Author: Resa

THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 9, 2024

FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 9, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 9, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 9, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 9, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
Reading 2, 1 Corinthians 3:9C-11, 16-17
Gospel, John 2:13-22

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME | MEMORIAL OF SAINT THEODORE TYRO, MARTYR AND SAINT BENIGNUS OF ARMAGH – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 9TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (The Church of the Most Holy Saviour, Rome) and the Memorial of Saint Theodore Tyro, Martyr in Asia Minor and Saint Benignus of Armagh.

DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME: The Church of the Most Holy Saviour, Rome or the church of Saint John Lateran in Rome is one of the four great Basilicas of the city, the other three being Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint Mary Major’s Basilica and the Basilica of Saint Paul, situated outside the Walls of the ancient city. This is the oldest and ranks first among the four greater or patriarchal churches of Rome. These four basilicas represent the four great patriarchates, or ecclesiastical provinces, of the world. There are a number of churches in Rome and elsewhere that rank in honor as lesser basilicas but do not posses the special privileges of the greater basilicas. It was originally the palace of Constantine, adapted and dedicated under the title “Our Savior” to serve as the church of the Pope. The present archbasilica was built later, on the side of the original church, and is known as St. John Lateran, having been dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is the Cathedral church of the Pope in his role as Bishop of the Diocese of Rome. It is called ‘Saint John’ after the two monasteries once attached, dedicated to Saint John the apostle and Saint John the Baptist. In ancient Rome this was the church where everyone was baptized. This feast became a universal celebration in honor of the archbasilica, the ecclesiastical mother church, called “the mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world”. A Latin inscription in the church reads: “Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput,” translated, “Of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head.” Its universal celebration is a sign of love for and union with the See of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ.

The Temple of Stones is a Symbol of the Living Church. The dedication of the Lateran Basilica, called “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world.” The original Basilica, the oldest church in the West, was erected by the Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor, the first to be built after Emperor Constantine’s edict, in 313, granted Christians freedom to practice their religion. The emperor himself gave Pope Miltiades the ancient palace of the Laterani family, and the basilica, the baptistery, and the patriarchate, that is, the Bishop of Rome’s residence — where the Popes lived until the Avignon period — were all built there. The basilica’s dedication was celebrated by Pope Sylvester around 324 and was named Most Holy Savior; only after the 6th century were the names of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist added, and now is typically denominated by these latter. Initially the observance of this feast was confined to the city of Rome; then, beginning in 1565, it was extended to all the Churches of the Roman rite. The honoring of this sacred edifice was a way of expressing love and veneration for the Roman Church, which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch says, “presides in charity” over the whole Catholic communion (Letter to the Romans, 1:1).

On this solemnity the Word of God recalls an essential truth: the temple of stones is a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community, which in their letters the Apostles Peter and Paul already understood as a “spiritual edifice,” built by God with “living stones,” namely, Christians themselves, upon the one foundation of Jesus Christ, who is called the “cornerstone” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20-22). “Brothers, you are God’s building,” St. Paul wrote, and added: “holy is God’s temple, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:9c, 17).

The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human beings, limited and sinful, to convert to form a “cosmos,” a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the “ecclesia,” that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God. Today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships Him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love.

“I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever.” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:16

PRAYER: God, out of living and chosen stones You prepare an eternal dwelling for Yourself. Multiply in Your Church the spirit of grace that You have given her, so that Your people may every grow into that building which is the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen 🙏
 
SAINT THEODORE TYRO, MARTYR: Saint Theodore Tyro (also known as Saint Theodore of Amasea and Saint Theodore the Recruit, 286-306), one of the oldest of the eastern martyrs. While little is known about his life, he is included in the Roman martyrology, and greatly venerated in the Eastern Church as one of the three “Soldier Saints,” with Saints George and Demetrios. St. Theodore was born into a noble family, probably near Alasium, Turkey, and enrolled in the imperial army while still just a boy. Drawn to the Lord at an early age, St. Theodore had converted, against the wishes of his parents most likely, and was almost immediately confronted with a significant dilemma upon entering the army. Having been assigned into his legion, although still referred to as a “tyro” (or recruit), St. Theodore marched with the army into Pontus. At that time, the Roman Emperor issued an edict that forcing all Christians to offer sacrifices. Failure to do so meant certain persecution and death.

St. Theodore was thus faced with the choice between apostasy and torture. When it came time for Theodore to prove his allegiance to the emperor, he courageously declared before his commander that he was ready to be ”cut up in pieces and offer every limb to the Savior Jesus Christ,” who had died for him,” rather than offer sacrifice to a false god. The commander, Praepositus Brincus, a relatively gentle man, left St. Theodore in peace for some time, hoping that would reconsider his decision. Not only did Theodore remain steadfast in his faith, but he also burned the temple of Cybele, the mother of the gods, with its magnificent idol. Immediately afterwards he was arrested and was executed by the zealous pagans by being thrown into a furnace. Joyously, and ready to be joined with his Maker, Saint Theodore made the Sign of the Cross, and filled with hope and love, climbed into the furnace which would be his coffin. Christian witnesses present at his death reported seeing his soul rise to heaven like “a flash of light and fire”.

PRAYER: O Heavenly King, Saint Theodore was a young soldier in the Roman army when he converted to Christianity. Though he was ordered to fight enemies of the empire, he believed that the devil was the only true enemy. Soon, he was killed for being a Christian, thus winning the battle against the demons who wanted to keep him out of Heaven. I ask him to pray for my fight against evil and temptation and to pray for all my loved ones during their battles. Help us, O victorious Jesus, to turn away from sin and to grow in holiness. Teach us how to always wear the armor of God. Saint Theodore, pray for us… Amen.🙏

SAINT BENIGNUS OF ARMAGH: Saint Benignus of Armagh (died 467 A.D.) was the son of Sesenen, an Irish chieftain in the part of Ireland that is now called as County Meath. He was baptised into the Christian faith by St. Patrick, and became his favourite and loyal disciple across Ireland. In 450 A.D. Benignus became coadjutor with St. Patrick in the Diocese of Armagh, and also became the first rector of the Catholic school there. St. Benignus was a talented singer and worked to form choral groups wherever they traveled for their missionary work; for this he was called “Patrick’s Psalmist.” He also assisted with the compilation of the Senchus Mor, the Irish Code of Law, and sat on a number of commissions, councils, and synods that helped further establish the Catholic faith across Ireland. His feast day is November 9th.

Saint Benignus of Armagh ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ John 2:13-22

“Jesus was speaking about the temple of His Body”

“Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus, while standing in the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, identifies Himself as the Temple or sanctuary of God, ‘Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up’. Jesus was claiming that the place where God dwells among humanity was no longer the physical Temple in Jerusalem but Himself. St. Paul reminds us that we, the community of faith, the members of Christ’s body, are now the place where God wishes to dwell among humanity. As living stones in God’s building, God’s Temple, each one of us is called to reveal God’s loving presence to others. One of the reasons we gather in a building, a church, is to receive the grace and strength we need to be true to our calling to be living stones in God’s spiritual building. The Lord needs us to make tangible His loving and merciful presence in our world today.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. This Basilica is now the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. It is the church of the Pope in his capacity as Bishop of Rome. As the Cathedral Church of the Pope it has the title ‘Mother and Head of all the churches of the City and of the World’. There are many wonderful churches in Rome and throughout the world. Yet, we are all very aware that the church is not primarily a building, no matter how grand. The church is the community of believers who gather in the building we call a church. The most important religious building in the time of Jesus and the early church was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In the words of today’s responsorial psalm, it was ‘the holy place where the Most High dwells’. At a time when this Temple was still standing in all its glory, St. Paul in the second reading tells the Christians in Corinth, ‘you are God’s building… you are God’s temple’. St. Paul makes the extraordinary statement, ‘Don’t you realize that you are God’s Temple and that the Spirit of God is living among you?’ St. Paul is declaring that the Most High now dwells in the community of believers who gather around the risen Lord. St. Paul is reminding us that more fundamental than the building we call church are the people we call church. The church building is there to help us to express our identity as a people of faith, called to worship God through Christ in the Spirit. If our worship is to be authentic, the shape of our worship must become the shape of our lives. Our whole lives are to be a movement towards God, through Christ and in the Spirit. This is what it means to be church, to be the temple of God in the world, the living sign of God’s presence. In the Gospel reading, Jesus points to Himself as the temple of God in the world, the one through whom God is present in the world. This is the heart of our own baptismal calling, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, God has called all of us to holiness and to be worthy of Him, remembering that each one of us have received the Lord Himself, in His Real Presence through the Eucharist, and also have been sanctified and set aside by our baptism, and our whole initiation into the Christian faith and Church. Therefore, let us all be reminded of the need to keep ourselves as far as possible to be blameless and free from sin, and refrain from doing things that are contrary to God’s will and can lead us down the slippery slope towards sin and damnation. We have to do our best to guard and take care of ourselves to avoid falling into the many temptations, coercions and pressures all around us trying to drag us away from the path towards God’s salvation and eternal life. Let us hence live our lives to the best of our abilities, to be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith. Let us all be truly worthy of God dwelling and being with us all the time. Otherwise, if we fail to fulfil our respective Christian callings and missions, then it will be more difficult for us to come nearer to God. May the Lord give us the strength and the perseverance to remain firmly committed to Him despite the challenges and hardships we may have to encounter along the way, keeping our body, heart, mind, soul and our whole existences and beings free from sin, as the Temples of the Lord. Let us ensure that we always strive to uphold the sanctity and holiness of our places and worship, as well as our own beings, our bodies, minds, hearts and souls as well? As we rejoice today in the memory of the Dedication of the Mother Church of all Christendom today, let us all do what is tangible and possible for us, that is to keep ourselves truly holy and worthy of the Lord, by striving to be always obedient to His Law and commandments at all times. Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord from now on, to dedicate and consecrate ourselves anew to Him, renewing the commitment we have made at our baptism, to be truly dedicated and worthy of God at all times, and to be holy and honourable as the great houses and churches of God, particularly the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran which dedication we commemorate today. Let us always remind ourselves and one another that we are God’s Holy Temple, the Houses of His Holy Presence. May the Lord continue to help, strengthen and guide each and every one of us so that we may always remain firm and strong in our constant devotion and commitment to God, to be ever faithful and good in everything we do in our lives, for the greater glory of God. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful to our own baptismal calling, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others. And may the Lord be with us all, and as He blessed the great Basilica of St. John Lateran, may He also bless us all in our future good works and endeavours. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My zealous Lord, Your heart burns with a deep desire to cleanse me and all Your children from sin. Your zeal reveals Your deep love and Your willingness to do all that You can to make me a fuller member of Your Body, the Church. Open my mind and will, dear Lord, to all that You wish to say to me and give me the grace to respond to Your purifying action in my life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Theodore Tyro, Martyr and Saint Benignus of Armagh ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 8, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Today is the last day to gain the special indulgences from November 1- 8 for the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the gentle souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace… Amen🙏

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Friday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 8, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 8, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 8, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 8, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Friday, November 8, 2024
Reading 1, Philippians 3:17-4:1
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
Gospel, Luke 16:1-8

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

*MEMORIAL OF SAINT GODFREY, BISHOP; SAINT ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY, RELIGIOUS; BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, PRIEST AND THE HOLY FOUR CROWNED MARTYRS (SEVERUS, SEVERIAN, CARPOPHORUS AND VICTORINUS) – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 8TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Godfrey, Bishop; Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Religious; Blessed John Duns Scotus and the Holy Four Crowned Martyrs (Severus, Severian, Carpophorus & Victorinus).

SAINT GODFREY, BISHOP: St. Godfrey was born near Soissons, France, in 1065, the son of Frodon, a prominent citizen in a small town. He was raised from the age of 5 in the Benedictine abbey of Mont-Saint-Quentin where his godfather Godefroid was abbot. He immediately donned a Benedictine habit and lived as a tiny monk, and took his vows when he came of age. He was ordained a priest by bishop Radbod II of Noyon. In 1096, he was made Abbot of Nogent-sous-Coucy, in the diocese of Rheims, in the province of Champagne, a rapidly declining religious house. Its membership had been drastically reduced, its outer appearance was completely dilapidated, and its religious life was floundering in sad disarray. When he arrived, the place was overrun by weeds, and housed only six nuns and two children. However, such was the force of Godfrey’s personality and spirituality that he soon had this same house flourishing in every way. He rebuilt, restored, and revitalized the abbey, bringing people to the Order of St. Benedict, and order to the people. As a result, St. Godfrey was offered the great Abbacy of Saint-Remi at Rheims but he turned it down, in favor of running his own house. He was also offered the bishopric of Reims in 1097, but again he refused, claiming he was unworthy.

When he was offered the bishopric of Amiens in 1104, he still considered himself unworthy of the trust. However, King Philip and the Council of Troyes each ordered him to take it, which he did. Here St. Godfrey showed himself to be a true religious in his conduct as well as in his administration. St. Godfrey was noted for his rigid austerity with himself, those around him, and in his approach to his mission as bishop. He was an enforcer of clerical celibacy and endorsing the establishment of communes. He was also a fierce lifelong opponent of drunkenness and simony, which led to an attempt on his life. For most of his time as bishop, he wished to resign and retire as a Carthusian monk. In time the unbending, severe, and rigorously exact attitude of this Saint provoked the opposition of some and led to his withdrawal to a Carthusian monastery in 1114. But a few months later his people demanded his return, and he agreed. He also took part in the Council of Chálons. He died on November 8, 1115 at Crispin’s Abbey, Soissons, France

PRAYER: God, You made St. Godfrey an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the Faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may perservere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen 🙏

SAINT ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY, RELIGIOUS: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906) was born Elizabeth Catez in Bourges, France on July 18, 1880. Her father, a military captain, died when she was only seven, leaving her mother to raise Elizabeth and her sister, Marguerite. Her family moved to Dijon France. St. Elizabeth was a very lively girl and a gifted pianist, but was very stubborn and experienced fits of rage. However, even in her strong temperament she had a great love for God, and an early attraction to a life of prayer and reflection. She visited the sick often and taught catechism to children. Very close to her house was a Carmelite monastery and she greatly desired to enter the religious life.

At 17 years old she visited the monastery, and while there, the mother superior gave her a newly published letter about Therese of Lisieux, who had just recently passed away. As a result, St. Elizabeth was greatly inspired in her contemplative life. She continued working with the sick and teaching catechism to the youth until she was allowed to enter the monastery at the age of 21. Against her mother’s wishes, St
Elizabeth entered a monastery of Discalced Carmelites in 1901 at the age of 21. Though noted for great spiritual growth, she was also plagued with periods of powerful darkness which led her spiritual director to doubt her vocation. Nonetheless, she completed her novitiate and took her final vows in 1903. She lived a life of prayer and sacrifice, suffering greatly from sickness. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity died only three years later at the age of 26 of Addison’s disease. In her short life as a religious, she was a spiritual director for many, and she left a legacy of letters and retreat guides. She died on November 9, 1906 and was canonized by Pope Francis on October 16, 2016. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is the Patron Saint of people who have lost their parents.

