared to him in a dream with a message from God in which he was told to flee his oppressive master in Ireland by going to the coast. St. Patrick effected a miraculous escape and there he found some sailors who took him back to his native land, Britain and he was  reunited with his family. Upon returning to Britain, St. Patrick desired to devote himself to God’s service. A few years after returning home, St. Patrick saw a vision and he was told to go back and Christianize Ireland. Recognizing this as God’s call, the vision prompted his studies for the priesthood. St. Patrick pursued priestly studies in Gaul (modern-day France). He went to France and placed himself under the direction of St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, who ordained him a priest and was later ordained a bishop and sent to take the Gospel to evangelize the pagans in Ireland. In 431, after a period during which his vocation to Ireland was tested by the hesitancy of his superiors in entrusting such a mission to him, St. Patrick was sent to assist Bishop Paladius in Ireland. On the death of the latter, St. Patrick was consecrated Bishop by St. Germanus after receiving the approbation of Pope Celestine I to evangelize Ireland in 432 AD.

St. Patrick traveled the length and breadth of Ireland, planting the Faith everywhere despite the hostility of the Druids, and succeeded in converting several members of the royal family. On a visit to Rome in 442, the Saint was commissioned by Pope Leo the Great to organize the Church of Ireland and on his return made Armagh the primatial See and established Bishop in various places. He divided the country into dioceses, held local Church councils, founded monasteries, and urged the people to greater holiness. In winning a pagan nation for Christ, St. Patrick established many monasteries for men and women and made it famous for its seats of piety and learning. In the ensuing centuries Irish monks carried the Faith to England, France, and Switzerland. Later, the missionaries sent from Ireland to Europe were largely responsible for the Christianizing of the continent.

St. Patrick suffered much opposition from the Druids and occult magicians, who, threatened by Christianity, conjured demonic power to defy St. Patrick. However, the prayer, faith, fearlessness, and episcopal authority of St. Patrick triumphed, and he was so successful in his endeavor that in the Middle Ages Ireland became known as the Land of Saints, and himself the “Apostle of Ireland.” St. Patrick succeeded in bringing Catholicism to Ireland, and in time, the whole country converted from their pagan gods to the one true God. Although a small country, Ireland has played a large role in saving and bringing Christianity throughout the world. During the early Dark Ages, the Irish monasteries preserved Western writings while Europe remained in darkness. But as the Catholic country remained solidly Catholic, the Irish spread the faith to all corners of the world.

Many legends are associated around St. Patrick, such as how he drove the snakes out of Ireland, and the use of the shamrock to teach the mystery of the Trinity. Some works are attributed to St. Patrick, one being his autobiography called Confessions. It is a short summary of the events in his life, written in true humility. Below is a short excerpt:

“I am greatly God’s debtor, because he granted me so much grace, that through me many people would be reborn in God, and soon after confirmed, and that clergy would be ordained everywhere for them, the masses lately come to belief, whom the Lord drew from the ends of the earth, just as he once promised through his prophets: “To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited naught hut lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.” And again: “I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth.”

After living a completely apostolic life of labor and prayer, St. Patrick died on March 17, 461, in the monastery of Saul, where he had built his first church, Down in Ulster, leaving behind his Confessions which gives a vivid picture of great man of God. His legacy remains a testament to the power of faith, perseverance, and missionary zeal. St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland; against snakes; snake bites; against ophidiophobia; excluded people; fear of snakes; diocese of Fort Worth, Texas; Nigeria; archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts; diocese of Burlington, Vermont; engineers;   diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; archdiocese of New York; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut; ophidiophobics; diocese of Portland, Maine; diocese of Sacramento, California.

PRAYER: God our Father, You sent Saint Patrick to bring the light of Christ and preach Your glory to the people of Ireland. Through his tireless preaching and unwavering faith, he led many souls to You. Through his merits and intercession grant that we who have the honor of bearing the name of Christian may constantly proclaim Your wonderful designs to others. May we grow in faith, courage, and missionary zeal. May we, like him, proclaim Your wonderful works to the world and lead others to Your love. Strengthen us to overcome sin, deepen our trust in You, and help us to remain steadfast in our Christian calling. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

“May the Strength of God pilot us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us. May the Way of God direct us. May the Shield of God defend us. May the Host of God guard us against the snares of the evil ones, against temptations of the world. May Christ be with us! May Christ be before us! May Christ be in us, Christ be over all! May Thy Salvation, Lord, always be ours, this day, O Lord, and evermore…Amen” 🙏🏽

May the life of Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary inspire us to deepen our faith, trust in God’s providence, and extend His love to those in need. Amen 🙏🏽

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Monday of the Second Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Monday of the Second Week of Lent, March 17, 2025
Reading 1, Daniel 9:4-10
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 79:8, 9, 11, 13
Gospel, Luke 6:36-38

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 6:36-38

“Forgive and you will be forgiven”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Himself tells His disciples to be merciful just as the Father is and has been merciful to all of them. He told them all that they should all continue to love one another and to be kind, compassionate and merciful, because they themselves have been shown great mercy, love and forgiveness from God. Jesus calls upon us not to judge and not to condemn. He did so in the knowledge that judging and condemning others can sometimes come all too easily to us. In judging and condemning others we can easily forget that we are not paragons of virtue ourselves. In contrast to judging and condemning others, Jesus calls on us in our dealings with others to be compassionate and to grant pardon. These are contrary attitudes to judging and condemning, and Jesus implies that there are much more in keeping with how God relates to us than judging and condemning are. It seems that God is much more in the business of showing us compassion and granting us pardon when we seek it, than He is in the business of judging and condemning us. As people made in the image of God we are to be as compassionate and as pardoning as God Himself. Jesus of course was the perfect image of God and He gave expression to God’s compassionate and pardoning love in the most complete way possible. In the Gospel reading, Jesus asks us to be as compassionate and as merciful as God is, which will mean being slow to judge, slow to condemn others. We live in a culture where there is so often a rush to judgement. Jesus calls on us to take our lead not from the culture but from God who never rushes to judgement. The Gospel reading assures us that when, like Jesus, we are God-like in our dealings with other, then we open ourselves to receive an abundance from God.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus tells His disciples and us all clearly to be merciful in our actions just as God our loving Father has shown us lots of mercy and compassion. Just like in the prayer which the Lord Jesus Himself had taught them and us all said, that, ‘Forgive us our trespasses just as we forgive those who have trespassed against us’. And this is an important reminder for us all that just as we seek to be forgiven from our many sins and mistakes, we too should be ready to forgive others around us, be it our own family members, relatives, colleagues and even strangers who have caused hurt to us, or those who have wronged and done mistake to us. To forgive others is something that is not easily done, but we must still strive to do it nonetheless. And the best example we can follow is none other than the Lord Himself, our most loving and generous Father, Who has loved us all and desired to forgive us our sins should we come to Him with sincere repentance and desire to be forgiven from those sins. Not only that, but He has also given us all His own only Begotten Son to save us from our fated destruction, and through this same Son, Who was punished for our sins, He forgave us all the trespasses, mistakes and sins we have committed, just as His Son forgave those who have persecuted and condemned Him to death from His Cross, praying for them to the Father not to count their sins against them. This is an example of forgiveness and mercy that all of us as Christians ought to follow. 

Our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Daniel is the prayer and supplication which the prophet Daniel made on behalf of all the people of Israel, many of whom at that time were suffering in exile away from their homeland, having been brought out of the Promised Land and the land of their forefathers by their conquerors, the Assyrians and the Babylonians, who sent them to the far-off lands, to be exiled and humbled, to be reviled and humiliated by the nations, for their sins and evils, their wickedness and failures to obey the Lord’s Law and commandments. They have abandoned the path that the Lord had taught and shown them, and they have rejected the many prophets and messengers sent to them to remind and help them to return to the right and virtuous path. The Book of Daniel is one of the great acts of sorrow to God for sin in the Bible. It is prayed on behalf of the whole people. It is a prayer that expresses both a great sorrow for sin and a great confidence in God’s mercy, ‘we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God, mercy and pardon belong, because we have betrayed Him’. Humility and trust are very clearly revealed in the prayer. We need both when we come before the Lord, the humility to acknowledge that we have not always lived as God calls us to live, and the total trust in God’s mercy which is always stronger than sin. 