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, PRIEST: Bl. John (1266-1308) was born in Duns, county of Berwick, Scotland. The “Scotus” in his name is a derivation of “Scotia,” the Latin name for his native land. John received the habit of the Friars Minor at Dumfries, where his uncle Elias Duns was superior. After novitiate, John studied at Oxford and Paris and was ordained in 1291. More studies in Paris followed until 1297, when he returned to lecture at Oxford and Cambridge. Four years later, he returned to Paris to teach and complete the requirements for the doctorate. A student and proponent of Aquinas, Aristotle and Muslim philosophers, he also recognized the richness of Augustinian and Franciscan traditions. This led John to be an independent thinker, and in 1303 was run out of France by Kink Philip the Fair for refusing to take his side in a royal dispute with the Papacy. He defended his free will through convincing philosophical arguments. In one such defense he posed to his students that if he started beating someone who denied free will, the person would immediately tell him to stop. But if Scotus didn’t really have a free will, how could he stop? After his exile to Oxford, Scotus was able to return to Paris and finally received his doctorate in 1305. He became renown in 1307 for his defense of the Immaculate Conception. Not only did the university adopt his position, much later in 1854, Pope Pius IX would use the precepts of that position on his own definition of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Later in 1307, John Duns Scotus was assigned to the Franciscan school of Cologne where e he died in 1308. He was beatified in 1993.

Blessed John Duns Scotus, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏

THE HOLY FOUR CROWNED MARTYRS (SEVERUS, SEVERIAN, CARPOPHORUS AND VICTORINUS): According to the Martyrology: “At Rome on the Via Lavicana the day of the death of four holy martyrs, the brothers Severus, Severianus, Carpophorus, and Victorinus. Under Emperor Diocletian they were scourged to death with lead rods. Their names were first made known many years later through a divine revelation. As no one knew their names previously, the annual feastday to their honor was celebrated under the title: The Four Crowned Brothers. The designation was retained even after the revelation.” The basilica of the Four Crowned Martyrs also contains the relics of five sculptors (Claudius, Castorius, Symphorian [Simpronian], Nicostratus, and Simplicius) who under Diocletian refused to make idols or to venerate sun-god pictures. Reports say they were scourged, placed in lead coffins and submerged in a stream (c. 300). The nine saints are divided into two groups:

• Severus (or Secundius), Severian(us), Carpophorus (Carpoforus), Victorinus (Victorius, Vittorinus)
• Claudius, Castorius, Symphorian (Simpronian), Nicostratus, and Simplicius

Hagiographers are trying to disentangle the conflicting statements on the relation of these two groups to one another, whether two groups actually existed, whether they were Pannomians or Romans, soldiers or stone-masons, etc. Patron Saint of sculptors, stonemasons, stonecutters; against fever; cattle.

The Holy Four Crowned Martyrs (Severus, Severian, Carpophorus & Victorinus) ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 16:1-8

“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light”

“Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus told a parable about a wealthy landlord who entrusted the care of his estate to a steward or a manager who is dishonest and wasteful, as a result of which he is dismissed from his post. This particular steward took advantage of the absence of the landlord to enrich himself dishonestly. Eventually, as often happens, his dishonesty caught up with him. The landlord came to hear of what was happening and called him in and gave him his notice. What the dishonest steward does next showed that he had some redeeming feature. After his dismissal he takes decisive action to safeguard his future as best he can. He called in the landlord’s debtors who worked the land and he reduced their debt to the landlord, perhaps by cancelling what he had planned to take for himself. In other words, he forfeited money he would have received to ensure that he received something more valuable, the goodwill and the hospitality of his master’s debtors. In a moment of crisis he realized that being in communion with others is more important than money and, on that basis, he took decisive action. In that way he hoped to make friends with these tenants so that when he lost his job they might look favourably upon him. He was still acting out of self-interest, but in a slightly more enlightened way. Jesus saw something of merit in the actions of this rather shady character. A moment of crisis brought home to him that some things were more important than acquiring wealth for himself, such as the friendship and hospitality of others. The landlord ends up praising his dishonest steward for his astuteness, his wisdom. What is Jesus saying to us through this parable? Jesus spoke this parable because the children of light, his followers, have something to learn from this somewhat shady character. The crisis that the steward found himself in brought a shift in his values. It took a moment of personal crisis for this steward to realize that human relationships have a higher value than acquiring money through whatever means. This can happen for us too. We can all get our priorities a bit skewed from time to time. Sometimes a moment of crisis in our own lives can help us to look again at our priorities so as to bring them more into line with what the Lord desires for us. Jesus implies that the children of light, His own followers, have something to learn from this man of the world. We need to put the same ingenuity into serving the Lord as this steward put into looking out for himself. As the steward acted decisively in a moment of crisis, we too need to do the same in the living out of our faith. We live in a moment of crisis in terms of the faith. We need all the skills and gifts the Lord has given us to respond to this crisis. It is a time to be proactive and not to sit back in a spirit of despondency. If we do what only we can do, the Lord will work through us in ways that will always surprise us. The steward learnt that at the end of the day people are more important than possessions and that is a lesson we all need to keep re-learning. Jesus is calling on us to value people more than possessions, and to use our material resources in the services of others, especially those in greatest need. Our values are to be in line with the Lord’s values, and it is people He values more than anything else.

In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in the city and region of Philippi, the Apostle tells the faithful there about how each and every one of them as Christians, as the people God had called and chosen, and as they have received the revelation of God’s truth and love, all of them are expected to live in a holy and worthy manner, distancing themselves from all sorts of wickedness and evils which would have corrupted them and led them away from the path towards God and His grace. They and hence all of us, as God’s faithful people are reminded not to live in a worldly manner, but rather in a manner that is truly pleasing to God and worthy of Him. St. Paul also mentioned in that same passage of the fact that all of us are ultimately meant for Heaven, by stating that our citizenship is truly one that is in Heaven, and we are meant to be in Heaven with our Lord and Creator, as He has always intended for us. We were never meant to be defiled in this world of darkness and sin, and we should not have endured all the sufferings, difficulties and challenges that we are facing in this world, as that was not what the Lord intended for us. He had intended for all great and wonderful things for us, creating us to share His most wonderful love with us, but our inability to resist the many temptations of this world and our attachments to the worldly desires and ambitions had led us astray and kept us away from God and His righteousness.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that we are all called to a life of holiness, righteousness and virtue as is expected of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people. Each and every one of us are called to a life of virtue and faith, where we truly embody our faith and belief in God, and showing that faith genuinely through every moments of our lives, and putting the Lord at the very centre and as the focus of our whole lives and existence. All of us must always keep this in mind as we continue living our lives in this world today, so that we may truly be the worthy bearers of our Christian faith and identity, as those whom God had called and chosen as His own people. Now, the question is, are we all willing to make the commitment to follow God wholeheartedly and to turn our hearts and minds completely to Him, that we, who all belong to the Lord and are meant to dwell in the eternal joy with God in Heaven, can truly be worthy of everything that God has promised us? Are we capable of giving our best to the Lord, our time, effort and attention, everything that we are in the service of our Lord and God? Or are we merely just giving Him our lip service and our faith merely a formality? This is why each and every one of us must always strive to overcome our attachments and entanglements with worldly desires and all the things that can lead us down the path of destruction and ruin, just as the dishonest steward had shown us. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey from now on, so that we may always strive to live our lives in the best manner, to be always faithful to Him, as His worthy and dedicated stewards, the stewards of His creation and of this world and everyone we have encountered in life. As we are called to emulate the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly the Saints we celebrate today, let us all continue to glorify the Lord by our lives, and lead by example in our every actions, words and deeds, and in our every interactions with one another, to proclaim the Lord and His righteousness through our own virtuous, worthy and noble deeds, now and always. Let us all strive to get ourselves rid and cleansed of sin, and be truly worthy of God. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord bless us all in our every efforts and hard work, all for His greater glory. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My Lord of all riches, You and You alone are the Master of all things created. All that I have and possess are Yours, dear Lord. Help me to believe this and to live my life purely as a steward of the possessions I have. Free me from squandering that which You have entrusted to my care. May I use all for Your glory and only in accord with Your holy will. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Godfrey, Bishop; Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Religious; Blessed John Duns Scotus and the Holy Four Crowned Martyrs (Severus, Severian, Carpophorus & Victorinus) ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

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THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 7, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 7, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 7, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 7, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 7, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Reading 1, Philippians 3:3-8
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Gospel, Luke 15:1-10

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF ALL DOMINICAN SAINTS AND THE MEMORIAL OF SAINT WILLIBRORD, BISHOP AND SAINT ENGELBERT, MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 7TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of All Dominican Saints and the Memorial of Saint Willibrord, Bishop and Saint Engelbert, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, those who are sick with epilepsy and nervous disorders and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. May God grant them His Divine healing and intervention. Amen 🙏

FEAST OF ALL DOMINICAN SAINTS: November 7th is the Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. Founded by a Spaniard, St. Dominic de Guzman, in France in the early 13th century, the order has 14 canonized saints and 215 beatified among its mendicant friars, cloistered nuns, active sisters, lay members, and fraternities. The special charism of the Dominican order is to study and preach for the salvation of souls. Over the centuries, the unnamed Dominican martyrs are counted in the tens of thousands, including many among the Martyrs of Nagasaki and the Martyrs of Vietnam. Some of the most famous Dominican saints include St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of Lima, St. Martin de Porres, Pope St. Pius V, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Hyacinth, St. Louis de Montfort, St. Albert the Great, St. Louis Bertrand, St. Catherine de Ricci, St. Margaret of Hungary, St. Peter Martyr, and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

All Saints of God in Heaven ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT WILLIBRORD, BISHOP: St. Willibrord (c. 658 – 739) was a Northumbrian missionary saint, known as the “Apostle to the Frisians” in the modern Netherlands. St. Willibrord was one of the earliest of the Anglo-Saxon missionaries to the Germanic peoples. His mission to the pagans of what are now the Netherlands sparked a century of English sponsored missions to bring the Gospel to Frisia and Germany. Many saints would follow this first Archbishop of Utrecht, penetrating deep into barbaric lands and placing their lives in jeopardy. St. Willibrord was born near York in Northumbria A.D. 658, the son of a newly convert to Christianity named Wilgils (Hilgis) who at some point after Willibrord’s birth withdrew from the world and became a hermit. His father enter a monastery, and is honored as a Saint in the monastery of Echternach in the diocese of Treves. At the age of seven he was placed by his parents in the monastery of Ripon, under the care of St. Wilfrid. St. Willibrord grew up under the influence of Wilfrid, Bishop of York and was educated in the abbey of St. Peter at Ripon. St. Willibrord made his monastic profession when very young. Later he joined the Benedictines. He spent the years between the ages of 20 and 32 in the Abbey of Rath Melsigi, in County Carlow, Ireland, which was a centre of European learning in the 7th century and he spent years in the study of the sacred sciences. St. Willibrord spent twelve years in self-imposed exile in Ireland where he spent time in study and was ordained priest at the age thirty and together with St. Swidbert and ten other English monks traveled to Friesland, where St. Wilfrid had sown the seeds of the Faith in 678.

When St. Willibrord returned to England in 690, he organized a mission with twelve other monks to bring Christ to Frisia. He gained support for his mission from Pippin II of the Franks and Pope Sergius who consecrated him a bishop in St. Peter’s Church, made him an Archbishop, and authorized him to fix his See in whatever part of the country he should deem most convenient. St. Willibrord soon established a cathedral at Utrecht and a flourishing monastery at Echternach, now Luxembourg, in much the same fashion that St. Augustine established the Church in Kent a century before. He was repelled once and his churches burned, but he returned and rebuilt everything and even sent further missions into Denmark and Germany. On returning to his flock, the Saint chose the city of Utrecht for his residence. In 698, he founded the Abbey of Echternach (in modern Luxemburg), and governed it until his death. St. Willibrord died on November 7, 739 AD at the age of 81 and his body was enshrined at the Abbey at Echternach where it remains. At his shrine there a special dance performed in honor of the Saint’s assistance in ending an epidemic of St. Vitus’ dance. He is also invoked by those with nervous disorders. St. Willibrord is the Patron Saint of Luxembourg, the Netherlands, epilepsy, convulsions, lumbago, cholera and herpes.

PRAYER: God, You built up Your Church by means of the religious zeal and apostolic care of St. Willibrord. Grant by his intercession that she may ever experience a new increase of Faith and holiness. Amen 🙏

SAINT ENGELBERT, MARTYR: St. Engelbert (1185 – 1225) was born around 1185 a.D. as a son of the influential count of Berg, Engelbert and Margaret, daughter of the Count of Gelderland. He was destined to work as an ecclesiastic and so he studied at the cathedral school at Cologne. and, while still a boy, was made provost of the churches of St. George and St. Severin at Cologne and of St. Mary’s at Aachen, as it was a common abuse in the Church at the time to appoint the children of nobles to such positions. In 1199, at the age of fourteen he became provost of the cathedral at Cologne. He led a worldly life, and in the conflict between  two Archbishops, Adolf and Bruno, he sided with his cousin Adolf, and waged war for him. Consequently, he was excommunicated by the pope along with his cousin. After his submission he was reinstated in 1208 and, to atone for his sin, joined the crusade against the Albigenses in 1212. On Feb. 29, 1216, the chapter of the cathedral elected him archbishop by a unanimous vote. The mendicant orders of the Franciscans and the Dominicans settled in his realm while he was Archbishop. He was well disposed towards the monasteries and insisted on strict religious observance in them. Ecclesiastical affairs were regulated in provincial synods. He was considered a friend of the clergy and a helper of the poor. St. Engelbert exerted a strong influence in the affairs of the empire. Emperor Frederick II, who had taken up his residence permanently in Sicily, gave Germany to his son, Henry VII, then still a minor, and in 1221 appointed Engelbert guardian of the king and administrator of the empire. When the young king reached the age of twelve he was crowned at Aachen by Engelbert, who loved him as his own son and honoured him as his sovereign. Engelbert watched over the young king’s education and governed the empire in his name, careful to secure peace both within and without of the realm.

St. Engelbert’s devotion to duty, and his obedience to the pope and to the emperor, were eventually the cause of his ruin. Many of the nobility feared rather than loved him, and he was obliged to surround himself with bodyguards. The greatest danger came from his relatives. His cousin, count Frederick of Isenberg, the secular administrator for the nuns of Essen, had grievously oppressed that abbey. Honorius III and the emperor urged Engelbert to protect the nuns and their rights. Frederick wished to forestall the archbishop, and his wife incited him to murder. On November 7, 1225, as he was journeying from Soest to Schwelm to consecrate a church, St. Engelbert was attacked on a dark evening by Frederick and his associates, was wounded in the thigh, torn from his horse and killed. His body was covered with forty-seven wounds. It was placed on a dung-cart and brought to Cologne four days later. St. Engelbert was stabbed to death because he wanted to protect the oppressed nuns of Essen. King Henry wept bitterly over the remains, put Frederick under the ban of the empire, and saw him broken on the wheel a year later at Cologne. Frederick died contrite, having acknowledged and confessed his guilt. St. Engelbert’s body was placed in the old cathedral of Cologne on February 24, 1226, by Cardinal Conrad von Urach. The latter also declared him a martyr, though a formal canonization did not take place. In 1618 Archbishop Ferdinand ordered that his feast be celebrated on November 7th and solemnly raised his remains in 1622. In the martyrology, St. Engelbert is commemorated on November 7th as a martyr. A convent for nuns was erected at the place of his death.

 Saint Engelbert of Cologne, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 15:1-10

“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents”

“The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus addressed this parable to them. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is criticized by the experts in the Jewish Law for sharing table with sinners, those who were adjudged not to keep the Jewish Law, the Law of God. In reply to that criticism, Jesus speaks the two parables in today’s Gospel reading, one which features a man and the other a woman. In saying ghe parables, Jesus invites His critics, who thought of themselves as religious, to look at how a shepherd and a woman might behave when they lose something precious. The shepherd who loses one of a hundred sheep will go looking for that one sheep until he finds it. He will passionately search for it, and, then when he has found it, he will gather his friends and neighbours in his home to share his joy. When one went missing, he didn’t say, ‘Well, I have another ninety nine, so let him go’. Similarly, a woman who loses one of her precious coins will sweep every nook and cranny in her house until she finds it, and so great is her joy upon finding it that she invites her neighbours to share her joy. The actions of the two characters in the two stories seem a bit extravagant. Why would a shepherd abandon ninety nine sheep, leaving them at risk, to go in search of one sheep that has strayed? Having found that sheep and carried him home on his shoulders, it seems a little over the top to invite friends and neighbours to join in a celebratory meal? The same questions could be asked of the woman. Why spend the day searching for a lost coin, and then entertain friends and neighbours to celebrate with her when she found it? The cost of entertaining was probably more than the value of the coin. If the actions of these characters seem a bit extravagant, it is because, in telling these stories, Jesus is really talking about the ways of God, which are extravagant by human standards. Jesus is saying that God’s love for us is so strong, God’s desire to be in communion with us is so great, that God seeks us out with great energy whenever we stray from Him and end up lost. Then when we allow ourselves to be found by God, God’s joy knows no bounds. This is the God whom Jesus revealed in His style of eating, His way of life, and that He continues to reveal to us today.

We all look for friends, people with whom we can journey and who want to journey with us. Underneath all this searching and longing is a more fundamental search for God who alone can satisfy the deepest longings in our hearts. Saint Augustine wrote that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Even more fundamental than our search for God is God’s search for us. God’s search for us took flesh in the person of Jesus. He said of Himself that He came to seek and to save the lost; Jesus gave expression to God’s longing to be in communion with us. The shepherd who searches for his lost sheep and the woman who searches for her lost coin in today’s two parables are images of Jesus’ search for us, of God’s search for us in Jesus. Jesus is saying, ‘God is like this shepherd and this woman’. God is always searching for the lost, those who have not come to know His tremendous love for them. He wants everyone to know that they are God’s beloved sons and daughters. That is why He sent Jesus into the world, to show to the world God’s passionate, searching, love for all. God never ceases to seek us out because we are all lost in different ways. Our search for God is always in response to God’s search for us. In the words of the first letter of Saint John, ‘We love because God first loved us’. If we open our hearts to God’s searching love for us in Jesus then we will be moved to search for God. Each one of us is invited to allow ourselves to be found by this loving God whom Jesus reveals and continues to make present to us today.

In our first reading today, from St. Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Philippi in what is today part of Greece. In the continuation of that Epistle, the Apostle shared his beliefs and experiences of being a faithful and zealous Jew and Pharisee in his younger days, in what was likely addressed especially to the Jewish converts to the Christian faith in Philippi. St. Paul mentioned about how he followed the Law of Moses in its entirety just as how the Pharisees back then often zealously followed and observed the Law, getting himself circumcised and following other tenets and parts of the Law despite having been born and growing up outside of the lands of Israel, in Tarsus in Asia Minor. What St. Paul then further highlighted to the faithful and especially the early Jewish Christians and maybe other Jewish people in Philippi was that while obeying and observing those Law and commandments were good and worthwhile, but they are superseded and transcended by the knowledge of Christ and His salvation, and of the ways and manners which the Lord Himself had brought into our midst, purifying and clarifying the intentions, purpose and the practices of the Law of God. What was once seen as means to achieve righteousness in God, and which was misunderstood and misused as means to make oneself feeling superior and better to others, like what many of the Pharisees had done in their way of observing the Law, the Lord had pointed out and St. Paul had further reminded the people of God that one’s faith in Christ matters way more than fussing over how one ought to observe the Law of God. Indeed, the Law itself was in fact meant to lead us to God and to teach us to love Him more, to be more faithful to Him. But many during the time of the Lord Jesus and His Apostles when these New Testament Scripture passages we heard today were written, had lived their lives in manner contrary to the true intentions of God’s Law, and as mentioned, many among the Jewish people, especially the Pharisees among them who put more emphasis and importance in the details, rituals and the practices of the Law rather than in truly understanding, implementing and appreciating what God’s Law and commandments were all about, and how they really should have been observed and lived, focused on the Lord in all things rather than being obsessed with the rituals and details as many of the faithful then had done.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are constantly being reminded as we have always been by the Lord to be those whom God had deemed to be worthy, holy and truly deserves to be in the eternal Kingdom and true glory and happiness which He has prepared for each and every one of us. We must always strive to put our focus on the Lord and to come and seek the Lord, as He has always been kind and merciful towards us, showing us His everlasting grace and kindness, revealing His love and patience to us at all times. And we should no longer be stubborn in resisting His ever generous mercy and love, the compassion and kindness which He has given us and shown us all these while, but we must always be grateful instead of the opportunity we have been granted and be the good role models in faith for each other. And that was why He gave us all His Law to help and guide us in our path, to learn how to love Him and to be truly faithful to Him, and to rediscover what it means for us to be God’s holy and beloved people, distancing ourselves from anything and everything that had corrupted and separated us from God and His love. And not only that, He even gave us all His most beloved Son to be our Saviour, to bring forth the salvation that He has promised to us and our ancestors, and to lead us all back to Him. Christ, the Son of God is the Good Shepherd just as He Himself mentioned in the parable to the people, as He went forth calling for the last, the lost and the least among the people so that they all may find justification and reconciliation with God through Him. We must never take this love from God for granted, and we truly should appreciate all the love that God has given us. Let us all be thankful for all the love of God, and His generosity in caring for us and in being compassionate with us, by striving to live our lives with the desire to love Him and to obey His will at all times, to do what is right and just in the manner that He Himself has taught and shown us. May the Lord continue to bless us and strengthen us in our journey in life so that by our every efforts and works, our contributions and commitments in our daily living and actions, we will draw ever closer to the Lord and His saving grace. May our lives be truly worthy of God and may all of us be good and worthy role models and inspirations for everyone around us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to keep seeking the Lord, even out of our little faith, then He will work powerfully through that little faith to build up the faith of others. May the Lord bless us in our every good works, efforts and endeavours. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My gentle Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd. You love me and search for me with diligence and fidelity. May I trust You enough to stop running from You and hiding from Your gentle voice. Please come to me, pick me up, place me on Your shoulders and carry me home. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Willibrord, Bishop and Saint Engelbert of Cologne, Martyr and All the Saints of God in Heaven ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 6, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

We thank God for the successful completion of the US elections. We pray for all elected leaders as they serve to unite the country and the world.🙏🏽

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 6, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 6, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Reading 1, Philippians 2:12-18
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 4, 13-14
Gospel, Luke 14:25-33

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT LEONARD OF NOBLAC, HERMIT – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 6TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Leonard of Noblac, Hermit. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, all the Saints and Saint Leonard of Noblac on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of all those in captivity, all prisoners, especially those imprisoned for the crimes they did not commit, we pray for justice and God’s Divine Grace, Mercy and intervention upon them.

SAINT LEONARD OF NOBLAC, HERMIT: Saint Leonard of Noblac (c 496-559) also known as Saint Leonard of Limoges was a Monk, Hermit, Abbot and Miracle-worker. A French nobleman in the court of Clovis I, King of France. He was converted to the Christian faith, along with the King, by St. Remigius, Bishop of Rheims. After his conversion he abandoned his worldly pursuits, left the royal court, and followed St. Remigius as a disciple. He obtained special permission from the king to release any prisoners whom he deemed worthy of pardon. A French courtier who was offered a bishopric, but became a recluse at Micy, France. He then lived at Limoges, France, and he was given land by the royal court on which he founded Noblac Abbey, later called Saint-Leonard.

Saint Leonard was born towards the end of the fifth century to noble and illustrious parents in Gaul (now France), in the castle of Vendome in Orleans. Born into Frankish royalty, he belonged to the court of King Clovis and his relatives were dignitaries, military commanders and people of both privilege and society. St. Leonard was baptized by future Saint Remigius and the King, himself, stood as sponsor for him.  While he was still very young, the kingdom was threatened by an invading army which they were losing. The Queen, knowing of Leonard’s Christian faith, jokingly suggested to Leonard that he invoke the help of his God to repel the invading attack by the army. Leonard prayed, the tide of battle turned and the armies of Gaul won, thus naming Clovis victorious. Saint Remigius, bishop of Rheims then used this miracle to convert the King, Leonard, and a thousand of their followers to Christianity. Following his conversion, St. Leonard refused the offer of a See from his grandfather, King Clovis I. He then began a life of austerity, sanctification, and preaching. His desire to know God grew so strong that he decided to enter the monastery at Orleans to live a life of prayer and penance. His brother, Saint Lifiard, followed his example and, leaving the King’s court, built a monastery at Meun, and lived there. However, Leonard desired further seclusion than what the monastery allowed, so he withdrew into the forest of Limousin to live as a hermit, converting many on the way, and living on herbs, wild fruits, and spring water. He built himself an oratory, leaving it only for journeys to churches. Others, recognizing his holiness, begged to live with him in his ascetic life, and a monastery was formed. In thanksgiving for his prayers that the Queen of France would safely deliver her child, St. Leonard was given a large tract of royal land in Noblac. There the saint built an abbey where he served as abbot until his death. A village grew around the abbey that still exists today, named Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat. He died of natural causes around 559. After his death, churches were dedicated to him in France, England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Bohemia, Poland and other countries. Pilgrims flocked to his tomb, and in one small town in Bavaria there are records of 4,000 favors granted through Saint Leonard’s intercession. St. Leonard had a great compassion for prisoners, and converted many and obtaining their release. He’s the Patron Saint of prisoners; political prisoners, imprisoned people, prisoners of war, and captives; women in labour, childbirth; against burglaries; against robberies or robbers; barrel makers, coopers; blacksmiths; coal miners; coppersmiths; farmers; greengrocers, grocers; horses; locksmiths; miners; porters and many cities.   

PRAYER FOR THOSE IN PRISON DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIMES: Heavenly Father, you are sovereign over all, giving justice and proclaiming liberty to the captive. You were with Joseph when he was imprisoned in the king’s jail. Your spirit visited Paul during his incarceration. And you sent your son, Jesus, to proclaim good news and freedom. God, we ask you to be with all those who are incarcerated today, for those living out sentences, and those awaiting trial or bail. Let your spirit of peace and comfort be upon them. They are some of your most vulnerable children and they are at high risk of exposure to coronavirus and other diseases. Provide them with resources to keep them healthy and safe, let the ears and hearts of those in power be turned to hear the needs of your children. Keep all those who work in prisons and jails healthy and prevent the spread of the disease to all those they interact with, especially those who have no means of protecting themselves. All this we pray in your name… Amen🙏

PRAYER: Lord God, You alone are holy and no one is good without You. Through the intercession of St. Leonard help us to live in such a way that we might be deprived of a share in Your glory. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today, Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 14:25-33

“Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple”

“Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

In today’s Gospel reading, the statement about the need to hate family members so as to become a follower of Jesus seems very strange to our ears. It is a Semitic idiom of expressing preference, whereby if someone prefers one thing or one person over another, they are said to love the one and hate the other. Jesus is using deliberately exaggerated language to get across His teaching more pointedly. The Jesus who said, ‘love your enemies’, is not asking us to hate our own flesh and blood. Yet, He is calling for a level of allegiance to Himself that takes priority over even the most cherished of human allegiances. He is to be the primary love in our lives. That doesn’t mean that we will love others less, including the members of our family. He is really saying that those who want to follow Him will have to love Him even more than they love those for whom they have the deepest natural affection. Rather, if the Lord is the first love in our lives, then our natural loves will be enhanced; we will be empowered to love others in the way the Lord loves them. When we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we will be caught up into the Lord’s love for others. The more we give ourselves to the Lord, the freer we are to give ourselves to others in the way the Lord gives Himself to them. Jesus is aware that He is asking a lot of us, which is why the parable He speaks calls on us to think seriously about our response to His call, just as a builder has to think everything through before he starts to build and a king has to think carefully before he goes to war, especially if he has the smaller force. Yet, elsewhere in the Gospels Jesus assures us that if we respond to His call, all embracing as it is, we will receive from Him far more than we give Him.