Reflecting on our first reading, the Prophet Daniel beseech the Lord and asking Him to show mercy and compassion on His people, the Israelites and their descendants. They and their ancestors had rebelled and sinned against God, and therefore they had been cast out of the land that had been promised to them, the Land of Canaan, which their ancestors had dwelled in, but which by the time of Daniel, foreigners like the Assyrians and the Babylonians had conquered their kingdoms, destroyed their cities and exiled many among them to the distant lands, as Daniel himself had experienced and suffered. And in those distant lands, they had to bear the humiliation of their fate, the loss of their homeland, and the ignominy of their exile. Daniel gathered the prayers and thoughts of the people of God, many of whom had repented from their sins in their time and period of exile from their homeland. He asked the Lord on their behalf, presenting their sorrow and repentance, their regret for all of their mistakes and sins in the past, seeking God to forgive them their sins so that they might once again be loved and blessed by Him, and be allowed to return to their homeland, after their punishment and sufferings had come to an eventual end. He showcased Israel’s regret for their many disobedience and sins, and this is showing us how our attitude should be like in how we live our lives especially during this penitential time and season of Lent. We should also seek God’s generous mercy and forgiveness, and commit ourselves to His path, from now on.

Reflecting on both readings as we journey through Lent, let us echo this prayer: “A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” May we open our hearts to God’s grace, allowing Him to transform us from within. Heavenly Father, You call us to follow Your Son on the path of self-sacrificial love. Help us to die to ourselves so that we may bear fruit for Your kingdom. Cleanse our hearts, renew our spirits, and write Your law upon our souls. May we always seek Your glory and trust in Your divine plan. Strengthen us to follow Jesus, even when the path is difficult, so that we may one day share in His resurrection. Amen 🙏🏽

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded of the great mercy which the Lord, our most loving God and Father has shown to each and every one of us, the compassion and love which He has given to us all as His beloved people. We are reminded especially during this time and season of Lent, we have been given the opportunity to turn away from our sins and wickedness, and we have been given the generous opportunity to return to our loving God and Father, embracing His compassion and kindness, in His desire to reconciled and reunited with all of us. God has been generous in His mercy, and today we are all reminded to be thankful and appreciative of what we have received from Him. We are called to emulate the Saints, the holy men and women, particularly St. Patrick, who we celebrate today. Reflecting on our Sacred Scripture readings and from the life and works of St. Patrick, we are reminded to be aware of our sinfulness and seek God for His forgiveness and mercy, for Him to heal us from our sins and corruptions, so that we may once again be worthy to come to His Holy Presence and embrace Him fully in His love. And we are also reminded that we have the calling and obligation to be missionary as what St. Patrick and our other holy predecessors had done in their respective lives and works. That is why all of us are called to remember today our faith in the Lord and the generous mercy that God has given and reassured us with. We should not take God’s love for granted any longer, but appreciate every opportunities that we have been given. Let us all therefore continue to journey through this time and season of Lent with contrite heart, desiring to seek God’s forgiveness and mercy, and at the same time, showing mercy and love, compassion and kindness to those around us as well. May all of us be truly forgiven by God and be reconciled with Him through this great opportunity of this Lenten time and season. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us always and may He bless us all in everything that we do, in our every good efforts and endeavours, during this Lenten season and always. Amen 🙏🏽

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”

As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540

PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we reflect on Christ’s Transfiguration, we pray for the grace to listen to Him and be transformed by His presence. May this Lenten journey deepen our faith, strengthen our trust in God’s promises, and renew our commitment to live as citizens of heaven. We also pray for those struggling with doubt and uncertainty, that they may find hope in God’s faithfulness. Joining Pope Francis in his March prayer intention, we pray for families in crisis, that they may experience healing through forgiveness and a renewed appreciation for one another. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. Amen 🙏🏽

LET US PRAY:

My most merciful Jesus, I thank You for Your infinite mercy. Help me to see clearly my sin so that I, in turn, may see my need for Your mercy. As I do, dear Lord, I pray that my heart will be open to that mercy so that I can both receive it and share it with others. Make me a true instrument of Your divine grace. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽

May this Lenten season bring us deeper conversion, unwavering trust, and a heart open to God’s transforming love. Wishing us all a safe, blessed, grace-filled and fruitful week. Amen. 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C)

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 16, 2025

MEMORIAL OF SAINT HERIBERT (HERBERT) OF COLOGNE, BISHOP AND SAINT ABRAHAM OF EDESSA, PRIEST| Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Sunday, Second Week of Lent.

May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey 🙏🏽

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “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/2025/03/16/catholic-daily-mass-daily-tv-mass-march-16-2025/

NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/11/novena-to-saint-joseph/

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT | LENTEN MEDITATION & REFLECTION | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/16/second-sunday-of-lent/

WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/

PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer, during this time of his hospitalization after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We thank God as his health continues to improve and we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.

Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽

LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/

STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/

THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

Today, as we continue our Lenten journey, we reflect on the Transfiguration of Jesus, a moment of divine revelation that strengthens us for the road ahead. On the mountain, Jesus’ glory is unveiled, reminding us that the path to resurrection passes through the Cross. The Father’s voice commands, “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.”

Lent is a time to listen to Christ’s call to repentance, to deeper faith, and to transformation. Like the disciples, we may long for spiritual comfort, but Jesus calls us to walk with Him, even when the journey is difficult. Through prayer, fasting, and charity, we open ourselves to His grace, allowing Him to shape us into true disciples.

Heavenly Father, as we journey through Lent, help us to listen to Your Son and follow Him with trust. May His light guide us through our struggles and prepare us for the glory of Easter. Amen.

Wishing us all a grace-filled and spiritually uplifting Lenten journey. Amen. 🙏

PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.

On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

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 and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 🙏🏽

THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/

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/

DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Heribert of Cologne, Bishop (a holy shepherd devoted to prayer and service, known for his miraculous intercession for rain, and patron against drought) and Saint Abraham of Edessa, Priest (a hermit and evangelist who renounced worldly comforts to bring sinners back to God through prayer and penance).

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we humbly pray for bishops and priests, that they may be faithful shepherds of God’s people. We ask for the grace to trust in Divine Providence, to persevere in prayer, and to seek holiness in our daily lives. May we, like Saint Abraham, have the courage to turn away from sin and lead others to Christ, and may we, like Saint Heribert, be instruments of God’s blessings to those in need.

Saint Heribert of Cologne and Saint Abraham of Edessa ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽

We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽

Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽

God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽

LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards

Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Sunday of the Second Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Sunday of the Second Week of Lent, March 16, 2025
Reading 1, Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
Reading 2, Philippians 3:17-4:1
Gospel, Luke 9:28b-36

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 9:28b-36

“While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white”

“Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from Him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him.’ After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus takes Peter and John and James up a mountain to pray. He went up the mountain to seek God in prayer, and in prayer He was transfigured. The Transfiguration of Jesus is a moment of divine revelation where Christ’s glory is revealed to Peter, James, and John. As Jesus prays, His face shines, and His clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, appear and converse with Him about His coming passion in Jerusalem. This moment is not only a revelation of Jesus’ divinity but also a foreshadowing of His resurrection. Jesus was very aware that He was facing down a long road to Jerusalem where rejection and death awaited Him, where everything would be taken away from Him. He had just told His disciples as much in Caesarea Philippi. Now He goes up the mountain to seek the face of the Lord to be strengthened for the road ahead. His relationship with His Father was one thing that could not be taken from Him. Here was the greatest value of His life that would endure when all else failed. In prayerful communion with God, he was transfigured; He experienced Himself as He would be, beyond the rejection, suffering, and death that awaited Him in Jerusalem. This was a wonderful moment not only for Jesus Himself but for those who went up the mountain with Him. ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here’, said Peter who was overwhelmed by the experience, wishes to stay on the mountain by building tents, failing to grasp the deeper meaning of this event. The voice of the Father commands, “This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.” This reminds us that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise and the one to whom we must listen. Some of us may be fortunate enough in the course of our lives to have known such moments when God seemed very near to us, when we felt fully alive in God’s presence, fully loved with a love greater than any human love. Such moments are little glimpses of that final transfiguration that awaits us all; they assure us that when we have to let go of everything, God remains, and in God we will find all again, transformed and renewed.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading, Jesus knew times in His life when He felt deeply happy and at peace and other times when life was a real struggle. In last Sunday’s Gospel reading Jesus struggled with Satan in the wilderness. While today’s Gospel reading puts before us a very different moment in Jesus’ life. In the wilderness Jesus was alone with only Satan for company. Here on the mount of transfiguration, He is with His three closest disciples, Peter, James and John. Not only has He His three closest disciples for company, two of the great Jewish prophets appear to Him and speak to Him, Moses and Elijah. Even more significantly, Jesus heard His heavenly Father address Him as ‘my Son, the Chosen One’. If in the wilderness, Jesus was being put to a great test, here on the mountain He is being given great consolation. Jesus needed this moment of assurance, because he was about to set out on the most difficult journey of His life, the journey to Jerusalem. According to the Gospel of Luke a few verses after this scene, ‘When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem’. In our Gospel reading, Moses and Elijah were speaking to Jesus about His departure which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem, His death. Jesus had gone up the mountain to pray, and it was while He was at prayer that Moses and Elijah appeared to Him, and the voice of the Father was heard to speak. This time of prayer on the mountain was for Jesus a time of great consolation, of great reassurance. It was an experience which strengthened Him for the journey that He was about to face into.