Jesus is the primary love or the primary loyalty in our lives, as followers of Jesus we are called to give Him our primary allegiance; our relationship with Him is to influence all our other relationships. Jesus calls for great loyalty and devotion. That is why He calls on potential disciples to think it through, just as a builder has to think through whether He will be able to finish building the tower if He starts on it. As God’s representative, as God’s Son, Jesus alone is to be loved in the way that God is to be loved, with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. Nothing less will do for God or for God’s Son. Jesus seems to be saying that if we want to be His disciples, we can’t be half-hearted about it. Our following of the Lord is not a casual affair; it needs to be carefully considered, just as someone who decides to build a tower or to go to war needs to think it through thoroughly beforehand. We ask the Lord today to keep us whole-hearted rather than half-hearted in our following of Him.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Philippi in what is Greece today, the Apostle reminded the people of God there to live their lives righteously and worthily of God so that in everything that they say and do, they will be good examples and inspirations for one another, to stand apart from the wickedness of those who did not believe in God or those who embraced the ways of the world. At that time, there were many people in the community who had lived wickedly in the manner of the pagans, those who were influenced by the many hedonistic and worldly attitudes and practices of that time, and it was these practices which St. Paul reminded the faithful against doing. St. Paul wanted to remind all the Christians in Philippi and also all of us who have listened to his message today through the Scriptures that we cannot be idle in the living of our faith, and we should not conform to the ways of the world simply because we live in it. On the contrary, since we have been taught and shown by the Lord Himself through His Church on how we ought to live our lives as Christians, as His holy and beloved people, then we truly ought to show it through our real actions, words and commitments, and not only through empty gestures and proclamations, or empty and meaningless faith that is essentially just a formality. A true Christian is someone who truly acts upon whatever he or she believes in, and this is what all of us should be doing in our lives as well.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, each and every one of us are called and expected to do what is right and just according to what the Lord has taught and shown us, to obey Him and His will at all times and be inspirations and good role models for one another. We are reminded to do what is pleasing to God as it is what we are truly expected to do, to be worthy of God and to be faithful to Him, to be the beacons of His light, truth and Good News among the nations. And since we have known this fact, truth and the mission entrusted to us, hence, it is imperative that we have to live our lives courageously and worthily as true and genuine Christians. As we reflect and discern, let us all ponder these carefully as we continue to progress through life. Let us continue living our lives in the way that the Lord our God has entrusted and called us to do. Let us embrace His call and walk in the path that He has shown to us, following Him to wherever it is that He wants us to go in proclaiming His greatness and truth among the nations? Remember, brothers and sisters, that each and every one of us are important parts and members of the Church of God, and our every works and contributions do matter in advancing the cause of the Lord’s missions and works. Our every contributions and works are important parts of the Church overall missions and works in the outreach to more and more people and to bring God’s salvation to all mankind. We are called to emulate the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly those who we celebrate today. May all of us draw ever closer to Him, and be ever filled with His light and truth, His love and compassion at all times, that through our own exemplary living and actions, our lives may truly shine with perfect examples of our faith, focused on God and glorifying Him, and not upon ourselves. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace and may the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us, that our faith and belief in Him will ever be stronger, and that we will be worthy of Him, and be reconciled and reunited with Him, in the glory of everlasting life. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My demanding Lord, You call us all to a life of radical holiness. You desire that I come to love You above all with all my heart. Please give me the grace and wisdom I need to renounce all that is an obstacle to my love and service of You. May You and You alone be glorified in my life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Leonard of Noblac, Hermit ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

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THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 5, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Prayer for USA National Elections: Today is Election Day! Please let us pray for a safe and successful election.

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 5, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 5, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 5, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 5, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Reading 1, Philippians 2:5-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 22:26-27, 28-30, 31-32
Gospel, Luke 14:15-24

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE HOLY RELICS; SAINTS ELIZABETH AND ZACHARIAH, PARENTS OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST AND SAINT BERTILLE, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 5TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Relics; Saints Elizabeth and Zachariah, parents of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Bertille, Religious. We pray for their intercessions.

FEAST OF THE HOLY RELICS: By relics of the Saints we mean all that remains of them after their death — their bones, their ashes, their clothing and other objects used by them. From the very beginnings of Christianity the faithful have venerated the mortal remains of those who had led a holy life or suffered martyrdom. They were buried with great honor, and Mass was said over their tombs. This practice is easily understood when it is remembered that their bodies were temples of the Holy Ghost, and that they will rise to a glorious and eternal life at the last day. Enemies of the Church have condemned the cult of the relics of the Saints as being borrowed from pagan customs and without apostolic origin. The decision of the Council of Trent suffices to show the falsehood and bad faith of their reasoning. That Council, in effect, decreed quite otherwise, that the bodies of the martyrs and other Saints, who were the living members of Jesus Christ and the temples of the Holy Spirit, must be honored by the faithful, and that through them God grants great and many benefits to the living. Its decision was based on the usage already established in the first century and which has remained constant in the Church, as well as on the teaching of the Fathers and Councils.

The cult of holy relics is therefore not only permitted, but commanded; it is not only a right, but a duty. Let us note well that the cult of holy relics diverges from pagan practices in that it is supernatural. We do not honor what remains of the Saints for any motive derived from nature, but from motives based on the Faith. If one honors the memory and remains of great men worthy of that appellation, it is regarded as justice; but when one honors the memory and remains of the Saints, it is more than justice, it is the virtue of religion. The final object of the cult of the holy relics is God who sanctifies the Saints; it is Jesus Christ, whose members the Saints are. This cult is so legitimate that God Himself sometimes glorifies the relics of His Saints by heavenly perfumes, by other marvelous privileges, by countless miracles. Let us add that the cult of holy relics also has its foundation in the glorious resurrection which is awaiting the bodies of the Saints. God Himself will reassemble these remains at the end of the world and will give them all the brilliance and beauty of which they are capable. Let us then venerate, with respect, devotion and confidence, these precious relics which once were animated by such great souls, were the instruments of beautiful and holy works and of astonishing virtues, and which will some day be honored by a brilliant and immortal glory. Let us value pilgrimages made to the tombs of the Saints, and celebrate religiously the feast of the holy relics, which appropriately follows closely upon All Saints Day, the feast day of the splendid holy souls who are in heaven.

PRAYER: O Lord, who through the relics of thy Saints, workest signs and wonders: increase in us our faith in the resurrection of the body and make us sharers in that immortal glory the pledge of which we venerate in their ashes. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ….Amen🙏

SAINTS ELIZABETH AND ZACHARIAH, PARENTS OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST: [Feast Day: September 23 (new), November 5 (trad)]. The memorial of Saints Zachariah and Elizabeth (Zacarias and Isabel), the parents of Saint John the Baptist, the last and the most impressive and greatest of the prophets and the precursor of Our Lord. The name Elizabeth in Hebrew means “worshipper of God.” St. Elizabeth was the wife of Zachariah (Zachary), the mother of John the Baptist, and the cousin and close companion of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was to her that the Blessed Virgin Mary went in haste after she had conceived Jesus, and after she learned that Elizabeth had conceived St. John the Baptist. The Gospel of Luke states that though Elizabeth had committed no evil in the eyes of God, she was barren for most of her life. She was advanced in age when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her husband Zachariah in the temple to promise them a son. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me” (Luke 1:42 – 43)? When Elizabeth spoke these words, she was given the gift of prophecy (the gift of speaking God’s word at the appropriate moment), and it is through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, she uttered these words that confirmed that Mary is the Mother of God. Mary greeted Elizabeth, and as soon as she did this, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy. Prompted by this, Elizabeth bestowed on Mary extraordinary praises that revealed Mary to be the mother of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the mother of God.

Saint Zachariah (Zachary), a temple priest and husband of Saint Elizabeth, was of the tribe of Abia and a member of the priestly class. The name Zachary in Hebrew means “Jehovah has remembered.” Everything we know about Sts. Elizabeth and Zachary is found in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel. Having reached middle age without the blessing of a child, Zachary was offering incense at the altar one day when the angel Gabriel appeared to him. The angel told him that their prayer for a child would be answered. A son was to be born to them and his name was to be John. Zachary was skeptical, for both he and Elizabeth were advanced in years. He asked the angel for some sign. Because he doubted, Gabriel proclaimed that Zachary would be stricken dumb and would regain the power of speech only when the prophecy was fulfilled.

Saint Elizabeth conceived and gave birth to a son. When the child was about to be circumcised, Elizabeth told the people that he was to be named John.  Zachary, unable to speak, asked for a tablet and on it he wrote the words, “John is his name.” At this moment Zachary’s tongue was loosed and he began to praise the Lord. Saint Zachary was martyred in the Temple of Jerusalem by the Jews. With Elizabeth’s as the central greeting, the Angel Gabriel’s as the first and that of the Council of Ephesus as the last, this is the full Hail Mary: “Hail, Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”🙏

Saints Zachariah and Elizabeth, the parents of Saint John the Baptist ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT BERTILLE, RELIGIOUS: St. Bertille or Bertilla was born of one of the most illustrious families in the territory of Soissons (France), in the reign of Dagobert I. As she grew up she learned perfectly to despise the world, and earnestly desired to renounce it. Not daring to tell this to her parents, she first consulted St. Ouen, by whom she was encouraged in her resolution. The Saint’s parents were then made acquainted with her desire, which God inclined them not to oppose. They conducted her to Jouarre, a great monastery in Brie, four leagues from Meaux, where she was received with great joy and trained up in the strictest practice of monastic perfection. She embraced the religious state in 630. In this abode of virtue her prudence appeared so perfect that thought she was still young, the care of entertaining strangers, and the charge of the sick and of the children that were educated in the monastery, were successively committed to her. She gave such satisfaction in these various offices that she was chosen Prioress, to assist the Abbes in her administration.
The Saint’s example had the most salutary influence upon the entire community. St. Bathildis, wife of Clovis II, having had originally established, desired the Abbess of Jouarre to send over a small colony to lead the novices in the practice of monastic perfection. St. Bertille was chosen to lead the colony, and she became the first Abbess of Chelles, about the year 646.

St. Bertille was known for her devotion to self-denial. She “was ambitious of martyrdom, but as no persecutors were forthcoming, she martyred herself with austerities.” St. Bertille’s reputation for sanctity and the discipline of her monastery drew to it several princesses, among whom was Hereswith, Queen of the East Angeles, who had been the wife of the good King Annas. Queen Bathildis herself took the monastic habit in this house in 665, so that St. Bertille became the superior of two Queens. Yet, the Abbess seemed the most humble of all her Sisters. She governed her monastery for forty-six years, with equal vigor and discretion, increasing daily in virtue, and in her old age redoubling rather that diminishing her fervor, until she closed her penitential life in 692 at Chelles Abbey, France.

PRAYER: God, You showered heavenly gifts on St. Bertille. Help us to imitate her virtues during our earthly life and enjoy eternal happiness with her in heaven. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 14:15-24

“Go out quickly into highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled”

“One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is a guest at a meal hosted by a leading Pharisee at which other Pharisees and experts in the Jewish law were present. One of the guests utters a beatitude, ‘Happy the one who will be at the table in the kingdom of God’. In reply Jesus speaks a parable. Whereas the beatitude refers to a great feast in the future, Jesus’ parable is about a feast to which invitations have already gone out in the present. Jesus focuses people’s attention from the future to the present. The invitations have already gone out. What is to be our response in the present? In the parable, people who had initially said ‘yes’ to the invitation turn it down just as the meal was ready to be served, ‘Come along, everything is ready now’. They all get distracted by various worldly attachments, which are all good in themselves but are not the primary good. As a result of their refusal, a surprising invitation goes out to the kinds of people who would never get invited to anything. They have no strong attachments and are delighted to respond. The host sent his servants out to bring in to the feast the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame, and then, when they were all in, he sent the servants out again to bring in all they met on the open roads and by the hedgerows. The host in the parable is an image of God who keeps inviting even when people refuse His invitation and who will stop at nothing to ensure that as many as possible are present at the great feast in the kingdom of heaven. It is a very reassuring image of God. God is not in the business of making it difficult for us to reach our eternal destiny. God’s generous, hospitable and persistent love will not be found wanting. Yet, God can be almost helpless before our failure to take seriously His invitation to His great feast, our unwillingness to respond to His loving call to fullness of life. Like the people first invited in the parable, we can allow ourselves to become so absorbed by the possessions and affairs of this life that we treat God’s invitation lightly. November is a good month to hear God’s invitation to his banquet of life afresh, and to respond to that invitation by following in the way of His Son with a willing and generous heart. The parable in today’s Gospel is a reminder to us to be attentive to the Lord’s invitation in the present moment and not to allow the good things of this world to so absorb us that we are no longer free to respond to His invitation as it comes to us in the here and now of our daily lives.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Philippi in what is today part of Greece, the Apostle reminding the people of God there to be faithful and obedient to God in the same manner as how Christ has been obedient to the will of His heavenly Father, and just as how He has shown us what it truly means to be a people whom God had called and chosen. The Lord showed us all of these through His willing acceptance of the role that He has been entrusted with by His Father, that is to become the Mediator of a New Covenant between God and mankind, and to be the One through Whom all of us mankind are to be saved and liberated from the dominion of sin and evil. First of all, we have to understand that we have suffered sin and its consequences in the first place because of our refusal to obey the Lord and as we had preferred to follow the whim of our own desires and worldly ambitions, all of which had led us into this path of rebellion and disobedience, separating and sundering us away from the Lord, from His love and grace, had made us to disobey the Lord and His commandments, leading us to be corrupted by sin, and hence, defiled and corrupted as we are, we can no longer stay in the presence of the Lord, He Who is all Holy and perfect, and in Whose Presence sin and corruption of the world cannot exist or stand. That is why, by our own conscious choice to abandon God and to embrace the path of sin, we have ended up being separated and sundered away from God’s love and grace. Yet, the Lord has never given up on us, and He has given us none other than His own Son, so that if we desire knowledge, glory and power of the Lord that led us to sin, by His selfless giving and show of perfect obedience, He may lead us all back to Himself. Through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Lord has made available to us the sure path towards His salvation and eternal grace, opening the doors of His rich and most generous mercy, love and compassion, calling on all of us to come back to Him and to follow the examples showed by His Son, to be obedient and humble in our ways, so that through our humility and obedience, we may finally be freed from the dominion of sin, evil and darkness around us. God has always loved us all and He has always sought for the reconciliation between us and Himself. This is why we must not resist anymore or be ignorant of the efforts that He has made to bring us back to His loving Presence. He wants us to walk down this path of forgiveness and reconciliation, and if we continue to disobey and disregard His love, then in the end, we will regret our course of action.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all presented with the important reminder for all of us not to allow ourselves to be swayed by all the false leads and temptations of this world which may bring us into the wrong paths and directions in life, as all those things may hinder us from truly being able to embrace God’s path wholeheartedly and prevent us from accepting Him as our Lord and Saviour, from following the path that He has shown us and from coming close to the salvation which He has generously provided, granted and reassured to us all these while. We must not allow ourselves to be swayed by the many temptations all around the world, which may lead us down the wrong path towards sin and our downfall. We must always be firm in our commitment and dedication to God, and we must always remember that everything we say and do, and all of our works, all of them should be done for the glory of God, with the focus and centre on the Lord, rather than for our own glory and achievements, ambitions and desires. Our inability to detach ourselves from the various worldly attachments and distractions is a major reason for us to keep falling into the path of sin. Therefore, it is a reminder fo all of us that if we put our own worldly ambitions and desires, our attachments to worldly matters and pursuits, all these above that of obeying God’s Law and commandments, and if we allow our many distractions and temptations present around us to lead us away from the Lord and His path towards salvation and eternal life, then we shall share in the fate of all those who have refused to attend the banquet that they had been generously invited into. Those who have fallen into Hell and damnation are those who have consciously refused the Lord and rejected His generous offer of love and mercy, and it is not God Who condemns us and strikes us down, but rather, our own wickedness and sins, and our own stubborn attitude, our rebelliousness and disobedience are what will condemn us into an eternity of darkness and destruction. Let us all therefore abandon this prideful and wicked attitudes we have, be more humble and welcoming towards the Lord and His generous love. Let us turn away from our sins and evils, and embrace wholeheartedly the love of God, the kindness, compassion and mercy which He has generously poured down upon us. Let us remember the love of God shown to us through His beloved Son, His loving sacrifice on the Cross, which He has freely and willingly given to us, so that through Him, we may all have a part in the eternal and most joyful banquet of Heaven, which we shall all partake, and we will all be sharing in the love and wonders of the Lord forever. We are reminded as Christians, to live our lives worthily of the Lord. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to make God our priority and put our hope in that promise, not in material wealth. May the Lord help us and strengthen us in our faith, and may He empower each and every one of us to follow Him wholeheartedly, that all of us may find our way to the Lord and we may dedicate our time and attention to Him the way our holy predecessors had done. May God be with us all, and may He bless our every good efforts and endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always, forevermore. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My generous Lord, You have invited me to share in the glory of Your great Feast. You invite me every day to pray, grow strong in my faith, and to share in the Holy Eucharist. May I always respond to You and never excuse myself from Your invitations. Please also use me, dear Lord, to send forth Your invitation to those most in need. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saints Elizabeth and Zachariah and Saint Bertille ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 4, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Prayer for USA National Elections: Please let us pray for a safe and successful election.

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Monday of theThirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 4, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 4, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 4, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 4, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, November 4, 2024
Reading 1, Philippians 2:1-4
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 131:1, 2, 3
Gospel, Luke 14:12-14

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO, BISHOP AND SAINTS VITALIS AND AGRICOLA, MARTYRS – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 4TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop and Saints Vitalis and Agricola, Martyrs.

SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO, BISHOP: Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) was the bishop of Milan, came from a wealthy, aristocratic Italian family. He was born in the family castle, and lived a rather lavish life, entertaining sumptuously as befit a Renaissance court. He personally enjoyed athletics, music, art, and the fine dining that went along with lifestyles of the rich and famous of the sixteenth century. He studied at Milan and afterward at the University of Pavia, where he received his Doctorate in Civil and Canon Law in 1559. His maternal uncle, from the powerful Medici family, was pope. He’s a nephew of Pope Pius IV. As was typical of the times, his uncle-pope made him a cardinal-deacon at age twenty-three and bestowed on him numerous offices. He was appointed papal legate to Bologna, the Low Countries, and the cantons of Switzerland, and the religious orders of St. Francis, the Carmelites, the Knights of Malta, and others. When Count Frederick Borromeo passed away, many people thought Charles would give up the clerical life and marry now that he had become head of the Borromeo family. But he did not. He deferred to another uncle and became a priest. Shortly thereafter he was appointed bishop of Milan, a city that had not had a resident bishop for over eighty years.

Although raised to the grand life, St. Charles Borromeo spent much of his time dealing with hardship and suffering. In the great plague at Milan, in 1570, he showed himself the true shepherd by his self-sacrificing charity and heroism. The famine required him to bring in food to feed three thousand people a day for three months. Six years later in 1576, a two-year plague swept through the region. St. Charles Borromeo mobilized priests, religious, and lay volunteers to feed and care for the sixty to seventy thousand people living in the Alpine villages of his district. He personally cared for many who were sick and dying. In the process, St. Charles Borromeo ran up huge debts, depleting his resources in order to feed, clothe, administer medical care, and build shelters for thousands of plague-stricken people. Great was St. Charles’ love of neighbor and liberality toward the poor. When the plague raged in Milan, he sold his household furniture, even his bed, to aid the sick and needy, and thereafter slept upon bare boards. He visited those stricken by the disease, consoled them as a tender father, conferred upon them the sacraments with his own hands. A true mediator, he implored forgiveness day and night from the throne of grace. He once ordered an atonement procession and appeared in it with a rope about his neck, with bare and bloody feet, a cross upon his shoulder—thus presenting himself as an expiatory sacrifice for his people to ward off divine punishment.

As if the natural disasters facing him were not enough, a disgruntled priest from a religious order falling out of favor with Church authorities attempted to assassinate St. Charles Borromeo. As St. Charles knelt in prayer before the altar, the would-be assassin pulled a gun and shot him. At first, St. Charles thought he was dying, but the bullet never passed through the thick vestments he was wearing. It only bruised him. St. Charles combined the love of the good life with the self-sacrificing zeal one would expect of a Renaissance churchman. Once when he was playing billiards, someone asked what he would do if he knew he only had fifteen more minutes to live. “Keep playing billiards,” he replied. Exhausted from his reforming labors, he died not at the billiard table but quietly in bed. He died, dressed in sackcloth and ashes, holding a picture of Jesus Crucified in his hands, on November 3,1584 at the age of forty-six. His last words were, “See, Lord, I am coming, I am coming soon.” His tomb in the cathedral of Milan is of white marble. He was canonized 26 years later, in 1610 by Pope Paul V. Saint Charles Borromeo gave Saint Aloysius his first Holy Communion. In 1572, Charles concurred in the election of Gregory XIII. St. Charles Borromeo is the Patron Saint of bishops; seminarians; catechists; catechumens; spiritual directors; spiritual leaders; colic; intestinal disorders;  starch makers; stomach diseases; Against ulcers; apple orchards; diocese of Monterey, California

St. Charles used the following strong language to the assembly of bishops during the convocation of the Synod: “Let us fear lest the angered judge say to us: If you were the enlighteners of My Church, why have you closed your eyes? If you pretended to be shepherds of the flock, why have you suffered it to stray? Salt of the earth, you have lost your savor. Light of the world, they that sat in darkness and the shadow of death have never seen you shine. You were apostles; who, then, put your apostolic firmness to the test, since you have done nothing but seek to please men? You were the mouth of the Lord, and you have made that mouth dumb. If you allege in excuse that the burden was beyond your strength, why did you make it the object of your ambitious intrigues?”

Saint Charles Borromeo wrote the following prayer to his Guardian Angel: “O beloved angel, who has been given me as a protector by the Divine Majesty, I desire to die in the Faith which the Holy, Roman and Apostolic Church adheres to and defends, in which all the saints of the New Testament have died, and outside of which there is no salvation.” 🙏

PRAYER: God, maintain in Your people that spirit with which You inspired Your Bishop, St. Charles, so that Your Church may be constantly renewed, conforming herself to Christ and manifesting Christ to the world. Amen 🙏

QUOTES OF SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO
☆”Charity is that with which no man is lost, and without which no man is saved.”
☆”We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: “I will pray, and then I will understand.” This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work. In meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others.”
☆”If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.”
☆”If a tiny spark of God’s love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out… Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter… Do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself.”

SAINTS VITALIS AND AGRICOLA, MARTYRS: Saints Vitalis and Agricola were venerated as martyrs of Bologna, who are considered to have died at Bologna about 304, during the persecution ordered by Roman Emperor  Diocletian. St. Agricola was a Christian citizen of Bologna who converted his slave, Vitalis to Christianity; they became deeply attached to each other. Vitalis was first to suffer martyrdom, being executed in the amphitheatre. The authorities then tortured Agricola, but failed to make him give up his religion. He was finally crucified. According to legendary account, in vain was Vitalis tempted by promises to renounce his faith; he merely showed himself more constant as a confessor of Christ. He was tortured most dreadfully, but bore all with incomparable patience till in prayer he gave up the spirit. Agricola’s sentence was delayed in the hope that the torments of his slave would frighten him into a denial of Christ, but the constancy of Vitalis confirmed him in the faith. He was nailed to a cross and thereby became a comrade and sharer with his servant in the crown of martyrdom (c. 304). Their bodies were discovered in 393 during the episcopate of St. Ambrose who was present at the translation of their relics.

Saints Vitalis and Agricola, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time | Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 14:12-14

Do not invite your friends, but those who are poor and crippled”*

“On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. He said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus addresses Himself to a wealthy Pharisee who was His host at a meal. Jesus notices that, apart from Himself, the other guests were all Pharisees or people close to them. The Pharisees tended to eat only with their own kind. The host who was a Pharisee would have expected that his guests would invite him to a meal in return. There was a giving with a view to getting something back. However, Jesus wanted His host and His fellow guests to break out of this mind-set, He challenges His host to invite to his table those he would not normally invite, people beyond his circle, who were not in a position to return the complement, such as the poor, the cripple, the lame and the blind. Jesus, in contrast to His host, shared table with all sorts of people, with the rich and the poor, with the educated and uneducated, with the religious and those considered sinners, with men and with women. His very broad table was a symbol of His whole ministry. He did not exclude anyone from His outreach. He wanted to reveal the year of the Lord’s favour to everyone, especially to those who would have considered themselves outside of God’s favour. By his whole way of life, including his style of eating, Jesus was revealing the broad hospitality of God. In contrast, the God whom the Pharisees revealed was a God who wanted to exclude more than include. The Gospel reading calls on all of us to reveal something of the hospitality of God by our whole way of life. We can all be tempted to exclude others, even whole groups of people. It is very easy to move purely within a circle of people whose outlook, attitudes and social class are like our own. The Gospel reading today invites us to keep widening our circle so that it reveals more and more of the expansive heart of God revealed for us in the life of Jesus.

In our Gospel today, Jesus was trying to create a community of disciples where everyone was equally valued and, especially, where those who normally lived on the margins felt just as much at home as everyone else. How this community ate their meals would reflect how they lived. The diversity and unity of the community would be reflected at meal times, and would also be reflected at every Eucharist. We know from the letters of St. Paul that this didn’t always happen in the early church. Yet, this is what the Lord is always calling the church to be. The church is to be a family of faith, hope and love where all feel equally at home, where, as St. Paul says in the first reading, everyone regards the other person to be better than themselves and where everyone puts the interest of others before their own. As a church, we may not always be the kind of community Jesus calls us to be, but we need to keep His vision always before us. With His help, with the help of the Holy Spirit we have in common, we can move ever closer towards becoming the community the Lord calls us to be. In our world today, we invest in people only if we are sure of getting some tangible return on our investment. Jesus is calling on us to give without looking for something back in return. We are not to look for a tangible return on our investment in others. Jesus seems to be saying that giving is its own reward, or rather that God will reward us in God’s own time for the hospitality we extend to others. In the words of the Gospel reading, ‘repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again’. St. Paul is in harmony with that teaching of Jesus when he says in one of his letters, ‘God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance’.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Philippi in Greece, we are all presented with the Apostle’s kind reminder to the faithful in the city of Philippi that they all should truly embody their Christian faith through their love for one another, and for them all to be truly united as one people, all believing in the same Lord and God, the same Saviour Jesus Christ, Who has saved them all through His most wonderful manifestation of the perfect and selfless love that He has poured down on all of us from His Cross, at the moment of His Passion, His suffering and death. St. Paul pointed out that they all share the same Spirit of Christ, and therefore, they all should love one another, putting the needs of others above one’s own selfish desires and interests. Contextually, at that time, during St. Paul’s missionary journeys which brought him all throughout many parts of the Mediterranean region including to the city and region of Philippi itself, there were a lot of divisions within the Christian communities especially between those followers and converts from the Gentiles, the non-Jewish populations like the local Greeks and the Romans, as well as many other people and then the Jewish diaspora population, many of whom were also divided in their allegiances and ideals like those in Judea and Jerusalem, and many of them subscribed to the idea of the Pharisees in particular, which championed the imposition of Jewish ways and customs on all the Christian faithful, and the idea that the Jews had the exclusive right of salvation in God, which likely led to divisions and friction in the community of the people of God. Thus, what St. Paul told the Ephesians made sense as he exhorted them to leave behind all those prejudices and attitudes which the people had held in them, and which they had acted to one another, leading to strife, conflicts and divisions in the Church. He reminded them and also all of us that we must always remain united in our common faith in Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and we should not lose our sight and focus on this faith which we ought to have in the Lord, our most loving God. Our faith must always be centred in the Lord and not in our own ideals and thoughts, our intellects and worldly wisdom, or else we will find that it is easy for us to be swayed by falsehoods and temptations of the world, by false ideals and ways that may distract us from the path of God’s righteousness and grace.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that as Christians, our first and foremost calling and mission in life is to show love to one another, and to be full of love in us, just as the Lord Himself is all full of love, for God is Love, and the love that He has shown to us, we too should also bear in our every actions, our every words and interactions with each other, our deeds and all the every parts of our lives. If we do not have love in us and if we do not love others around us generously as we all should have, then how can we truly call or consider ourselves as true and genuine Christians? That is because without love, then our faith as Christians, as those who believe in the Lord, it is truly dead, because faith without action, which are founded on love, is indeed dead and meaningless. As Christians, we should be good examples in our faith and way of life for one another, and we should always keep in mind what God has prepared for us, in a life blessed by His grace and love, and what He has taught us to do, in His Law and commandments. God has not abandoned us all sinners, and He has always loved us all regardless, and He wants each and every one of us to be reconciled and reunited with Him. He has shown us all these and taught us these so that hopefully we may come to realise the depth of our folly and wickedness, because of our sins, and hence be reunited once again with Him in embracing the love and forgiveness that He has offered us. However, it is often that in order to do this, we must first humble ourselves before God. We are called to follow in the examples of the Saints and Holy men and women, especially the exemplary life of St. Charles Borromeo and all the Saints we celebrate today. Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord, and entrust ourselves to God and His providence from now on. May the Lord continue to help us and empower us, so that we may always ever be worthy of Him, in all of our deeds, actions and way of life. We are called to put our love for God and what He has entrusted to us, our missions and calling first and foremost, and not our personal ambitions and worldly desires, just as St. Charles Borromeo himself had done. If we allow those things to tempt and affect us, then very soon we may find ourselves distracted and misled down the wrong path. Hence, let us all renew our effort and conviction to follow the Lord ever more faithfully and wholeheartedly in all things, now and always, and become good role models and inspirations for our brethren around us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful in times of crisis and know that the Lord is always calling on us to draw more deeply, more decisively, on our personal qualities and resources that may have been lying dormant, so that our own good and the good of others will be better served. May the Lord bless us all and may He remain with us always, now and forevermore. Amen 🙏🏽

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

Most glorious God, You came to earth to suffer and die. In that act of perfect love You brought about the greatest good ever known. You offered this holy service of love in the most hidden and humble of ways. As a result, You are now glorified forever. Help me to share in Your acts of humble and hidden service so that I, too, may one day share in the glory of Heaven. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Charles Borromeo and Saints Vitalis and Agricola ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 3, 2024

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Sunday of theThirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 labors 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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 3, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 3, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 3, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 3, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | Sunday November 3, 2024
Reading 1, Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 57
Reading 2, Hebrews 7:23-28
Gospel, Mark 12:28-34

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Sunday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time (Year B) | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Mark 12:28b–34

“Love the Lord your God. Love your neighbor”

“One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.”