Lent is a time when, in a sense, the whole church is called to go up the mountain to pray, as Jesus did. It is a season when we are called to nurture, through prayer, the most important relationship in our lives, our relationship with the Lord who is our light and our help. Our prayer can take many different forms; none of us prays in the same way all of the time. Today’s Gospel reading of the transfiguration, however, draws attention to one particular form of prayer, the prayer of listening. When Peter, James and John were on the mountain with Jesus, the voice of God spoke to Him and said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him’. The three disciples were being called to the prayer of listening. Jesus was just about to head for Jerusalem with His disciples. In the course of that journey, Luke’s Gospel presents Jesus as having a great deal to say to His disciples. Along the way He gave them a lot of teaching and instruction. Before they headed out on this journey, the disciples were being called to listen to Jesus. As we begin our Lenten journey, we too hear the voice from the cloud say to us, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him’. Lent is a journey of listening to the word of the Lord. As Jesus was praying on the mountain, he was transfigured. As we prayerfully listen to the Lord’s word, we too will be transfigured; we will be transformed more fully into the image and likeness of God’s Son. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading our ultimate destiny is that our earthly bodies will be transfigured into copies of the Lord’s glorious body. In giving ourselves over to the prayerful listening of the Lord’s word, that process of transfiguration can begin here and now. The Transfiguration calls us to open our hearts to Christ’s glory, especially during Lent, as we journey toward His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Just as the disciples had to descend from the mountain and continue their journey with Christ, we too must take the grace we receive in prayer and use it to strengthen our daily lives. Lent is a time of transformation, a time to let Christ’s light shine through us. Are we truly listening to Him? Are we allowing His presence to change us?

Our first reading this Sunday, from the Book of Genesis highlights the very moment when God established His Covenant with Abram, a man whom He had called from the land of Ur of the Chaldeans in Mesopotamia. Abram had obeyed the Lord and responded to His call with commitment, following the Lord’s call to the land that He had led him into, the land of Canaan, the Promised Land that God promised to be given to the descendants of Abram. Abram brought his wife, Sarai and his personal assets and servants, travelling long distance from his homeland, leaving behind the life that he knew, and embarked on the journey to the land of Canaan. Through this great obedience and other virtues that Abram had shown, the Lord chose him to be the one with whom He would make His Covenant, renewing the Covenant that He had made with us mankind from the beginning. God therefore promised to Abram through this solemn Covenant, that He would be his God and the God of his descendants, which would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand grains on the shores, essentially uncountable. And this is remarkable considering that at the time that God made this Covenant with Abram, he was still a relatively old man with no child or anyone that can bear his legacy, and he himself said that his servant would be the one to inherit his riches and property. But God reassured Abram that He would give unto him a son, son born of him and his wife, Sarai. And as a sign of his commitment to this new Covenant and the new life that Abram and his wife, Sarai, had been called into, they both changed their name, which symbolically highlighted this moment of conversion and change, becoming known as Abraham and Sarah respectively. Eventually Abraham would indeed become the father of many nations, both by blood and by faith, as all of us Christians do call Abraham our father in faith.

Reflecting on our first reading from Genesis, we see the covenant between God and Abraham. God asks Abraham to trust in His promise, showing him the stars as a symbol of the countless descendants he will have. Though Abraham struggles to understand, he places his faith in God, and it is credited to him as righteousness. The smoking fire pot and flaming torch passing between the animal sacrifices signify God’s presence and His unwavering faithfulness. This passage reminds us that God is always faithful to His promises, even when we struggle to see how His plan will unfold. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God, especially in times of uncertainty. Lent invites us to deepen our faith and surrender to His divine will.

Our Responsorial Psalm today, Psalm 27 expresses confidence in God’s guidance and protection: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?” It reminds us that even in trials, we are never alone. God’s presence is our refuge and strength. During this Lenten season, we are called to seek the Lord with all our hearts, trusting that He will lead us into His light.