In today’s Gospel reading, we find a Jewish scribe in respectful dialogue with Jesus. The scribe asks Jesus a serious question, the kind of question that would have engaged such a person’s mind. He wanted Jesus to give an opinion as to which of all the 600 plus commandments of the Jewish law was the most important one. Jesus gives him a straight answer: ‘This is the first’, and He goes on to quote from the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus, in fact, gave the scribe more than he asked for. The scribe asked for the first of all the commandments; Jesus gave him the first and the second. Having quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy, He immediately quotes from the Book of Leviticus. The scribe’s response to Jesus’ answer shows how much he appreciated it, ‘Well spoken, Master’. Jesus’ subsequent response to the scribe shows how much Jesus appreciated this earnest man, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’. Here we have two men, who would have been expected to be opponents, showing tremendous respect for each other. They each appreciated the good in the other. Learning to recognize the good in the other is part of the meaning of what Jesus calls the second commandment. ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. The way that commandment is expressed suggests very strongly that we can only recognize the good in others if we have first recognized the good in ourselves. The very first chapter of the Bible is a poetic description of God’s creation of the world. One of the refrains that run through that chapter is ‘God saw that it was good’. God’s creation is essentially good, and that is especially true of the pinnacle of God’s creative work, the human person. We are all too well aware that we are far from being Saints. We recognize areas of sin within us; we struggle with dark thoughts and dark feelings. We have regrets around what we have done and what we have failed to do. Yet, for all of that, there is a core of goodness in each one of us, because we have been created by God who alone is all good. The challenge is to recognize and to honour that core of goodness in ourselves and in others, sometimes in spite of the evidence to the contrary. More than any human being, Jesus had that ability to celebrate the goodness of others. Time and time again, the gospels show Him recognizing and proclaiming the goodness of people who had been written off and labelled as sinners or as people of no significance. Jesus recognized God in others and taught others to do the same. On one occasion, He took a child in His arms and declared that whoever receives one such child receives him and whoever receives him receives God who sent Him.
Jesus recognized God in others because He knew God, not just with His mind, but with His heart. His knowledge of God was the knowledge born of love. Because Jesus loved God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, He could recognize God in places and in people where God was not normally noticed. It was Jesus’ relationship with God which enabled him to recognize God, to recognize goodness, even when it was hidden from most other people. In the same way, it is our relationship with God, our love of God, our putting God first, that will make it possible for us to recognize God in others, to celebrate the goodness of others, to love others in that sense. That is why Jesus declares that the first commandment of all is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. The most important relationship in our lives to get right is our relationship with God, Jesus is saying. It is only in loving God with our whole being, in giving to God what belongs to God, that we will be able to recognize God in ourselves and in others, and on the basis of that to love and honour ourselves and others. As Christians we believe that Jesus is God with us, for us to love God with our whole being is to love Jesus with our whole being. That is the first commandment. In that sense, it is not surprising that before the risen Lord sent out Peter to shepherd God’s people, to love God’s people, He first asked him, ‘Do you love me?’ That is also the Lord’s question to all of us.

In our first reading this Sunday from the Book of Deuteronomy, the Lord spoke to His people, the Israelites during the time of their Exodus and journey from the land of Egypt to the land that He has promised to them. The Lord spoke to all of them through Moses, exhorting and encouraging them to remain true and faithful to the Law, commandments and rules which He had set before them, so that they may truly obey them and do not fall into the path towards damnation, which the devil and all of his fellow forces of evil have always been active in trying to lead us into those slippery slopes and traps that they have laid in the path of those who are faithful to God and many others. But God has always been full of love for His people, and He has always been patient in helping and guiding us to overcome our troubles and difficulties, the challenges and problems we face in our respective paths and journeys. The Lord reminded His people that as long as they all faithfully kept His commandments and observed them wholeheartedly, loving Him above all else and doing what He has taught and shown them, in how He has generously and constantly loved them, in how they interacted with one another, then they would continue to walk under His grace and protection, and His blessings and wonderful guidance, providence and help would continue to shelter and aid them in their moments and times of need. The Lord has repeatedly proven His love and faithfulness many times, and yet, many among those people whom God had loved so much, still hardened their hearts and minds, rebelled against Him and refused to believe in Him or follow Him.

In our second reading today from the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Lord Jesus Himself showed us the perfect example of obedience to the Law and of the way how we all should love each other. The Lord is our High Priest Who has offered on our behalf the perfect and most worthy offering of Himself as the Paschal Lamb, in obeying perfectly the will of His heavenly Father, to become the sacrifice to bring about atonement for our innumerable sins, and to reconcile each and every one of us to the Lord, our Master and Creator. And He did all these because He loved His Father, obeying Him out of love, and also for the same love which He has for every one of us without exception, that He has given to us by Him bearing the burdens and the brunt of our punishments for us, dying on the Cross for us so that by His death, we may be restored into life eternal. Now, if the Lord, our most loving God, Father and Creator has loved us so much that He has given us all His only Begotten Son, to be our Saviour, to suffer and die for our sake so that we may be strengthened and reconciled to Him through this same Saviour, then all of us Christians, who have been called as such by our faith and trust in the promise of Christ, we all should also be filled with the same love, following in Christ’s own examples and actions, in loving God our Father first and foremost above all else, and in loving our fellow brothers and sisters around us, caring for the need of all those who are not as fortunate as us. We should always be genuine in our love, care and concern for everyone so that by our loving examples, we may truly be worthy to be called Christians, to be a people who are truly holy and beloved by God.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, all of us as God’s holy and beloved people, as Christians, we are all called to remember that our most important mission in life is to obey the will of God and to obey and fulfil His Law and commandments, everything which He has entrusted and provided to us so that we may find our way towards Him with assurance and guarantee amidst all the distractions, temptations, pressures, coercions and all the things which had often misled so many among our predecessors down the wrong and wicked paths in life, away from God and His salvation. As Christians, all of us have received the truth of God, His Good News through His Church, and also His love manifested to us through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are all called to do what is right and just in all of our actions, works and deeds. All of us as God’s beloved and holy people are expected and called to do God’s will in each and every moments of our lives, to be exemplary and inspirational to others all around us so that we may indeed bear the truth, love and the Good News of God to many others, who have seen and witnessed our works and lives, and embraced God because of what they have experienced through their interactions and encounter with each and every one of us. And all of these are indeed crucial because these actions and right direction in life will help us in how we may truly be good role models and be truly faithful as Christians in all things, and not merely in name only. Let us all therefore devote ourselves, our time and attention to serve the Lord, our loving God and Father, our Creator and Master, in following the footsteps of the Saints, especially that of St. Martin de Porres, and the other Saints we celebrate today. Let us all be exemplary in our every way of life, in our love towards God and also our charity and care towards the poor and the less fortunate all around us. Let us all be truly faithful to God, not just merely in words alone, but also through real action and commitment towards God, in all of the love we show one another. May the Lord continue to shower us all with His love as He has always done, and may He continue to stir in our hearts the desire to love others genuinely and generously at all times. May all the things we do in life, all the words we speak, the actions we carry out, all the interactions we have with one another always be done with love in the centre of everything that we say and do, to be the beacons of Christ’s light and love in all circumstances and in all places. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to open our hearts to God’s searching love for us in Jesus then we will be moved to search for God in our brethren in need. May God bless us all in our every good efforts and endeavours, in everything that we do for His greater glory, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES, RELIGIOUS; SAINT SYLVIA OF ROME; SAINT HUBERT, BISHOP AND SAINT MALACHY D’ARMAGH, BISHOP – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 3RD: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, Religious; Saint Sylvia of Rome, Mother of St. Gregory the Great; Saint Hubert, Bishop and Saint Malachy d’Armagh, Bishop, Primate of Ireland.

SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES, RELIGIOUS: St. Martin de Porres Velázquez, O.P. (1579 – 1639), was a Peruvian friar noted for his kindness, his nursing of the sick, his obedience, and his charity. He was born Juan Martín de Porres Velázquez at Lima, Peru, on December 9, 1579, the son of a Spanish noble knight, Don Juan de Porres and a black woman, Ana Velázquez, a freed-slave from Panama, of either African or Native American descent. His parents never married, he was an illegitimate son. St. Martin inherited the features and dark complexion of his mother, and for that reason his noble father eventually turned the boy out of his house. For the first eight years of his life his father did not acknowledge him, and abandoned the family after Martin’s sister was born. Since his mother could not support him, he grew up in poverty with the societal stigma of being mix-raced. As a young man he served as an assistant to a barber-surgeon where he learned medicine and the care of the sick. When he was 15 he joined the Dominican friars at Lima as a helper, eventually becoming a Lay Brother which at the time was forbidden for the children of slaves by Peruvian law. At the Dominican Friary at Lima, he spent his whole life there – as a barber, farm-laborer, almoner, and infirmarian, among other things. He took on the work of nursing the sick in the Dominican infirmary as well as the sick among the townspeople, even giving a sick man his own bed. As an almoner, he distributor of alms and begged money to assist his work with the poor and sick. He founded an orphanage, tended to slaves brought from Africa, and dispensed alms to the needy.

St. Martin de Porres lived a life of fasting, prayer and penance as a Dominican Lay Brother. His prayers and penances were so great that he soon demonstrated miraculous powers. He had a great desire to go off to some foreign mission and thus earn the palm of martyrdom. However, since this was not possible, he made a martyr out of his body, devoting himself to ceaseless and severe penances. In turn, God endowed him with many graces and wondrous gifts, such as aerial flights and bilocation, levitation, hidden knowledge, and the ability to communicate with animals, in addition to healing the sick. St. Martin’s love was all-embracing, shown equally to humans and animals, including vermin, and he maintained a cats’ and dogs’ hospital at his sister’s house. St. Martin had the gift of miracles; and although he had no formal training, he also possessed spiritual wisdom, demonstrated in his solving his sister’s marriage problems, raising a dowry for his niece inside of three days’ time. Word of his sanctity spread and people from all walks of life came to him for spiritual direction. He was often consulted on theological questions by great churchmen of his day, resolving theological problems for the learned of his Order and for Bishops. St. Rose of Lima and Bl. John Massias were among his close friends. This saintly man, St. Martin de Porres, died on November 3, 1639. He was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized on May 6,1962 by Pope John XXIII. St. Martin de Porres is the Patron Saint of African-Americans; bi-racial people and all those seeking racial harmony; against rats; barbers; hair stylists; hairdressers; hotel-keepers; innkeepers; social and inter-racial justice; mixed-race people; African-Americans, mulattoes; paupers; Peru; poor people; public education; public health; public schools; race relations; racial harmony; social justice; state schools; televisions. His feast day is November 3rd.

QUOTES OF SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES:
☆“Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap, I can easily clean my bed covers but even with a torrent of tears, I would never wash from my soul, the stain, that my harshness toward the unfortunate would create.”
☆”Everything, even sweeping, scraping vegetables, weeding a garden and waiting on the sick could be a prayer, if it were offered to God.”

PRAYER: God, You led St. Martin by the way of humility to heavenly glory. Help us to follow the example of his holiness and so become worthy to be exalted with him in heaven. Amen 🙏

SAINT SYLVIA OF ROME: Saint Sylvia (Silvia) (c. 515 – c. 592) was the mother of Saint Gregory the Great. She is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church, which names her a patroness of pregnant women. Apparently she was of a distinguished family as her husband, the Roman regionarius, Gordianus. The Church venerates the sanctity of St. Sylvia and Gordianus (Gordian), the parents of St. Gregory the Great, as well as his two aunts, Tarsilla and Emiliana. St. Sylvia was a native of Sicily while St. Gordian, her husband, came from the vicinity of Rome. They had two sons: Gregory and another whose name did not survive through the ages. St. Sylvia was noted for her great piety, and she gave her sons an excellent education. After the death of her husband around 573, her son Gregory converted their home into a monastery. St. Sylvia was then able to retire to a life of solitude and quasi-monastic life in a small home in close proximity to the Church of Saint Sava (St. Saba) on the Aventine. She devoted herself entirely to religion in the “new cell by the gate of blessed Paul” (cella nova juxta portam beati Pauli). It became St. Sylvia’s custom frequently to send fresh vegetables to her son on a silver platter. One day, when Gregory found himself with no food to give a humble beggar, he gave him the silver platter instead. St. Sylvia is believed to have died in 592. After her passing, St. Gregory, the holy Pontiff had a picture of both his parents depicted in the Church of Saint Andrew.

The veneration of Saint Sylvia is of early date. She was honored by the Romans as a type of a Christian widow. St. Syilvia had built a chapel in her house. In 645, the monks from the monastery of Mar Saba (Palestine) settled in this house, and devoted it to the celebration of Saint Sabas. In the 9th century an oratory was erected over her former dwelling, near the Basilica of San Saba. Pope Clement VIII (1592–1605) inserted her name under November 3, in the Roman Martyrology in the 16th century. Two of her relatives, sisters-in-law Trasilla and Emiliana, are also venerated as saints, as well as her other sister-in-law Gordiana, and her husband Gordianus. She’s the Patron Saint of Pregant Women – she is invoked by pregnant women for a safe delivery.

PRAYER: God, You gladden us each year by the feast of St. Sylvia. Grant that as we honor her in such festivities we may also imitate her example in our conduct. Amen 🙏

SAINT HUBERT, BISHOP: St. Hubert is also known as St. Hubertus (c. 656 – 30 May 727 A.D.) was a Christian saint who became the first bishop of Liège in 708 A.D. He was a married courtier with a passion for hunting. St. Hubert was not initially passionate about his faith. On the death of his wife he left the royal court and immersed himself in hunting. As legend holds, an encounter with a stag with a crucifix between its antlers turned Hubert’s life toward God. Recognized as the 1st bishop of Liege, he was a evangelistic bishop reaching out to the pagans along the Ardennes Forest earning him the title the “Apostle of the Ardennes” Until the cure for rabies was introduced in the early 20th century, people called upon the name of St. Hubert to rid loved ones of this heartless and deadly disease through the use of the traditional Saint Hubert’s Key. Christians often turned to his name in times of trouble during the middle ages. Among sport hunters he is credited as the source of ethical hunting behavior. He was known for his excellent preaching and his generosity to the poor. St. Hubert died in 727 AD in Belgium. He is the patron saint of hunters, dogs, archers, opticians mathematicians, and metalworkers.