Our second reading today is from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the region of Philippi in modern day Greece. In that Epistle, the Apostle spoke of the nature of our Christian citizenship in Heaven, a reminder for all of us that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, all of us, regardless which country, origin or background that we have, ultimately, all of us belong to the Lord and we all share this common inheritance from God, the promise of the eternal life and true happiness in Heaven, to be forever in the presence of our loving God and Creator. And linking to what we have heard in our first reading today regarding the Covenant of God and Abraham, all of us have Abraham as our father in faith, and therefore, we also share in this great and Eternal Covenant that God has established and renewed with us all. We are all reminded by St. Paul the Apostle that no matter what struggles and hardships each and every one of us may encounter in our respective lives, each one of us should continue to be faithful in the Lord and put our faith and trust in Him. We must not let ourselves to be easily swayed by the many temptations, pressures, coercions and all the things that we may encounter in our path which may lead us astray, tempting us to abandon our journey towards God and His salvation. At that time, during the moment when St. Paul wrote this Epistle, Christians have begun to spread around the Roman Empire and other surrounding regions, as missionaries worked hard to proclaim the Good News of God to more and more people. However, they also faced a lot of opposition and persecution from their enemies and from those who were suspicious of the Christian teachings and faith.

Reflecting on our second reading, while St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, reminds us that our true citizenship is in heaven, he warns against focusing on earthly desires and instead calls us to set our hearts on Christ. Paul assures us that Jesus will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorified body, giving us hope in the resurrection. Today’s reading challenges us to reflect: Are we living as citizens of heaven, or are we distracted by worldly concerns? Lent is a time to renew our commitment to Christ, detaching ourselves from the things that pull us away from Him. As we continue our Lenten journey, let us strive to be transformed by God’s grace. Just as Jesus revealed His glory to His disciples, He desires to reveal Himself to us. Let us listen to Him, trust in His promises, and allow His love to shape our lives. May we walk in faith, keeping our eyes fixed on the glory of Christ, who leads us to eternal life. Heavenly Father, in the Transfiguration of Your Son, You revealed His divine glory and called us to listen to Him. Open my heart to His words, that I may be transformed by Your grace. Help me to trust in Your promises, as Abraham did, and to seek the light of Christ in my daily life. May this Lenten season be a time of true renewal, drawing me closer to You. Amen 🙏🏽

As we reflect on the words of the Lord in the Sacred Scriptures today this Second Sunday in the season of Lent, all of us are reminded to continue embarking on the journey of faith through our lives towards the Lord our God, our Saviour and Hope. We are reminded of the Covenant which God has made with each and every one of us, beginning with Abraham, our father in faith, to whom God had willingly established the Covenant that He had constantly renewed and then expanded to cover all of us, the children and descendants of Adam, that we all may partake in His glorious inheritance and to receive the grace and blessings that He has assured to all those who are faithful to His Covenant, His Law and commandments. We.are called to emulate the Holy men and women, and the Saints, particularly those who we celebrate today, Saint Heribert of Cologne and Saint Abraham of Edessa. Therefore, as we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, we are called to commit ourselves to the Lord anew and follow Him wholeheartedly, as we have been called to do, to be like Abraham and our forefathers who have trusted in God and be part of the Covenant that He had made with us all. And like Jesus our Lord and Saviour Himself, Who as Son, obeyed His Father’s will perfectly, and as we heard, despite the glory of His appearance and Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, chose to descend down the mountain to go forth to His Passion in Jerusalem. Through His obedience and willing sacrifice, He showed us all the perfect love of God by which all of us have received the fulfilment of the promise of God’s salvation, and opened for us the path towards full reconciliation with our loving Father. This Sunday let us all therefore strive to continue our Lenten journey with great faith and commitment, doing our very best so that we may come closer to God and be ever stronger in our relationship with Him, and be fully committed to His path, so that we can truly be faithful to the New and Eternal Covenant that He has made and sealed with us by the loving sacrifice of His Son, Our Lord and Saviour on the Cross. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the good Lord be with us always, and bless our Lenten journey, now and forevermore. Amen 🙏🏽

SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT HERIBERT (HERBERT) OF COLOGNE, BISHOP AND SAINT ABRAHAM OF EDESSA, PRIEST: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 16TH: Today, we honor the Memorial of Saint Heribert of Cologne, Bishop, a devoted shepherd of the Church known for his deep prayer life, acts of charity, and miraculous intercessions for rain during times of drought. He faithfully served as Archbishop of Cologne and worked for peace and reconciliation, strengthening the faith of his people. He is the Patron Saint invoked against drought and for rain. We also commemorate Saint Abraham of Edessa, Priest, a holy hermit who lived a life of extreme asceticism, dedicating himself entirely to prayer and penance. Despite his desire for solitude, he was called to preach and lead a town away from sin, tirelessly working for their conversion. His life is a testament to perseverance, self-sacrifice, and the power of prayer.

Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we humbly offer prayers for all who suffer from drought and natural disasters, for bishops and leaders of the Church, for those who work for reconciliation, and for those called to the difficult mission of conversion and evangelization. We pray for priests, hermits, and those who dedicate themselves to prayer and penance. May their examples inspire us to trust in God’s providence, embrace sacrifice, and labor for the salvation of souls.

O God, who raised up Saint Heribert to shepherd Your people with wisdom and compassion, and who strengthened Saint Abraham to lead souls to repentance, grant that through their intercession, we may remain faithful in prayer, generous in service, and steadfast in faith. May we always trust in Your divine providence and be instruments of Your peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Heribert of Cologne and Saint Abraham of Edessa, pray for us! 🙏

Saint(s) of the Day | March 16th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

SAINT HERIBERT (HERBERT) OF COLOGNE, BISHOP: St. Heribert (c 970–1021) was a German Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Cologne from 998 until his death. He also served as the Chancellor for the Emperor Otto III from 994 and collaborated with Saint Henry II Obl. SB (973-1074) with whom relations were strained though were strengthened over time. St. Heribert was born at Worms in Germany about 970 and he was the son of Hugo, count of Worms. He was educated in the school of Worms Cathedral and at the Benedictine Gorze Abbey in Lorraine, France. He wanted to enter the Benedictine Order there, but his father recalled him to Worms and obtained a canonry for him. He returned to Worms Cathedral to be provost and was ordained a priest in 994. As a young priest, St.  Heribert became a trusted counselor of the youthful Emperor Otto III, chancellor of the diocese, and finally Archbishop of Cologne in 998.

In that same year, S. Heribert accompanied the Emperor to Rome and Emperor Otto III appointed him chancellor for Italy and four years later also for Germany, a position which he held and assisted Emperor Otto III in his last moments before his death on January 23, 1002. In the ensuing skirmishing for the post of Emperor, St. Heribert at first was opposed to St. Henry II through a mutual misunderstanding. But in time the two Saints, Archbishop and Emperor, were publicly reconciled and labored together for the good of the people. St. Heribert was practically a model of what a Bishop should be. He was a peaceful man but a firm disciplinarian; a holy man but one who knew the value of money and saw to it that his was always divided among the poor. St. Heribert built the monastery of Deutz, on the Rhine and performed miracles, including ending a drought. He was a man of prayer, and in a time of drought it was in answer to his prayers that a torrential rain fell, saving the harvest and delivering the people from famine. He died on March 16, 1021 at Cologne, Germany of natural causes and was buried in the monastery at Deutz, which he founded with the help of Otto III. St. Heribert seems to have led an exemplary life of piety and devotion to the poor and was already honored as a saint during his lifetime and his Canonization was confirmed in about 1074 by St Pope Gregory VII. He’s the Patron Saint invoked against drought, for rain and of Deutz, Germany.   

PRAYER: God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Heribert as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Help us through his intercession to keep the Faith he taught by his word. Amen🙏

SAINT ABRAHAM OF EDESSA, PRIEST: St. Abraham of Edessa (300-360 A.D.), also known as Abraham of Kidunaia, was a rich nobleman from Mesopotamia. He was born to a wealthy family during the third century about 300 A.D. After receiving an excellent education, St. Abraham was encouraged to get married. He married according to his parents’ wishes, despite his desire to give himself totally to God. But after the wedding ceremony, he told his bride his desire to remain a virgin and dedicate his life to God. His bride accepted this resolution and Abraham retired to a hermitage near Edessa, a city near Mesopotamia. His family searched for him for seventeen days, and were still more astonished when they found him. Why are you surprised? he asked them. Admire instead the favor God has granted me, the grace to bear the yoke of His service, which He has wanted to impose on me without regard to my unworthiness. He walled up his cell door, leaving only a small window open for the food which would be brought to him from that time on. Ten years after he retreated from the world, his parents died and left a great amount of wealth to St. Abraham. As soon as he was aware of this, he asked a friend to distribute the sum to charitable causes. Through actions like this and his deep prayer life, St. Abraham became known throughout the region as a holy man and many came to him for guidance.

Since many were seeking him out for advice and consolation, his reputation even came to the ears of the Bishop of Edessa. When Edessa became poisoned with sin and idolatry, St. Abraham was ordained a priest by the  Bishop of  Edessa, overruling his humility. Soon after his ordination, he was sent to preach reform to an idolatrous city which had hitherto been deaf to every messenger. St. Abraham was greatly distressed by this, but obeyed the wishes of the bishop. When St. Abraham arrived in Edessa, none of the residents would listen to his words. He was insulted, beaten, and three times banished, but he returned each time with fresh zeal. For three years he pleaded with God for those souls, and eventually in the end through constant prayer he prevailed. Every citizen was converted and came to him for Baptism. After providing for their spiritual needs he went back to his cell, more than ever convinced of the power of prayer, he stayed in his hermitage to continue his life of solitary prayer for the rest of his life. In that cell, then, for fifty years, he would continue to sing God’s praises and implore mercy for himself and for all men. Saint Ephrem wrote of him that a day did not pass without his shedding tears; but that despite his constant and severe penance, he always maintained an agreeable disposition and a healthy and vigorous body. He never reproved anyone with sharpness, but all he said was seasoned with the salt of charity and gentleness.

His brother on dying left an only daughter, Mary, to Saint Abraham’s care. He placed his young niece in a cell near his own and set her up to live as a religious and he devoted himself to training her in perfection. After twenty years of innocence she grew lax and succumbed to the seduction of a rogue hermit. She was so ashamed of her sin that she despaired of God’s mercy and fled to a distant city to became a prostitute. For two years, St. Abraham and his friend St  Ephrem prayed earnestly for his niece, Mary. Eventually, discovering her location, St. Abraham left his cell and went in disguise to seek the lost sheep. He came to her disguised as a suitor. When they were alone he revealed his identity to her, and, pleading with her throughout the night, prevailed upon her to return with him to her life of prayer and penance. She came back to her cell, which Abraham relocated directly behind his own for her protection and he had the joy of bringing her back to the desert a true penitent. She received the gift of miracles, and her countenance after death shone as the sun. She became St. Mary of Edessa. Saint Abraham died five years before her, in about 360 A.D. after a life of faithful service to God. All of Edessa came for his last blessing and to secure his relics.

PRAYER: We ask the intercession of St. Abraham for the grace to smash the moral idols of the Revolution, internally in our souls and externally in society, with the same courage and straightforwardness. Amen🙏🏽

May the lives of St. Heribert and St. Abraham inspire us to deepen our faith, trust in God’s providence, and extend His love to those in need. Amen 🙏🏽

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”

As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540

PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we reflect on Christ’s Transfiguration, we pray for the grace to listen to Him and be transformed by His presence. May this Lenten journey deepen our faith, strengthen our trust in God’s promises, and renew our commitment to live as citizens of heaven. We also pray for those struggling with doubt and uncertainty, that they may find hope in God’s faithfulness. Joining Pope Francis in his March prayer intention, we pray for families in crisis, that they may experience healing through forgiveness and a renewed appreciation for one another. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. Amen 🙏🏽

LET US PRAY:

My Transfigured Lord, the glory that shone forth from Your divine face in radiance must have been beyond human description. Your true glory in Heaven is something that I hope to one day behold. Please instill in me a desire to more fully understand Your glory and to work tirelessly to be an instrument of that glory to all I meet.

Heavenly Father, You revealed the glory of Your Son to His disciples and called them to listen to Him. Open my heart to His words, that I may be transformed by Your grace. Help me to trust in You as Abraham did, to seek Your light as the Psalmist proclaimed, and to set my heart on heaven as St. Paul teaches. Strengthen me to walk this Lenten path with faith and perseverance, that I may be renewed in Your love. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Heribert of Cologne, and Saint Abraham of Edessa ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽

May this Lenten season bring us deeper conversion, unwavering trust, and a heart open to God’s transforming love. Wishing us all a safe, blessed and grace-filled Sunday and week. Amen. 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