Saint Hubert, Bishop ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT MALACHY D’ARMAGH, BISHOP: St. Malachy d’Armagh, Primate of Ireland  (1094 – 2 November 1148) was an Irish saint and the Archbishop of Armagh of Ireland to whom were attributed several miracles. He was a good friend of St. Bernard of Clairvaux who wrote “he governed it as a living rule and a bright mirror, as a book laid open in which all might learn the true precepts of life.” St. Malachy went about eradicating vices, abolishing barbarous customs, and instill the use of the sacraments, especially confession and matrimony. His most famous possiessions were the “Book of Armagh” and a crozier called “Staff of Jesus” both supposed to have belonged to St. Patrick.

Early in 1139 he journeyed to Rome via Scotland, England, and France, visiting St. Bernard at  Clairvaux. He petitioned Pope Innocent for palliums for the See of Armagh and Cashel, and was appointed legate for Ireland. On his return visit to Clairvaux he obtained five monks for a foundation in Ireland, under Christian, an Irishman, as superior: thus arose the great Abbey of Mellifont in 1142. St. Malachy set out on a second journey to Rome in 1148, but on arriving at Clairvaux he fell sick, and died in the arms of St. Bernard, on 2 November. Numerous miracles are recorded of him, and he was also endowed with the gift of prophecy. St. Malachy was canonized by Pope Clement (III), on 6 July, 1199, and his feast is celebrated on 3 November, in order not to clash with the Feast of All Souls. St. Malachy was the first native-born Irish saint to be canonized. His brother was Gilla Críst Ua Morgair, who later became Bishop Christian of Clogher from 1126 to 1138. An account of the relics of St. Malachy will be found in Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, CLXXXV. The bones of St Malachy remained in France until in 1982 for the most recent renovation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, the return of a portion of his remains was negotiated and part of which was placed in the new altar during the ceremony of re-dedication.

Saint Malachy d’Armagh, Bishop ~ Pray for us 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

Lord of all Truth, in You and You alone will we discover the truths that set us free. Give me the grace and courage I need to always seek out the truth You teach. As I discover and understand all that You teach, help me to express my discoveries with joy and enthusiasm so that others will also be drawn to You. Jesus, I trust in You.

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Martin de Porres; Saint Sylvia of Rome; Saint Hubert and Saint Malachy d’Armagh ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled Sunday and week🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 2, 2024

SAINT OF THE DAY: BLESSED JOHN BODEY, MARTYR

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Saturday, the Feast of All Souls! May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest🙏

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

On this special Feast day of All Souls, we Commemorate All the Faithful Departed. As we celebrate, respect, honor and remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this special feast of All Souls, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

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🙏

We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

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 🙏

Watch “POPE FRANCIS’ HOLY MASS IN COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED | LIVE FROM LAURENTINO CEMETERY IN ROME” | NOVEMBER 2, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 2, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 2, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 2, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 2, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday, November 2, 2024
Reading 1, Wisdom 3:1-9
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms Psalm 26 : 1, 4, 7-9, 13-14 or Psalms 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
2nd Reading: Romans 5:5-11 or Romans 6:3-9
Gospel, John 6:37-40

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

SAINTS OF THE DAY: COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS DAY) | BLESSED JOHN BODEY, MARTYR | FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 2ND

Today, we Commemorate All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day). It is a day to celebrate, respect, and honor the dead. A day we remember our faithful departed loved ones. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this special feast of All Souls, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world.   And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏

COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS DAY): Today, after the feast of All Saints, we commemorate with solemn remembrance the occasion of All Souls’ Day. The Solemnity of All Souls, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died, for all the holy souls in Purgatory. The theological basis or the reason for the commemoration of all the Faithful Departed is the doctrine and belief that all who died in venial sin, or have not fully atoned for other past transgressions, are detained in purgatory, and that the faithful on earth can help them in their admission to the joys of heaven by prayers and alms, and especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32: “Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out… Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin.” Atonement for all those who have departed from this world and have yet to deserve the glory of Heaven. While we do not know exactly the fate of the souls of the dead, except those whom by virtue of their great and faithful living and by careful investigation and scrutiny of the Church, had been declared officially as saints and therefore meriting the beatific vision of Heaven, the other souls of the faithful generally will end up in purgatory, except of course those who have willingly and consistently rejected God, and refused to repent from their sins and wickedness. Purgatory is the condition, process, or place of purification or temporary punishment in which, according to medieval Christian and Roman Catholic belief, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for heaven. “On this day is observed the commemoration of the faithful departed, in which our common and pious Mother the Church, immediately after having endeavored to celebrate by worthy praise all her children who already rejoice in heaven, strives to aid by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, all those who still groan in purgatory, so that they may join as soon as possible the inhabitants of the heavenly city.” ~ Roman Martyrology

All Souls’ Day is observed by Roman Catholics and other Christian denominations annually on November 2nd, unless it falls on a Sunday, then the celebration is held November 3rd. A day for commemoration of all the faithful departed, those baptized Christians who are believed to be in purgatory because they died with the guilt of lesser sins on their souls. Roman Catholic doctrine holds that the prayers of the faithful on earth will help cleanse these souls in order to fit them for the vision of God in heaven, and the day is dedicated to prayer and remembrance. Requiem masses are commonly held, and many people visit and sometimes decorate the graves of loved ones. From antiquity certain days were devoted to intercession for particular groups of the dead. The celebration of Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary continued on our altars, has ever been for the Church the principal means of fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were entered in the diptychs. Later, in the sixth century, it was customary in Benedictine monasteries to hold a commemoration of the deceased members at Whitsuntide. Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny (died 1048), who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. Saint Odilo of Cluny ordered that the commemoration of all the faithful departed be held annually in the monasteries of his congregation. From here, it spread among the other congregations of the Benedictines and among the Carthusians. The date, November 2nd became practically universal before the end of the 13th century. Having celebrated the feast of all the members of the church who are believed to be in heaven, the church on earth turns, on the next day, to commemorate those souls believed to be suffering in purgatory. Priests celebrate mass wearing vestments of varying color—black (for mourning), violet (symbolizing penance), or white (symbolizing the hope of resurrection). Since August 10, 1915, every priest is allowed to offer three Masses on All Soul’s day: one for all the Faithful Departed, one for the intention of the Pope, and one for the intention of the priest himself. In churches where there are several priests, each offers a Mass or Masses, according to the custom of the diocese for the All Soul’s day intentions.

Today, as we remember all our faithful departed loved ones, most of us will be remembering people we have known and loved, such as family members and good friends. Indeed, the whole month of November is a time when we remember our dead in a special way. As Christians, our remembering of those who have died is always a prayerful remembering. We remember them before the Lord. Remembering our departed loved ones before the Lord, praying for them, is one of the ways that we give expression to our continuing communion with them in the Lord. We believe that our loved ones who have died are with the Lord, who is with us in this life until the end of time. As one of the saints expressed it, our loved ones who have died have gone no further than the Lord and the Lord is always near to us. It is that shared relationship with the Lord which keeps us in communion with our loved ones who have died. In praying for our loved ones today, we are asking the Lord to bring them to the fullness of His risen life. As well as praying in petition, we also pray in thanksgiving for them, thanking God for the gift of their lives and for all the ways the Lord blessed us through them and we ask them to pray for us. Today, we entrust our loved ones who have died to God. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God’s love, is the first fruit of eternal life.

PRAYER FOR OUR FAITHFUL DEPARTED LOVED ONES: All Holy Souls, our prayers and Mass offerings are directed to you this day, in the hope that what we do on earth may benefit your advancement toward a fully divine life in heaven where you may, in turn, pray that we may one day join you there… Amen. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen🙏

“If we had no care for the dead, we would not be in the habit of praying for them.” ~ St. Augustine

PRAYER: Merciful God, graciously hear our prayers. As we believe that Your Son rose from the dead, so strengthen our faith in the resurrection of all Your servants. Amen 🙏

On this special feast day, the Solemnity of All Souls, we also celebrate the Memorial of Blessed John Bodey, Martyr.

SAINT OF THE DAY: BLESSED JOHN BODEY, MARTYR: Blessed John Bodey (1549-1583) was born in Wells, England, the son of a wealthy merchant and former mayor. He studied at Oxford and became an Oxford Fellow in 1568 at the age of 19. Later he, along with seven others, was deprived of his fellowship for being a Roman Catholic by the Anglican Bishop of Winchester. Bl. Bodey, a married layman and schoolmaster, was arrested in 1580 for continuing to practice the Catholic religion and rejecting England’s newly-established heretical Church of England. He was kept in iron shackles for three years, which he called his “school of patience.” In 1583 he was tried for treason, both for being a faithful Roman Catholic and for repudiating King Henry VIII’s claim of supremacy of the Church in England over against the Holy Father. Bodey wrote that his iron chains were earning him glory in heaven, even kissing the chain halter around his neck. He was executed under Queen Elizabeth on November 2, 1583 by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Andover. He died with the name of Jesus on his lips. His mother rejoiced that her son persevered to the end and won the crown of martyrdom; she gave a feast in honor of him being numbered among the saints in heaven. Bl. John Bodey was beatified in 1929 and is one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. His feast day is November 2nd.

Blessed John Bodey, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading: John 6:37-40

“I shall raise him on the last day”

“Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear from the lips of Jesus Himself the promise of eternal life for those who come to Him. In fact, we see here that this is the purpose of Jesus’ coming. The Son, who is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, became man in order to offer salvation to humanity. Jesus came to call all people to Himself and not to lose anyone who the Father wills to be saved. As we heard in the second reading, Jesus brought about salvation through His death on the cross. Jesus died for all and desires for all to be saved. But, we must respond to that gift being offered to us. Jesus said, “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life.” This is evident that the way we respond to the offer of salvation is through faith. In commemorating all the
faithful departed today, we are reminded of the key component of faith. We have a great hope for the eternal rest of our loved ones in heaven because of their faith. Faith is not merely a onetime choice, but an ongoing service to God. Faith is active and obedient. In faith, we choose to follow God and live according to His will. And if we have this faith that is, in fact, a gift from God, we can have the great hope of eternal life with Him forever. So, today, let us be reminded of the reality of heaven and hold great hope for our loved ones who have departed this life in faith. And let us also remember the reality of heaven to which God is inviting us. God desires a relationship with each of us and He wants us to spend all of eternity with Him. We are called to respond to His invitation given to us in Christ by living a life of faith.

Our second reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city of Rome, is the great reminders from St. Paul to the Romans and also to all of us, a message which our Gospel passage today also reminded us and echoed, that thankfully we have the great love of God for us which He has manifested through His Son, and this love has been shown to us most wonderfully in the most loving sacrifice of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, perfect evidence of God’s ever enduring love for us, that He was willing to offer Himself in the most selfless and wonderful way possible, becoming for us all the perfect and worthy offering and sacrifice to liberate us all from the power and dominion of sin, darkness and death. Through His loving sacrifice, all of us are brought to the perfect fulfilment of God’s love and everything that He has planned for us.

Today is a special day of prayerful remembrance for our loved ones who have died. As we remember all our departed loved ones, we want to pray for them today. Our praying for the dead is one of the ways that we give expression to our communion with our loved ones who have died. We believe in the communion of saints, that deep spiritual bond between those who have reached the end of their earthly pilgrimage and ourselves who are still on that pilgrimage. A traditional prayer we often pray for those who have died is ‘eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them’. We can sometimes think of rest as somewhat passive, the absence of activity. However, we could also think of rest in a way suggested by that lovely psalm that is often prayed at a funeral, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. Towards the end of the psalm we read, ‘near restful waters He leads me to revive my drooping spirits’. Rest is associated there with a revival of our spirits. We believe that eternal rest is an eternal revival of our deepest self, a full flowering of our true self. One of the early saints of the church, Saint Ephrem, wrote, ‘in the kingdom our departed ones achieve their full stature’. When we are praying that God would give our departed loved ones eternal rest, we are praying that they would reach their full stature. Although nothing is more painful than the loss of a loved one in death, our faith gives us this hope-filled vision in the face of death.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today on this All Souls’ Day commemoration, let us all first of all remember and pray for all the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who have passed on from this world and have yet to enter the glory of Heaven. Let us all ask the Lord to have mercy on these souls, and allow them to be forgiven and to be cleansed and purified from their residual corruptions by sin, and thus, able to enter into the glory of Heaven the soonest. This day should also serve as a kind reminder to all of us that we are all called to lives that are more appropriate and worthy of God as Christians, that is as those whom God has called to be one of His own people, to be His flock, followers and disciples. To us, through His Church, Apostles and disciples, God has revealed His truth and love, and therefore, we are expected to lead a true Christian living and faith, and be truly faithful in all things, in our every words, actions and deeds, and not only just in mere appearances only. We have to be sincere and genuine in how we live our faith, if we have not done so. Let us all therefore commit ourselves to righteous and virtuous Christian living from now on, and let us all be good examples of faith to one another, that we are always reminded of our mortality and our own eventual fate. If we seek to go to Heaven, then we should really do our very best to live our lives in accordance to what God has taught us to do through His Church and through His disciples. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant our loved ones eternal rest and grant all of us here still living in this world the grace to seek after heaven and answer to the call to be with God for all eternity by living our lives for God here and now. Let us all pray for our predecessors, the holy souls in purgatory, our brothers and sisters, particularly those who have none to remember them or pray for them. May God show mercy upon them and bring them into the glory of Heaven as He wills it. May God grant them all eternal rest in Him, and may they rest in God’s love and peace. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My merciful Lord, You desire that my soul and the souls of all your faithful be purified of every sin, even the smallest imperfection. I thank You for the mercy of Purgatory and pray that I will continually work toward that purification here and now. I pray, also, for all those who have gone before me and are still in need of these purifying fires. Pour forth Your mercy upon them so that they may be counted among the saints in Heaven.

Lord, I pray for those souls going through their final purification in Purgatory. Please pour forth Your mercy upon them so that they may be freed of all attachment to sin and, thus, be prepared to see You face to face. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Blessed John Bodey, Martyr and All the Souls of the faithful departed ~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend 🙏

Blessings and  always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 1, 2024

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

KIND REMINDER: Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st – 8th

Greetings and blessings beloved family. Happy Friday and Happy Feast of All Saints!

We thank God for the gift of life and for the gift of this new month. May God be with us all as we usher in the new month of November 🙏

On this special Feast day of All Saints, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints we celebrate today, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world.

Please remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory from November 1st to the 8th. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. 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 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

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🙏

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 🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 1, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 1, 2024 |

Angelus on All Saints Day with Pope Francis | LIVE from St. Peter’s Square | November 1, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 1, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 1, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

Today’s Bible Readings: Friday, November 1, 2024
Reading 1, Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Reading 2, First John 3:1-3
Gospel, Matthew 5:1-12

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

SAINTS OF THE DAY: SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 1ST: Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this special feast of All Saints, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all as we continue to strive to do God’s will and become a true Saint in this world. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world.  We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, sick with strokes, respiratory and stomach diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases.  And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏

FEAST OF ALL SAINTS: Today, we honor all the Saints, those who are canonized and those who are not. The feast of All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation. The Solemnity of All Saints celebrated annually on the first of November was instituted to honor all of the Saints, both known and unknown, and, according to Pope Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful’s celebration of Saints’ feasts during the year. During the year the Church celebrates one by one the feasts of the Saints. Today she joins them all in one festival. In addition to those whose names she knows, she recalls in a magnificent vision all the others “of all nations and tribes standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, proclaiming Him who redeemed them in His Blood.”

The solemnity originally began in the 4th century to commemorate all the Christian martyrs killed during those centuries of brutal persecution before Christianity was legalized. There were so many martyrs that a separate feast day could not be given to each one individually, yet, the Church did not want to leave any martyr without proper veneration. A common feast day developed and was usually celebrated in the Easter season. The Commemoration of All Saints was first celebrated in the East. The feast is found in the West on different dates in the eighth century. The Roman Martyrology mentions that this date is a claim of fame for Gregory IV (827-844) and that he extended this observance to the whole of Christendom; it seems certain, however, that Gregory III (731-741) preceded him in this. In the 8th century, about the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honor of all the Saints, and transferred the feast day to November 1st, since then the feast of All Saints has been celebrated in Rome. Gregory IV, while in France in 837, greatly encouraged the celebration of this feast in that country. The Greeks celebrate the feast of All Saints on the Sunday after Pentecost. At Rome, on the other hand, on May 13th, there was the annual commemoration of the consecration of the basilica of St. Maria ad Martyres (or St. Mary and All Martyrs). This was the former Pantheon, the temple of Agrippa, dedicated to all the gods of paganism, to which Boniface IV had translated many relics from the catacombs. During the early centuries the Saints venerated by the Church were all martyrs. Later on the Popes set November 1st as the day for commemorating all the Saints. We all have this “universal call to holiness.” What must we to do in order to join the company of the saints in heaven? We “must follow in His footsteps and conform ourselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. We must devote ourselves with all our being to the glory of God and the service of our neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many Saints in Church history”

Saints are ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives. The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the Saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ’s teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone. Saints are men and women who know how to pray. They are people who, in times of difficulty as well as in good times, raise their minds and hearts to the Lord. They seek God’s will in their lives. They share with Him their hopes and frustrations (and sometimes even their anger). Through their prayer, they strive to be in constant contact with God. Saints do not always succeed in their intense desire to experience God’s closeness. Sometimes they endure periods when God appears to be absent from their lives, when he seems not to respond to their petitions for humility, patience, purity and the power to do God’s will. In spite of these dry, discouraging periods, the saints do not give up. They persist in praising God and trusting in His mercy. Today as we honor those holy men and women who have gone before us in faith and have done so in a glorious way, these great champions of faith, let’s reflect upon who they are and what role they continue to play in our lives and the life of the Church. We are all called to be Saints.

“Saints are like us, they are like each of us, they are people who before reaching the glory of heaven lived a normal life, with joys and griefs, struggles and hopes.” ~ Pope Francis

On this Solemnity of All Saints, let’s thank God for the gift of all Saints, known and unknown. Let’s pray for the grace to be like them and to be flickers of the light of Christ in our world’s darkness… Amen🙏

PRAYER: God, You allow to honor all Your Saints in one common festival. Through the prayers of so many intercessors grant us an abundance of Your merciful favors, which we so greatly desire. Amen 🙏
 
SAINT OF THE DAY: SAINT DEBORAH, PROPHETESS: On this special Solemnity of All Saints, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Deborah, Prophetess.

SAINT DEBORAH, PROPHETESS: St. Deborah (11th c. B.C.) was a godly widow and saint of the Old Testament. St. Deborah was the Fourth Judge of the Israelites. She was a courageous prophetess and champion of the Israelites. All Israel came to her to judge their disputes, and God prophesied to Israel through her. She was Israel’s only female judge. Her role as the military leader who defended the Israelites is commemorated in the Bible’s “Song of Deborah.” It was her military counter-attack against Sisera at Mount Tabor that successfully delivered Israel’s enemies into their hands. As prophetess, she foretold that Israel would have peace for 40 years following this victory. St. Ambrose and St. Jerome observed that St. Deborah is a good role model for the encouragement of courageous, godly women. She is known as the Patron Saint of bees and beekeepers due to the fact that her name means bee in Hebrew. She is depicted on most medals as looking solemnly down at the cross. Her visions of God led her to live a pious life and to protect Israel itself against harm. St. Deborah’s feast day is November 1st.

Saint Deborah, Prophetess ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Solemnity of All Saints | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 5:1-12

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven”

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain, and after He had sat down, His disciples came to Him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,    for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

In today’s Gospel reading as we celebrate the occasion of the great Solemnity of All Saints, our Lord teaches His disciples and all the people the famous Sermon on the Mount, also known as the Eight Beatitudes. The word Beatitude is the same meaning as ‘Blessed’ or ‘Beatus’ and this is because the Lord pronounced a series of blessings for all those whose lives have truly been worthy of God, in how they have embodied good and virtuous lives, full of love for one another and with genuine faith and desire to love the Lord and to seek Him wholeheartedly in their lives. Jesus paints a portrait of what it means to be a disciple of His. It is a portrait of a Saint, what someone who lets God’s light in looks like. Fundamentally, this is Jesus’ own self-portrait. There is a sense in which He alone fully fits the portrayal He puts before us. Yet, this is also an image of the person we are all called to be. We can easily think of the beatitudes as describing a variety of types of people – the poor in spirit, the gentle etc. Jesus is really putting before us one type, which can be looked at from various perspectives, like a diamond that appears differently as you look at it from a variety of angles. The elements in Jesus’ portrait are of a piece. It is only the poor in spirit, those who acknowledge their dependence on God for everything, who can be true peacemakers. It is only the gentle, those who do not insist on their own way to the detriment of God’s way, who can hunger and thirst for what is right, for what God wants. It is only the pure in heart, those who are single-minded in their focus on God and on what God wants, who can be merciful as God is merciful. In speaking the beatitudes, Jesus calls on us to identify with the person He portrays. He wants us to come away from them saying to ourselves, ‘This is the person I want to be. This is the life I want to live. Here are shoes that are worth stepping into’.

In the Gospel, we heard about those who were poor in spirit, referring to those who were humble enough to recognise their faults and shortcomings, recognising the need for them to embrace God’s mercy and love, His guidance and strength, and also those who have mourned and in trouble, being persecuted because of their faith in God. We also heard of those who were peacemakers and striving for peace, those who seek and hunger for justice for everyone, those who show mercy to others around them and other virtuous qualities and things which the Lord was in fact encouraging all of us to do through His proclamations. All of those virtues, values and actions were what the innumerable holy men and women, some of whom had been declared officially by the Church as Saints and celebrated in our ceremonies and liturgies, have done in their own lives, in their own unique ways. And each one of us also have the potential and opportunities that the Lord Himself has granted us generously to be like one of them as well. Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, today, on this Solemnity of All Saints day, while we celebrate and rejoice in the memory and honour of all those holy men and women, our predecessors, it is also an important reminder of what we can be. All the Saints have once been sinners as well, just like us. They had their flaws and weaknesses, faults and mistakes which they had made. If we read through the numerous lives and experiences of the Saints, then we will realise that at some point in their lives, they have encountered many of the things which we have ourselves experienced, all the struggles, challenges and difficulties, the persecutions, trials and obstacles we may have faced in different moments in our lives. But what is common from the lives and experiences of the Saints is that they all reject the path of sin and darkness, embracing wholeheartedly afterwards the path towards God and His salvation in their own unique ways, making good use of the various gifts, talents and opportunities that He had granted to each one of them, for the benefit of the people around them and for the causes of the Church and its missions.

Today’s feast of All Saints is an opportunity to give thanks for all those people in our own lives who embodied the beatitudes for us; it is also a moment to renew our own desire to become the person the Lord portrays in the beatitudes. In painting that picture, the Lord is not holding out something to us that is beyond us, teasing us with what will always be out of reach. He knows that with His help we can grow into the person of the beatitudes. The life of the beatitudes is not a higher calling that is given to some special group of people within the church. We are all called to be Saints. God has poured the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, ‘Abba, Father’. We have been brought into the same relationship with God that Jesus Himself has. That is our starting point of our journey. The finishing point of our journey comes when ‘we shall be like God, because we shall see Him as He really is’. Between such a wonderful starting point and such an unimaginable finishing point, the beatitudes are given to us as our road map. May the Lord continue to strengthen and guide us in all of our lives, and may He, through His Saints, constantly inspire and encourage us that we too may be holy just as those Saints had led holy and worthy lives.

In our first reading today, a hundred and forty-four thousand righteous ones gathered in the presence of God at His Throne, the victorious and triumphant Lamb of God. Those represent symbolically the Saints of God, all those holy men and women that had triumphed together with God, and been freed from the bondage of sin and death, saved and redeemed by the Lord, and justified through their faith and actions throughout their lives. This does not mean that the Saints numbers are limited by the absolute limit of a hundred and forty-four thousand as mentioned. Rather, that number was used to highlight a rather large number, to show that many people will end up being triumphant and victorious in the end with God, and there are already some who are already enjoying the bliss of Heaven even before the Final and Last Judgment. We must realise that the Church is one Body of Christ, the united Body composed of those whom God had called and chosen from this world to follow Him, and to be His own people. And He had called us all with our own various diverse backgrounds, with our own imperfections and flaws, faults and sins. We are not a Church composed of perfect people without any fault, sin or imperfections, as none of us can claim to be such perfect people. But we are all reminded through the examples and the fates of the Saints, who are now enjoying the wonderful bliss of Heaven, that we may also share in their joy, and that none of us are denied this opportunity by the Lord. Now what matters is for us to embrace this opportunity that the Lord has given us and do our best to walk in the footsteps of the holy Saints of God, to enter into the narrow path to the Kingdom of God.

Our second reading today from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle, are the words of assurance from St. John reminding all of us of God’s ever enduring love for us, as He is truly our loving Father, and He has always been filled with generous and most bountiful love towards us. And because we have been truly loved by God, we are truly fortunate, as He has always considered us to be His children, and has always designed it to be so. For each one of us have been created as mentioned in the Book of Genesis, in the image and likeness of God Himself, and we have been made perfect and most wonderful, to enjoy the fullness of God’s creation, to be the ones to share His most generous and wonderful love that overflows from Himself to all of us, and as His beloved children, therefore, He has always intended for us to enjoy forever this eternity of bliss. However, because of our disobedience and refusal to obey the Lord’s words, will and commandments, we have fallen into the traps of the evil one, who lured us with the false pleasures and attachments of worldly desires and goods, all of which had made us to fall astray from the path that God has shown us. Instead, we chose to rebel against the love of God and embraced instead the false lies and sweet words of Satan, walking down this path of disobedience and sin which caused us to be sundered and separated from God’s love and grace. We have disregarded the great things that God has created and meant for us, and instead sought the inferior and illusory desires of our worldly pursuits, attachments and ambitions, all the things which had kept us away from His loving Presence and from the eternal inheritance and true glory awaiting us.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this special feast of All Saints, we honour, celebrate and glorify all the Holy Saints, all those holy men and women who have enjoyed the beatific vision of Heaven. Today we rejoice in the honour of all these predecessors of ours who have lived their lives most worthily of God and who have shown us all how we should live ours as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people. And today we celebrate and honour all those Saints who do not have their own date of celebration or feasts in particular, together with all the other more well-known Saints. They all now enjoy the great joy and happiness that the Lord has promised to all of us, the experience of Heaven, the reward that they have received from God for their faith, their virtues and all the good things that they had done in life. Let us also pray for one another, and ask the Saints to pray for all those around us who need help. Let us all strive to live a holy and worthy life at all times, and be exemplary in our way of life, that one day, we too may be found and deemed worthy, to share in the glory of the Saints. Let us also pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who are also part of the Church, as the Church Suffering, as those who have already lived a life of faith, and yet, because of their residual venial sins, they have not yet been able to enjoy the bliss of Heaven, unlike the Saints. Let us all pray for them, that God may show them His mercy and love, compassion and kindness, especially that we will remember them tomorrow on All Souls Day. May the glorious Saints always pray for us all, and for our fellow brothers and sisters in Purgatory, and may the Lord bless us all and our lives, that we may continue to emulate His Saints, and lead lives that are truly holy and worthy of Him. All the Holy Saints of God, holy men and women who have glorified the Lord by your lives, all of you who are now with God in Heaven, pray for us sinners! Pray for the sake of all your brethren still living and struggling in this world who are in dire need of God’s mercy, love and strength. May the Lord, our most loving God and Creator, and with His innumerable Saints and the Holy Angels, continue to strengthen us in all of our journey and efforts to come towards Him with faith and dedication. May He continue to bless our every good efforts, works and endeavours in each and every moments of our lives so that we may always be committed to do what is right and just, virtuous and worthy of His cause, as we should always be doing. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace like the Saints to allow the light of Christ’s presence to shine through us and may we live out of the attitudes and values expressed in the beatitudes. May His glorious Saints, our holy predecessors, in their constant intercessions and prayers for us continue to help and inspire us all in our own journey, so that one day, we may ourselves be in their place, to be worthy partakers and parts of God’s everlasting Kingdom and dominion. May the good Lord be with us always and may He bless us all in our every good works and endeavours and may all the Holy Saints of God, Holy Men and Women of God, pray for us sinners, now and always. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

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

During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

Let us pray:

My most holy Lord, You reign now in Heaven and desire that Your glorious Kingdom be firmly established upon earth. Give me the grace I need to seek holiness with all my heart and to especially use Your revelation of the Beatitudes as the path by which I travel. I pray that I will become a true saint in this world and that You will use me to further Your Kingdom now and for eternity.

Lord, as the Saints in Heaven adore You for eternity, I beg for their intercession. Saints of God, please come to my aide. Pray for me and bring to me the grace I need to live a holy life in imitation of your own lives. All Saints of God, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Deborah and All the Saints of God in Heaven~ Pray for us 🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖

Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |