Author: Resa

TWENTY- FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 25, 2024

Greetings and blessings beloved family and Happy Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time!

On this special feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We continue to pray for our children and children all over the world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

On this day, we especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 25, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 25, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 25, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| August 25, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | August 25, 2024
Reading 1, Joshua 24:1-2
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23
Reading 2, Ephesians 5:21-32
Gospel, John 6:60-69

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of the year). Novena to Saint Monica is eqspecially prayed for wayward children. [Novena link – https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-saint-monica/]

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ John 6:60–69

“To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”

“Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Today’s Gospel reading this Sunday is the conclusion of the long teaching in chapter 6 of John’s Gospel on Jesus as the Bread of Life. Towards the end of the teaching Jesus says, ‘my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them’. Jesus is declaring there that He wants to give us the gift of His flesh and blood, the gift of Himself. He gave that gift of Himself to all humanity on the cross. At every Eucharist he renews this gift of Himself to us. Saint Paul declares in his first letter to the church in Corinth, ‘As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until h
He comes’. St. Paul recognized very clearly the intimate connection between the Lord’s self-gift to us in His death on the cross and His self-gift to us in the Eucharist. That same self-emptying love of Jesus on the cross is sacramentally present to us in the Eucharist. This is a love through which Jesus gathers people into communion with each other and with Himself. It is fitting that one of the terms we have come to use for the Eucharist is ‘Holy Communion’. Through the Eucharist, we are brought into a deeply spiritual communion with each other and with the Lord. Jesus is indeed the Bread of Life, the Lamb of God, Who would soon lay down His own life on the Cross, breaking His own Precious Body and shedding His own Precious Blood so that all of us who share and partake in His Body and Blood may be saved and have new life in us.

The Eucharist is an extra-ordinary gift from the Lord to us, and, yet, today’s Gospel shows that some of His own followers were slow to receive this gift. They struggled to accept Jesus’ self-gift of His flesh and blood. ‘This is intolerable language’, they said, ‘How could anyone accept it?’ When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Bread of Life He had initially met opposition from the Jewish religious authorities. Yet, now, the opposition was coming from His own disciples. The Gospel reading goes on to tell us that because of Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist, ‘many of His disciples left Him and stopped going with Him’. This is poignant and can resonate with some of us because there may have been times in our lives when we felt like walking away from the Eucharist. We can do so for a whole variety of reasons. Perhaps, like the disciples in the Gospel reading, we cannot quite bring ourselves to believe in it. Jesus was helpless before the decision of some of His disciples to leave Him. He is profoundly respectful of the mystery of human freedom, even when that freedom expresses itself in ways that are not in keeping with his desire for us. When faced with the Lord’s gifts, we can always turn away. At its deepest level, faith is a gift; it is due to the working of God’s grace in our lives. Yet, at another level, faith is a choice. The Lord has chosen us first and having chosen us He keeps on investing in us. Yet, He waits for us to respond to His choice of us with our own personal choice of Him, a choice we make not just as individuals but within a community. That is why in today’s Gospel reading, after many of His disciples had ceased going with h
Him, He turns to the twelve and says, ‘What about you? Do you want to go away too?’ It is a question that is addressed to all of us; it calls on us to make our own personal choice of the Lord who has chosen us. In response to that question, we can do no better than make our own the answer of St. Peter, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life’. We give expression to that answer of St. Peter every time we come to the Eucharist. Our decision to come to the Eucharist every Sunday is a very concrete way of choosing the Lord and all He stands for. In that sense, the Eucharist is both the Sacrament of the Lord’s giving of Himself to us and of our personal and communal giving of ourselves to Him.

Our first reading this Sunday, from the Book of Joshua talks about the occasion when the Israelites gathered before Joshua, their leader and the successor of Moses, when Joshua was already very old and was about to pass away. Joshua reminded the people of Israel of their obligation and responsibility to serve the Lord, their Master and King. He told them all to remain faithful to the Lord and not to be swayed by the false gods of their ancestors and the people who lived around them, the Canaanites and their idols. Joshua reminded them all that God had made a Covenant with them and their descendants, bringing them all to live in the land which had been granted to them to settle in. The Israelites then responded with faith, proclaiming their faith, fealty and loyalty to the Lord. Unfortunately, after the passing of Joshua, the Israelites went back on their words, not following and obeying the Law and commandments of God. They did not remain firmly faithful and committed to what they had pledged before Joshua and God on what they would do. They quickly turned away from the Lord and embraced the wicked ways of the world, worshipping pagan idols and false gods, building up shrines and altars to honour those idols instead of worshipping and obeying their Lord and God, the One and only True God. They did not remain truly faithful to the Lord because they likely found obeying and following the laws and precepts of the Lord to be demanding and difficult, as opposed to following the wicked ways of the pagan idols that often suit their worldly desires.

In our second reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Ephesus, St. Paul reminded the people of God there to be good and faithful to the Lord, as well as to be committed in their respective parts and roles in the community, exhorting husbands and wives to be devoted and faithful to one another because they are all parts of the same one Body of Christ, that is the Church of God. St. Paul kept on highlighting this fact and the unity that all the faithful had in the Lord, which was explained through the discourse of the Bread of Life in our Gospel reading this Sunday and previous Sundays. Through His giving of Himself, His most Precious Body and Blood, He has united us all to Himself and brought us all together into this unity in the Church, to become part of His Body. And that is why, each and every one of us as Christians are expected and called to live our lives worthily of the Lord so that in everything that we say and do, as we ourselves are the bearers of God’s light and truth, and His Presence is within us through the Most Precious Body and Blood that He has given us, and which we partake, as well as through the Holy Spirit that He has bestowed and blessed us with, dwelling in each and every one of us. Therefore, we are all part of the same sacred and holy Body of Christ, the Church, the Temple and House of God’s Holy Presence, and as such, we are all expected to do our best to live our lives in the manner that is truly pleasing to God at all times. Each and every moments of our lives should indeed be filled with God’s grace and love, and we should always ever be faithful to Him at all times.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday all of us are yet again reminded of our responsibilities as God’s people, as His disciples and followers and as all those who have been called to obey the Lord wholeheartedly and to trust in Him with all of our heart and might. Each and every one of us as Christians should always remained strong in our faith and trust in the Lord despite the many challenges, trials, difficulties and even oppressions which we may have to endure in our path and journey forward as faithful followers and disciples of the Lord. We must not allow ourselves to be easily dissuaded and discouraged by those obstacles that we may encounter or have to endure in our lives as faithful Christians, knowing that the Lord Himself is by our side, present with us all throughout the journey. Let us all therefore as Christians do our part in reaffirming our own faith and trust in the Lord, not just with mere words only but also through concrete and real actions. We must not be like those Israelites in the past who professed to have faith in the Lord and yet, they quickly gave up their faith in God and followed the false path of the pagans and their false idols. We must not merely be paying lip service of our commitment and faith in the Lord, but we must always strive to do our best, to truly embody our faith and trust in the Lord through our firm belief in what the Lord Himself has shown and taught us. And this means that we should live our lives worthily of Him, knowing that He has given us all His own Precious Body and Blood to partake, gathering us all to be part of His one Body, the Church of God. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father, continue to strengthen and guide us all in our journey through life, so that in everything that we say and do, in our every good efforts and commitments to Him, we will continue to do our best to glorify Him by our lives. May all of us be the shining beacons of Our Lord’s truth and Good News, and continue to inspire many others to come ever closer towards God and His salvation, all through our own worthy and exemplary actions, in each and every moments of our lives. We should do what we can so that more and more people may be inspired to follow the Lord by our examples, just as we have been inspired by His holy servants, the Holy Saints, and Martyrs, particularly those who we celebrate today. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to open ourselves to the Lord’s empowering presence now, so that we are to be ready for His coming to us in the future, be it at the hour of our death or the end of this age. May the good Lord continue to guide and strengthen us all in our faith, and may His saints continue to intercede for us and inspire us in our way of life, now and always. Amen🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUIS IX OF FRANCE, KING AND SAINT JOSEPH OF CALASANZ, PRIEST AND SAINT GENESIUS OF ROME, MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 25TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Louis IX of France, King and Saint Joseph of Calasanz, Priest and Saint Genesius of Rome, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and we pray for those who mourn. We pray for the safety and well-being of all students and youths, for the poor and needy, and for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families, and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are 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.🙏

SAINT LOUIS IX OF FRANCE, KING: St. Louis IX (1215-1270) was born in Poissy, France, on April 25th, 1215. His father was King Louis VIII, and his mother was Blanche, daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile. At the age of twelve, he lost his father, and he became King of France at the age of twelve, and his mother, Blanche of Castile, became regent of the kingdom. From his tenderest infancy, she had inspired him with love for holy things and had religiously brought him up. In 1234, the Saint married Margaret, the virtuous daughter of Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence, and two years later, he took the reins of government into his own hands. Reigning from 1226 to 1270, St. Louis IX showed how a saint would act on the throne of France. He was a lovable personality, a kind husband, a father of eleven children, and at the same time a strict ascetic.Throughout his life, he remained deeply devout and as a king, his conduct was that of a real saint. He devoted himself to the affairs of his kingdom and to those of Christendom and was a great peacemaker — kings and princes constantly sought his aid in settling disputes. He was humble and upright, helpful to the needy, and in-person nursed lepers and the sick. St. Louis gave to all the examples of a life overflowing with charity and sovereign justice. He was a tertiary of the Order of the Holy Trinity and Captives (the Trinitarians) and a strong supporter of the Franciscan Orders and other mendicant orders as well

In 1238, he headed a crusade, in which he fell a prisoner among the Mohammedans, but a truce was concluded, and he was set free and returned to France. In 1267, he again set out for the East at the head of a crusade, but he never again beheld his native land. In 1270, he was stricken by the pestilence at the siege of Tunis and died after receiving the Last Sacraments. St. Louis died of the plague near Tunis, lying on a bed of ashes, during a crusade for the deliverance of the Holy Land during the Second Crusade on August 25th, 1270. He is the patron of masons and builders.A full decade before he died in Tunis, in honor of the King’s support and Catholic manner of life, St. Bonaventure proposed to the Franciscans’ General Chapter that suffrages be prayed for the King annually (essentially a Feast Day, as for those already sainted!), the Chapter approved the proposal three years later. Immediately after Louis IX’s death, the Franciscans began an active campaign for his canonization, and he was venerated by the Secular Franciscan Order and the Third Order Regular as protector and advocate as soon as he was canonized. He was canonized in 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII. St. Louis IX is the  Patron Saint of Third Order of Franciscans (Secular Franciscans); barbers; builders; button makers; construction workers; Crusaders; death of children; difficult marriages; distillers; embroiderers; French monarchs; grooms; haberdashers; hairdressers; hair stylists; kings; masons; needle workers; parenthood; parents of large families; prisoners; sculptors; sick people; soldiers; stone masons; stonecutters; tertiaries; Archdiocese of Saint Louis, Missouri.

PRAYER: God, You transferred St. Louis from the cares of an earthly throne to the glory of the heavenly Kingdom. Grant, through his intercession, that we may seek Your eternal Kingdom by carrying out our earthly duties. Amen 🙏

SAINT JOSEPH OF CALASANZ, PRIEST: St. Joseph of Calasanz (1556-1648) was born at Peralta de la Sal in Aragon, Spain, in 1556. At an early age, St. Joseph loved to care for children; he gathered them together, conducted religion classes in boyish fashion, and taught them how to pray. After a time of severe illness, he studied law and theology and was ordained a priest in 1583. He always showed a great interest in the religious instruction of children, especially of those who were poor and neglected. In 1592, the Saint journeyed to Rome and became theologian to Cardinal Marc-Antonio Colonna. Here he joined the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. His reputation for sanctity inspired the Bishop of Lerida to appoint him as his confessor, theologian, and synodal examiner. He became so convinced of the necessity of imparting religious instruction to children at an early age that he began this work alone in the Trastevere, where he rented several rooms in which he opened a little school, a free school for the education of homeless children, teaching the children reading, writing, and arithmetic. After some time several companions joined him in the good work and he began to lead a community life with them. Thus, he laid the foundation of a congregation, in 1602 he founded the Order of Piarists who were to continue this charitable work among youth.

The Poor Clerks Regular (Piarists) is a community devoted to the task of educating youth. In the course of time grew the Congregation was that of the “Clerics Regular of the Poor Schools of the Mother of God”. During the life of the holy founder, the Order spread throughout Italy and afterward to other countries. By a brief of 1622 Pope Gregory XV approved the constitutions and appointed the holy founder General of the Order. The virtuous and austere life of this great servant of God came to an end on August 25, 1648 at Rome. He was canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII. St.Joseph is the Patron Saint of Colleges; schoolchildren; schools; schools for the poor; students; universities.

PRAYER: God, You adorned St. Joseph Your Priest with excelling love and patience so that he might labor for the formation of Christian youth. Grant that as we honor this teacher of wisdom we may follow his example in working for truth. Amen 🙏

SAINT GENESIUS OF ROME, MARTYR: St. Genesius of Rome (d. 303 AD) was a renowned actor and playwright, the leader of a popular acting troupe during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. When the Emperor was killing Christians, St. Genesius wrote plays to mock them and expose their secret rites to ridicule. To research for a play mocking baptism, he went to a priest pretending to desire the sacraments and was fully instructed as a catechumen. St. Genesius prepared his play and instructed the other actors in their parts. On performance day the Emperor was present. St. Genesius played the lead character seeking baptism, and the rite was performed in such a ludicrous manner that all present laughed. As the water was poured over St. Genesius’ head by an actor playing the priest’s part, St. Genesius saw a vision of the heavens opened and the hand of God touching him. He also saw an angel who showed him that his many sins had been washed away through the valid baptism he had just received. At that moment St. Genesius’ heart was changed by the Holy Spirit and he believed in the truth of Christianity.

At the conclusion of the play St. Genesius boldly declared his new faith, recounting how he had been a scoffer until that moment. He implored the audience, including the Emperor, to follow Christ. The crowd thought this was part of the performance, but once they understood it was real, St. Genesius was seized. The Emperor, furious, subjected him to cruel tortures daily to make him renounce his faith in Christ. St. Genesius staunchly refused and was beheaded. The Christians collected his body and buried him with the other martyrs. St. Genesius is the patron saint of comedians, dancers, actors, musicians, printers, and torture victims. His feast day is August 25th.  

Saint Genesius of Rome, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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, in Your great love and mercy You require everything of me. You ask me to give You my life in total surrender and service of Your perfect will. When I am weak, give me strength. When I doubt, give me faith. Help me, Lord, to always deepen my resolve and to follow You with complete fidelity. 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Louis IX of France, King; Saint Joseph of Calasanz and Saint Genesius of Rome, Martyr ~ 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 Love always, Philomena💖

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 24, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time!

On this special feast of Our Lady, Health of the Sick, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We continue to pray for our children and children all over the world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

On this day, we especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 24, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 24, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 24, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| August 24, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday, August 24, 2024
Reading 1, Revelation 21:9-14
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
Gospel, John 1:45-51

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of the year). Novena to Saint Monica is eqspecially prayed for wayward children. [Novena link – https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-saint-monica/]

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF OUR LADY, HEALTH OF THE SICK AND SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 24TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady, Health of the Sick, and Saint Bartholomew, Apostle. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Health of the Sick and Saint Bartholomew on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and we pray for those who mourn. We also pray for the poor and needy and for peace, love, 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.🙏

OUR LADY, HEALTH OF THE SICK: Our Lady, Health of the Sick, embrace all who are emotionally and physically ill, that they may return to good health under her tender care. Our Lady was well used to the sick-bed, the deathbed. During the 17th century, the Church started to highlight Mary’s role as an intercessor for all the sick, invoking her under the title of “Health of the Sick.” This was in direct connection to the plague in Europe and how many people turned to her in their time of need. August 24th is the feast day of Our Lady, Health of the Sick, but it should go without saying that a prayer to the Blessed Mother under this title can be said any day. As part of the Traditional Missal, the Feast of our Lady Help of the Sick falls on Saturday before the last Sunday in August. This Feastday is kept by various religious orders in the Church as one of the Masses said in some places. Make an effort today to say 3 Our Fathers and 3 Hail Marys for the repose of the soul of all of the sick who will die today and appear before Christ in Judgment.

In biblical times: The origin of referring to Mary as “Health of the Sick” makes its first appearance in Mary’s care of St. Joseph, who was enveloped by a most “happy death” in the literal sense, being in the arms of both our Lady and our Lord Jesus Christ during his final hours. Because of this grace, St. Joseph is now commonly referred to as Patron Saint of the dying. Such a title could not be more accurate, as what greater love could one receive at the time of physical suffering than their Heavenly presence?

In later times: Similar titles for our Blessed Mother, such as “Hospital of sinners” and “the Joy of the sick,” originated from the words of Saint Ephrem, who lived in the 4th century and was more recently declared a Doctor of the church. “Health of the Sick,” however, continued to be another title, one which would become used in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Litany of Loreto, comprised during the Middle Ages. Subsequently, in modern times, the oldest hospital in North America is thought to be the Immaculate Conception Hospital, built as a tribute to Our Lady as “Health of the Sick” in 1524. Later, St. Camillus de Lellis founded a confraternity invoking the use of the black scapular of “Our Lady, Help of the Sick,” approved by Pius IX in 1860.

Today: Our Blessed Mother continues to care for Her children not just in times of physical suffering, but in caring for our spiritual health through eternal salvation. As Christ is the Divine Physician, sharing his Divine Mercy for souls that would otherwise be lost, so She is eternally present by his side, particularly by His passion and sorrowful mysteries. How fitting that during our most difficult trials, we can turn to Our Lady, Health of the Sick, for Her everlasting comfort and healing.

POPE FRANCIS PRAYER TO OUR LADY, HEALTH OF THE SICK: Pope Francis placed his hope in Our Lady, Health of the Sick, he recently composed a prayer asking her intercession to her most precious son, Jesus Christ, for healing across our world. Here is the prayer recited by Pope Francis in March 2020 invoking our Blessed Mother Mary under this title, during the coronavirus pandemic.

“O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick. At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain with steadfast faith.

You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need. We are certain that you will provide, so that as you did at Cana of Galilee, joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us through the Cross to the joy of the Resurrection…Amen🙏

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.”🙏

PRAYER TO OUR LADY, HEALTH OF THE SICK: Virgin, most holy, Mother of the Word Incarnate, Treasurer of graces, and Refuge of sinners, I fly top your motherly affection with lively faith, and I beg of you the grace ever to do the will of God. Into your most holy hands I commit the keeping of my heart, asking you for health of soul and body, in the certain hope that you, my most loving Mother, will hear my prayer. Into the bosom of your tender mercy, this day, every day of my life, and at the hour of my death, I commend my soul and body. To you I entrust all my hopes and consolations, all my trials and miseries, my life and the end of my life, that all my actions may be ordered and disposed according to your will and that of your Divine Son. Amen 🙏

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, I look to you for the comfort of a mother’s love, I pray to you on behalf of those who are suffering and for my own healing needs. Mary, your love strengthens me and brings me peace. Our Lady, Health of the Sick, embrace all who are emotionally and physically ill that they may return to good health under your tender care. And please intercede for my very special needs. (mention your needs here). Mary, your love strengthens me and brings me peace. Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for us.  Amen 🙏

SAINT BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE: St. Bartholomew (1st c.) is one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles who, together with his friend and fellow Apostle Philip, came from Cana in Galilee. St. Bartholomew was a doctor in Jewish law. All we know of St. Bartholomew (also called Nathaniel) is what is mentioned of him in the synoptic Gospels and the book of Acts. Saint Bartholomew is mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14), and seventh in the list of Acts (1:13). The name (Bartholomaios) means “son of Talmai” which was an ancient Hebrew name and it was given to the Saint in the same sense that “Bar Jonah” was attached to St. Peter. He was chosen by our Lord Himself to be one of the Twelve Apostles. Besides being listed as an Apostle, he is not otherwise mentioned in the New Testament, at least not under the name Bartholomew: many ancient writers, and Catholic tradition have identified St. Bartholomew as Nathaniel in the Gospel of John (John 1:45-51, and 21:2). The Gospel passage read at Mass on the feast of Saint Bartholomew is precisely this passage from John (1:45-51) where Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by his friend Phillip, and Jesus says of him “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him (1:47).” We are presented with the Apostle’s character in this brief and beautiful dialogue with the Lord Jesus. He is a good Jew, honest and innocent, a just man, who devotes much time to quiet reflection and prayer – “under the fig tree (1:48)” – and has been awaiting the Messiah, the Holy One of God. At Jesus’ mention that “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you (1:48),” Nathaniel responded “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel (1:49)!”  Being “a true child of Israel,” Nathaniel was a man well-read in the Scriptures and knew what they said of the Messiah and where he would come from. This is why he is skeptical of Phillip’s claim that Jesus is the Messiah, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth (1:46)?” But Nathaniel was lacking “duplicity” – that is, his heart was undivided, his intentions pure – his openness to reality was always ready to recognize and surrender to the truth when he encountered it. He remained open to his friend Phillip’s invitation to “Come and see (1:46).” In encountering Jesus and hearing His words, he found himself face to face with the Truth Himself, and, like John the Baptist’s leap in his mother’s womb at the Lord’s presence, Nathaniel’s words lept out of his own heart in a clear and simple confession of faith, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Jesus, in Matthew 5:8, says, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” In Nathaniel we have an example of the pure man who sees – recognizes –  God when confronted with Him, and on seeing Him believes in Him, and upon believing in Him, follows Him. After the Resurrection of Jesus he was favored by becoming one of the few apostles who witnessed the appearance of the risen Savior on the sea of Galilee (John 21:2). Nothing is known for sure about the life of Nathaniel/Bartholomew after the Ascension of Jesus, but tradition holds that he preached in the East and died a martyr’s death in Armenia, being flayed alive for having won converts to the Lord Jesus. According to Eusebius and other ancient writers, following the Ascension of Jesus he preached the Gospel in the most barbarous countries of the East, penetrating as far as India. Eusebius relates that when St. Pantaenus, in 3rd century, went to India, he still found the knowledge of Christ in that country, and copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew was shown to him, which he was told had been brought there by St. Bartholomew. St. John Chrysostom declares that St. Bartholomew brought the faith to the people of Lycaonia. According to St. Gregory of Tours, the last field of his labors was Great Armenia, where, preaching in a place obstinately addicted to the worship of idols, he suffered martyrdom. By some it is said that he was flayed alive, his skin was torn from his body while still alive for having won converts to the Lord Jesus. The Armenians honor him as the apostle of their nation. According to other accounts that he suffered crucifixion—both these opinions being reconcilable. The relics of the Saint are preserved in the church of St. Bartholomew on the island in the Tiber River near Rome. He’s Patron Saint of bookbinders; butchers; cobblers; Forentine cheese merchants; Forentine salt merchants; leather workers; nervous diseases; neurological diseases; plasterers; shoemakers; tanners; trappers; twitching; whiteners; Gambatesa, Italy; Armenia.

PRAYER: God, strengthen in us that faith by which your Apostle St. Bartholomew adhered to Your Son with sincerity of mind. Through his intercession, grant that Your Church may become a sacrament of salvation for all nations. Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Feast of Our Lady, Health of the Sick and Saint Bartholomew, Apostle | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ John 1:45-51

“Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him”

“Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

In today’s Gospel reading, St Bartholomew whom we celebrate his feast today is mentioned in the list of the twelve apostles in all of the Gospels. He is traditionally identified with Nathanael in today’s Gospel reading from John. Nathanael was initially very dismissive of Jesus, wondering if anything good could come from the village of Nazareth. When Philip shared with Nathanael his emerging faith in Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael dismissed it with the remark, ‘can anything good come from Nazareth?’ Yet, this dismissive, sceptical attitude would not go on to define Nathanael. There was some little openness in him, because when Philip went on to say to him, ‘Come and see’, Nathanael did come and he saw for himself. When Jesus saw Nathanael, He drew attention not to his initial dismissive attitude but to his openness, ‘an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit’. Jesus admired his honesty; there was no pretence in him. As a result of his meeting with Jesus, Nathanael goes on to make his confession of faith in Jesus of Nazareth, ‘you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel’. Nathanael had moved from scepticism to faith. Yet, Jesus assures him that he is still only at the beginning of his journey; he has only begun to see. Jesus promises him, ‘You will see greater things… you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the Angels of God ascending and descending’. He will come to recognize Jesus as the meeting point of heaven and earth, as God in human form. The Lord is relating to us even when we are not relating to him. Our initial resistance to the Lord’s call need never have the last word. He continues to call us to come and see. If we respond in any way to the Lord’s call, he will affirm us in our journey and he will continue to open up new horizons on for us our journey of faith, until we come to see and appreciate him as God with us, the one through whom God’s love comes to us. Like Nathanael, we are all on a journey. The Lord invites us to ‘come and see’, no matter where we are on that journey, and, if we do manage to see something of the Lord, He promises us that one day we will see greater things than what we now see.

Our first reading today from the Book of Revelations of St. John talks about the vision of St. John the Apostle who saw the vision of the great city of New Jerusalem, the City of God that has come down from Heaven. This vision of the heavenly and new Jerusalem is the symbol of the coming of the eternal Kingdom of God, the restoration of everything that had fallen into disarray by our disobedience and sins. Everything would be restored to how God had intended it to be at the beginning of time and creation. God had always meant for us all to enjoy the fullness of His love and grace, to share in everything that He had created and prepared for us, the eternal joy and happiness which He has meant for us to have with us. And St. John saw the vision of the twelve gates of the city decorated richly with precious stones, with the names of the Twelve Apostles written on them. From what we have heard in this account of the heavenly vision of St. John the Apostle, we heard of the ultimate destination which we all have in our lives, that is to be reunited completely and fully with God, with our loving Father and Creator. The heavenly and new Jerusalem present at the end of time, after all the tribulations, trials and sufferings which St. John witnessed in his visions, showed us all the end of all of our journeys and hardships, as we endure all those in our path to seek God’s salvation and to be reunited with Him. We must not give up easily on this journey, as in the end, all of us will have a share in the eternal glory of God, and we are meant to live and exist with Him in an eternity of joy, free from all hardships and sufferings. The Apostles themselves have also received this same assurance, and they would indeed be the ones by the side of the Lord, honoured greatly as the pillars of His Church.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, let us all strive to be missionary and evangelising disciples and followers of the Lord, in everything we say and do, in our every vocations in life, be it as married couples, as family members, youth or elderly, be it as laypeople or members of the presbyterate, or be it as members of religious orders and other institutions. Each and every one of us have our own unique roles to play as part of the Lord’s Church to fulfil what He has called us to do, to obey Him wholeheartedly and to be exemplary and sources of inspiration for one another, for our fellow brothers and sisters at all times. May the Lord continue to guide and strengthen all of us, in our every works and actions, in every moments of our lives. May He inspire and empower all of us so that we may serve Him ever more faithfully and with greater courage, in the manner that St. Bartholomew, and the other Holy Apostles, saints and martyrs had done. Let us remember that each and every one of us as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we have the shared responsibilities to continue the good works and ministry which the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, our predecessors have started. We should continue to do our best in whatever opportunities that have been given to us so that we may always be exemplary and good role models for our fellow brethren, and that our whole lives may truly shine with God’s ever present and wonderful light. All of us are part of the Lord’s Church and each one of us are integral part of the missions which God has entrusted to us. Let us all strive to commit our every time and effort to glorify God and to seek the betterment of all mankind. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to become more aware of how the Lord regards us, so that we would grow in faith. May God continue to empower and strengthen us and bless us all in all of our endeavours, and may St. Bartholomew, Holy Apostle of the Lord and all the Saints continue to intercede and pray for us sinners still struggling and persevering daily in this world today. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 loving Lord, You invite all of us to come to You, to see You and to have faith in You. You truly are the Son of God and the King of all. Please open my mind to all that You wish to say to me so that I may shed my doubts and come to a transforming faith in all things. 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady, Health of the Sick and Saint Bartholomew, Apostle ~ 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💖

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 22, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

On this special feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we pray for our children and children all over the world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 22, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 22, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 22, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 22, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 22, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, August 22, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 36:23-28
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
Gospel, Matthew 22:1-14

Today’s Bible Readings for the Feast of the Queenship of Mary:
Reading 1: Isaiah 9: 1-6
Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Gospel: St. Luke 1: 26-38

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of the year). Novena to Saint Monica is eqspecially prayed for wayward children. [Novena link – https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-saint-monica/]

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND SAINTS TIMOTHY, HIPPOLYTUS AND SYMPHORIAN, MARTYRS AND SAINT JOHN KEMBLE, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 22ND:

THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: Today, we celebrate Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. August 22nd is the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This title of Our Lady, Queen of Heaven (Regina Caeli), is rooted in biblical history where the mother of Israel’s king had the royal title of Queen Mother. Church Tr0adition holds that once Mary, the Mother of God, was assumed body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthy life, she was crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth to reign alongside her Son, Jesus the King of Kings. During the Middle Ages Mary was venerated as Queen of the angels and saints. On October 11, 1954, His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, in his encyclical letter, “Ad Ceali Reginam”, decreed and instituted the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be celebrated throughout the world every year, giving sanction thus to a devotion that was already paid by the faithful throughout the world to the sovereign Mother of heaven and earth. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary as a memorial of the universal church at the close of the Marian Year of 1954. The memorial is placed on this date, August 22, to stress its connection with the feast of the Assumption, a week earlier. He declared that the Church has believed in Mary’s Queenship from the earliest centuries and that this belief rests on Holy Scripture and Tradition.

Mary is Queen of all “since she brought forth a Son, Who at the very moment that He was conceived, was, by reason of the hypostatic union of the human nature with the Word, even as Man, King and Lord of all things”. Further, “as Christ is our Lord and King by a special title because He redeemed us, so the Blessed Virgin [is our Lady and Queen] because of the unique way in which she has cooperated toward our redemption by giving of her own substance, by offering Him willingly for us, and by desiring, praying for, and bringing about our salvation in a singular manner”.

PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (Feast: August 22)

O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. You know our misery and our weakness. O thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.  Jesus has confided to you the treasure of His grace, and through you He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, your children come to you as their hope.

We recognize your Queenship and ardently desire your triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother’s Heart. You are for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In your clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, You Who did crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen  From Heaven, God does not take this from her.  Rather, she is made our Mother and our Queen.  And a worthy Mother and Queen she is!

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Mary Immaculate Queen, triumph and reign! Amen🙏

PRAYER: God, You have given us the Mother of Your Son to be Mother and Queen. Through her intercession, grant that we may attain the glory destined for Your adopted children in Your heavenly Kingdom… Amen🙏

SAINTS TIMOTHY, HIPPOLYTUS AND SYMPHORIAN, MARTYRS: Sts. Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian are three Christian martyrs who though were unrelated and were killed in different places and at different times, share a common feast day (Feast: August 22). During the pontificate of Melchiades (311-314), St. Timotheus (Timothy) of Antioch came from Antioch to Rome in 310, where he preached for fifteen months and lived with Sylvester, who later became pope. The prefect of the city, Tarquinus Perpenna, threw him into prison, tortured, he was cruelly beaten and quicklime was sprinkled over his torn flesh and finally beheaded him in 311. A Christian woman named Theon buried him in her garden, This is related in the legend of Sylvester. The name of Timotheus occurs in the earliest martyrologies. Martyred in 311.

On the same day at Ostia, St. Hippolytus, bishop of Porto, was thrown into a hole filled with water and received the crown of martyrdom about A.D. 225. 

Again on the same day, about A.D. 178, under the reign of Aurelian, St. Symphorian, was martyred. According to a legend of the early fifth century, St. Symphorian of Autun was beheaded, while still a young man, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. His mother, the Blessed Augusta, encouraged him on his way to execution, August 22, 178. While he went to execution his mother said to him: “My son, my son, remember eternal life; look up to heaven and see the One who reigns there; life is not taken from thee, it is exchanged for a better one.” His body lies at St. Paul’s-Outside-the-Walls, near that of the great Apostle. Bishop Euphronius (d. 490) built a handsome church over his grave, connected with a monastery, which belonged to the Congregation of Sainte-Geneviève from 1656 until its suppression in 1791. Abbot Germanus later became Bishop of Paris, where he dedicated a chapel to the saint. St. Symphorian is the patron saint of Autun. His veneration spread at an early date through the empire of the Franks. His cult was especially popular at Tours; St. Gregory relates a miracle wrought by the saint. St. Symphorian is one of the great saints of Gaul and several churches were built in his honor.

PRAYER: Deny us not, O merciful Lord, Thy help: but listening to the prayers of Thy blessed martyrs Timothy, Hippolytus and Symphorian, stretch forth over us the right hand of Thy merciful forgiveness. Amen 🙏

SAINT JOHN KEMBLE, PRIEST: St. John Kemble (1599-1679) was an English Roman Catholic martyr born in England,  Saint Weonards, United Kingdom to a prominent Catholic family when Catholicism was outlawed in the country. He was ordained a priest in 1625 and ministered in England as an itinerant priest for fifty-three years. Although persecution of Catholics was rampant, in his particular region Catholics were generally not harassed. In the infamous “Popish Plot” of 1678, Protestant politicians began a violent crackdown on Catholics, particularly on priests. Although 80 years old at the time, Father John Kemble was arrested. He was warned in advance but declined to leave his flock, saying, “According to the course of nature, I have but a few years to live. It will be an advantage to suffer for my religion and, therefore, I will not abscond.”

Although he was found innocent of any involvement in the “Popish Plot,” he was condemned for being a Catholic priest and sentenced to death by being hanged, drawn, and quartered on August 22, 1679, Hereford, United Kingdom. His last words, addressed to the crowd were: “The failure of the authorities in London to connect me to the plot makes it evident that I die only for profession of the Catholic religion, which was the religion that first made this Kingdom Christian.” He was canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 25, 1970. St. John Kemble is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. His feast day:August 22; 25 October

Saint John Kemble, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Bible Readings for today, Memorial of The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0822-memorial-queenship-mary.cfm

Gospel Reading ~ Reflections on Luke 1:26-38 for the Feast of the Queenship of Mary

“You will conceive in your womb and bear a son”

“The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Today we celebrate the memorial of the Queenship of Mary. During the Middle Ages Mary was venerated as Queen of the angels and saints. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary as a memorial of the universal church at the close of the Marian Year of 1954. The memorial is placed on this date, August 22, to stress its connection with the feast of the Assumption, a week earlier. When people of faith gave Mary the title of Queen of heaven and earth, it was their way of saying that Mary is worthy of our veneration and that she deserves our honour. We honour and we venerate Mary. We don’t worship Mary. Only God can be worshipped, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We honour Mary as Queen because of who she was in her earthly life, because she was a woman of deep faith. Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel conveys the core of her faith, ‘Let what you have said be done to me’. The Gospel reading suggests that Mary had her reservations about what God appeared to be asking of her, ‘How can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ The Angel Gabriel went on to say to her, ‘Nothing is impossible to God’. Mary came to accept that what she herself could not bring about, God would bring about. She then gave herself over to God’s purpose for her life, trusting that God could bring his purpose to pass. It could be said that Mary allowed God to be God in her life. This is the essence of faith. The person of faith does not try to manage God or to shape God to his or her purposes. Like Mary, we surrender to God’s purpose for our lives and we allow God to be God of our lives. In honouring Mary as Queen, we ask her to intercede for us, to pray for us, so that we can be as open to God’s desire for our lives as she was. Our Mother Mary can help us to be as open and responsive to God’s will for our lives as she was, which is why we need to pray, ‘Mary, pray for us, sinners, now, and at the hour of our death’.🙏

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on  this special feast of the Queenship of Mary,  Our Mother Mary has shown us not only her most loving Motherhood of her Son, but even more so, through her own virtues, her commitment to God and obedience to God’s will, she has shown us that she is truly worthy of all the veneration and the honour that we have given her. In fact, it honours a man or woman to see his or her mother being honoured and respected, and the same applies to the Lord and His mother Mary as well. If we honour Mary, and also emulate her examples, we honour and respect not only her but we also honour and glorify in even greater ways, her Son, our Lord and King. We must realise that Mary as the Queen Mother of Heaven, the Queen of Angels and All the Saints, sitting close to the Throne of her Son in Heaven is truly our greatest ally in our journey towards her Son and His mercy and love. We have her in our struggle against sin and evil, as our Mother and guide, our loving mother who has always shown her tender care and compassion, and who has ever thought of us, reaching out to us patiently and calling on each and every one of us to embrace the mercy and forgiveness offered freely and generously by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, her Son. Through her, many had been saved and found their way to God and His salvation and grace.  May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to renew our commitment to the Lord through our renewed love and dedication to Him and also our honour and respect for His mother, Mary, our mother and Queen. Holy Mary, Mother of God, our Queen, the Queen of Heaven, Queen of All Saints, Queen of Angels and our role model and inspiration, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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:

Mother and Queen of Heaven, this day I run to you as a child with confidence and trust. You are the glorious Queen Mother, reigning over all of your children with love and mercy. Please pray for me, and bestow upon me all that I need. I open my heart to the grace of your Son, which you are entrusted to dispense. Make me holy and free from sin, so you can present me spotless and pure to your beloved Son, the King of the Universe. Queen of Heaven, pray for me. 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. The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary;  Saints Timothy, Hippolytus & Symphorian and  Saint John Kemble, Priest ~ 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 Love always, Philomena💖

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 20, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time!

On this feast day, as our children and children all over the world begin the new school year, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 20, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 20, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 20, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 20, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 20, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 28:1-10
Responsorial Psalm, Deuteronomy 32:26-27, 27-28, 30, 35-36
Gospel, Matthew 19:23-30

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of year). Novena to Saint Monica is eqspecially prayed for wayward children. [Novena link – https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-saint-monica/]

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT BERNARD OF  CLAIRVAUX, ABBOT AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AND SAINT BERNARD TOLOMEI, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 20TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church and Saint Bernardo Tolomei, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for those who mourn. We pray for the poor and needy and for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are 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.🙏

SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX, ABBOT AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was a theologian, poet, orator, and writer and was the second founder of the Cistercians, the Mellifluous Doctor, the apostle of the Crusades, the miracle-worker, the reconciler of kings, the leader of peoples, the counselor of popes!  St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Doctor of the Church thanks to his writings and sermons which greatly influenced Europe during the 12th century, and his numerous efforts which helped to avoid a schism in the Church in 1130. His sermons, from which there are many excerpts in the Breviary, are conspicuous for genuine emotion and spiritual unction. The celebrated  “Memorare” prayer is ascribed to him. He is one of the last Church Fathers. In August 2008, Pope Benedict spoke of the saint during his weekly general audience.  He recalled that Pope Pius VIII labeled the “Honey-Sweet Doctor” for his eloquence and that he traveled throughout Europe defending the Christian faith. Pope Benedict XVI added, “He was also remembered as a Doctor of Mariology, not because he wrote extensively on Our Lady, but because he understood her essential role in the Church, presenting her as the perfect model of the monastic life and of every other form of the Christian life.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux was the third son of seven children born to a noble, illustrious Burgundian family in Burgundy, France in 1090, near Dijon. All seven children, six sons and one daughter, were offered to the service of God by their devout mother. Before St. Bernard was born, a holy man foretold of his great sanctity. As a child Bernard was given an excellent education. He excelled at his studies, and also possessed a personal charm that attracted many people to him. He prayed about his vocation, and at the age of twenty-two left his worldly wealth to become a Cistercian monk. He entered the monastery of Citeaux (where the Cistercian Order had its beginning) and persuaded thirty other youths of noble rank to follow his example. Four of his brothers joined him at the monastery in Citeaux, along with many others belonging to the Burgundian nobility. He later founded and became abbot of the Abbey of Clairvaux (1115), which rapidly grew to over 700 monks and 160 daughter-houses. As abbot of Clairvaux, he erected numerous abbeys where his spirit flourished. To his disciple, Bernard of Pisa, who later became Pope Eugene III, he dedicated his work De Consideratione. St. Bernard’s influence upon the princes, the clergy, and the people of his age was most remarkable. The monastic rule which he perfected at Clairvaux became the model for 163 monasteries of the Cistercian reform.

St. Bernard, with his natural charisma, was also a skilled arbiter and counselor who proved to be instrumental in the support of the true pope of Rome against the schism of a rival anti-pope. Bernard’s reputation for holiness and piety was widely known. He traveled throughout Europe as a preacher and became one of the most famous and influential men of his century. He was a man of reform, and was effective in opposing the appointment of unworthy men to episcopal offices, while others reformed themselves at his censure. St. Bernard composed many theological works and wrote tenderly on devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. By penitential practices he so exhausted his body that it could hardly sustain his soul, ever eager to praise and honor God. He died on August 20, 1153 (aged 62-63) at Clairvaux Abbey, Clairvaux (modern day part of Ville-sous-la-Ferté), Champagne, Kingdom of France. St. Bernard was canonized just 21 years after his death on January 18, 1174 by Pope Alexander III. In 1830 Pope Pius VIII declared him a Doctor of the Church. He’s the Patron Saint of beekeepers; bees; candlemakers; chandlers; wax-melters; wax refiners; Gibraltar; Queens College, Cambridge. His feast day is August 20th.

PRAYER: God, You blessed Your Church with St. Bernard, a man full of zeal for Your house, radiating brightness and ardent love. Through his intercession, grant that we may be animated by the same spirit and always walk as children of light. Amen 🙏

SAINT BERNARD TOLOMEI, PRIEST: St. Bernard Tolomei (1272-1348), was an Italian Roman Catholic theologian, Mystic, Hermit, Lawyer, Soldier, Politician, government official and the founder of the Archabbey of the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin of Monte Oliveto, Maggiore, Italy (Olivetan Congregation of Benedictines). St Bernardo Tolomei was born on May 10, 1272 at Siena, Tuscany as Giovanni Tolomei. Giovannni early changed his name to Bernard from admiration for Bernard of Clairvaux. He was educated by his Dominican uncle. Educated as a nobleman of the Tolomei family and had a distinguished career as a lawyer. His father prevented St. Bernard from entering religious life. Struck blind, St. Bernard recovered his sight through the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, after which he gave up worldly life to become a hermit. At around the age of forty, he felt called to a radical living out of his Christian vocation. With some companions, he retired to a remote place to the Southeast of Siena, known as the “Desert of Accona”. The first monks lived an eremetical lifestyle in the caves of the hillside. Gradually they evolved into a more organised  community. When later a monastery was founded on the site, it was given the name of Saint Mary of Monte Oliveto (Benedictine Congregation of the Blessed Virgin of Monte Oliveto; Olivetan Congregation; Olivetans). According to the tradition, “one day, while Bernard was praying in the place where the church was later to be built, he saw a silver stairway rising eastwards, to Heaven.Jesus Christ and his Holy Mother, dressed in white, were standing at the top. A group of monks, all dressed in white, were climbing the stairs helped by angels.” (Chron. by Antonio da Barga). St. Bernard and his companions received the Benedictine habit and the Rule of the Father of western monasticism. Since the time of their founder Olivetans have been clothed in white. A special characteristic of the Olivetan reform is its emphasis upon the spirit of communion uniting all its houses, called to form unum corpus – one body. Accused of heresy, St. Bernard soon cleared his name.

When, in 1348, the plague was spreading in Siena, St. Bernard returned to the town to care for his fellow monks at the monastery of St Benedict. During the bout of the plague, St. Bernard and his monks cared for any who needed it; none of the brothers became sick. According to tradition, St. Bernard died – a victim of the plague on the 20th of August,  1348 – among his spiritual sons. (However, according to legend, St. Bernard died on August 20, 1348 in Siena, Italy of natural causes). He was subsequently venerated as a Saint. He was Beatified on November 24, 1644 by Pope Innocent X (cultus confirmed) and Canonised on April 26, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. He’s the Patron Saint of the Order he founded, the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin of Monte Oliveto, known as the Olivetans.   His Feast Day: August 19th (Benedictines); August 20th

To foster the monastic movement which spontaneously developed around the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Clement VI canonically erected the Benedictine Congregation of St. Mary of Monte Oliveto on January 21, 1344. Although it was confined to Italy, the Congregation quickly developed and flourished particularly during the 14th and 17th centuries. Suppression began in the late 18th century. However, the Congregation did not disappear. It developed again in the late 19th century (1875), in a small monastery at Settignano (Florence). At present, the Congregation has a variety of abbeys and prioral churches in Italy, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Israel, Korea, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil.

Saint Bernard Tolomei, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 19:23-30

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. This statement is following yesterday’s Gospel reading when the rich young man found it impossible to follow Jesus because of his attachment to his possessions, in spite of his great desire to inherit eternal life. The Lord’s answer after the young man told Him that he had obeyed all the laws and commandments of God, that he should sell his possessions and material wealth, and then distributing them to the poor, and follow Him wholeheartedly. The young man left Him in sorrow, and this was the impetus for what the Lord mentioned at the start of today’s Gospel of how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. This stark statement of Jesus left the disciples astonished and led them to ask the almost despairing question, ‘Who then can be saved?’ They seem to be saying, ‘it must be nearly impossible for anyone to enter the kingdom of heaven, not just that rich, good man who approached you’. Jesus cuts across their negative thinking with a very hopeful statement, ‘for men this is impossible; for God everything is possible’. Jesus is saying that arriving at our ultimate destiny is more of God’s doing than our doing; it is due more to God’s grace than to our efforts. In the language of the letter to the Ephesians, God’s ‘power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine’. It is above all when we are low in ourselves and feel the journey is too much for us that we need to remind ourselves of this great truth. Saint Paul declared in a letter from prison, ‘I can do all things in Him who gives me strength’. There are no hopeless cases from God’s perspective; God is always at work to create in us that poverty of spirit which creates the necessary opening for God to give us the riches of the Gospel. We need to keep putting our trust in the resources the Lord is always giving us and which we need so much for our spiritual growth.

In the Gospel, the Lord’s statement to the young man about selling his possessions doesn’t mean He’s asking us to sell everything that we have, or to literally abandon everything that we have in this world. Rather, what He wants us to know is that we must not allow all these worldly things and distractions to tempt us away from the path of God’s righteousness. We must not allow all these worldly glory, fame, possessions and material wealth to lead us into obsession and attachment, which led to us losing our sight and focus on what we should be doing in our lives, that is to follow the Lord and to serve Him wholeheartedly in all things. They are means for us to put them into good use so that we may use them for the benefit of everyone around us, to help the less fortunate and all those who are not as blessed as we all are. The more we have been blessed, the more generous we should be in sharing and giving our many gifts and blessings to one another.

In our first reading from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord spoke of His judgments against the great city of Tyre, which by the time of Ezekiel had been the great mother-city of the Phoenician and their vast colonial territories. The city of Tyre was located just off the mainland of what is Lebanon today, and is a great island city and fortress which was very rich and powerful, with its many trade connections and riches just as detailed in our first reading today. Its many connections to the various Phoenician colonies and cities, as well as other important trading cities and realms further strengthened its position and power as a great and rich city, powerful and mighty in all of its dealings and actions. However, all those things tend to lead its people and leaders astray, filling them up with pride, ambition, ego and hubris by their greatness, power and glory, all the things that can lead anyone into their downfall. No matter how great or powerful anyone or anything in this world is, in the end, none of this power and glory will last forever. For Tyre itself, the Lord prophesied its downfall and destruction, through Ezekiel, which would indeed happen about two centuries or so after the Lord Himself spoke it. During the reign of Alexander the Great, Great King of Macedon and his conquest of the Persian Empire, the city of Tyre refused to surrender, thinking that it was impregnable and secure behind its walls and navy, but eventually, Tyre was conquered and destroyed, and while it would be rebuilt, it would never be as glorious as it once was. This proved again the fleeting nature of worldly power and glory.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, each and every one of us is reminded that we must always be humble in all things, and we must not let the temptations of our human pride, ego, ambition, greed and all the things that often afflict us, be stumbling blocks that prevent us from reaching towards the Lord and His salvation. We should always remind ourselves that all the glory and riches of this world are ultimately fleeting in nature, and there is nothing that is in this world which will truly satisfy us, no matter what. This world itself will not last forever, and therefore, as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, we should always strive to do what is right and just according to His will, and to what He has taught us to do. We should always commit ourselves to the Lord, and put Him at the centre of our lives and existence. We are reminded to emulate the great lives of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly the great life and examples showed to us by St. Bernard of Clairvaux and the other Saints who we celebrate today. Their dedication and efforts to serve the Lord should encourage us to strive to live our lives worthily at all times, putting Him as the focus and centre of all of our lives and not the many distractions and temptations of worldly matters, wealth, possessions and all the other things that often distract us from the path towards God and His salvation. Let us all reorientate our lives so that we may focus them once more towards the Lord and reject the excesses of the world around us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us always and may He empower us to be ever more faithful and committed in following Him, now and always. Amen 🙏🏾

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 true riches, You desire that each of us be filled with spiritual wealth that is infinitely greater than anything we could obtain in this world. Please free me from my attachment to material wealth so that I can live free from that burden. Help me to see the value of the treasures of Your grace and mercy and to make this true wealth the single focus of 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, and Saint Bernard Tolomei ~ 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 Love always, Philomena💖

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 19, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Monday of the TwentIth Week in Ordinary Time!

On this feast day, as our children and children all over the world begin the new school year, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 19, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 19, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 19, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 19, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 19, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, August 19, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 24:15-24
Responsorial Psalm, Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
Gospel, Matthew 19:16-22

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of year). Novena to Saint Monica is eqspecially prayed for wayward children.

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN EUDES, PRIEST AND SAINT LOUIS, BISHOP OF TOULOUSE ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 19TH:Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint John Eudes, Priest and Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and those who mourn. We pray for the poor and needy and for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are 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.🙏

SAINT JOHN EUDES, PRIEST: St. John Eudes (1601–1680) was a French missionary and the founder of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity, and was also the author of the liturgical worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. St. John was born in Ri, near Argentan, France, to a farming family, Isaac Eudes and Martha Eudes on November 14, 1601. Despite the prevailing rigors of Jansenism, his devout parents consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was a child. At the age of fourteen he took a vow of chastity, and studied under the Jesuits where he earned the reputation of being a brilliant student. He was an exemplary youth, he was extolled as one of the most brilliant students ever to attend the Jesuit College at Caen. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1625, at the age of 24, he ministered to his countrymen who were suffering from an outbreak of the plague. He later became a missionary priest, traveling throughout France and preaching strong sermons to large crowds in churches, open fields, and in the courts of the royalty and nobility. The force of his sermons was bolstered by his great sanctity; he was considered to be a prodigy and the greatest preacher of his age. He was instrumental in spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary throughout France during a time when religious fervor had grown cold. He was responsible for influencing the Church to establish these two devotions with liturgical feasts, himself composing their Mass and Office. He wrote the first book ever on the devotion to the Sacred Hearts, “Le Coeur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu”. 

St. John Eudes founded several organizations including the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, which provided a new life for repentant prostitutes, founded in 1641 and in 1643 he founded the Society of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist Fathers) for the education of priests and for missionary work, specialized in improving the training of seminarians by promoting greater virtue and dedication to the preaching of parish missions to the people, direct seminaries, and conduct retreats for the clergy. He was a great opponent of the Jansenistic heresy, and always showed an unchanging devotion to the Holy See. St. John Eudes is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness; Mary as the model of the Christian life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart led Pope Pius XI to declare his virtues were declared heroic and he was declared father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary on January 6th, 1903. The miracles proposed for his beatification were approved by Pius X, May 3, 1908, and he was beatified April 25th, 1909.  He was canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. He’s the Patron Saint of Eudists; Order of Our Lady of Charity; Diocese of Baie-Comeau; Missionaries.

QUOTES OF SAINT JOHN EUDES: ☆”A man is no true Christian if he has no devotion to the Mother of Jesus Christ.” ☆“Faith is a beam radiating from the face of God.” ☆“Our wish, our object, our chief preoccupation must be to form Jesus in ourselves, to make his spirit, his devotion, his affections, his desire, and his disposition live and reign there.”

PRAYER: God, You wonderfully chose St. John, Your Priest, to announce the unsearchable riches of Christ. Help us to grow in the knowledge of You through his example and counsels and so to live faithfully according to the light of the Gospel. Amen 🙏

SAINT LOUIS,  BISHOP OF TOULOUSE: St. Louis was born to the nobility, the son of Charles II of Anjou, king of Naple, Great-nephew of Saint Louis IX, and of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Grew up in Provence (in modern France). St. Louis showed early signs of attachment to prayer and to the corporal works of mercy. As a child he used to take food from the castle to feed the poor. When he was 14, Louis and two of his brothers were taken as hostages to the king of Aragon’s court as part of a political deal involving Louis’s father. St. Louis’s father, King Charles, then a prince, was imprisoned by the King of Aragon; as a condition of Charles’ release in 1288, Louis and two brothers were sent to Barcelona as hostages. Spent seven years as a hostage for his father at Barcelona and Tarragona in Spain. There Louis was cheerful and took part in sports with other prisoners. At the court Louis was tutored by Franciscan friars under whom he made great progress both in his studies and in the spiritual life. He was influenced by the Franciscans, and he prayed with them at night. St. Louis was given his freedom after seven years when a treaty was concluded with King James II of Aragon. It was proposed that Louis marry King James’ sister, but he refused both marriage and the crown of Naples. He received a papal dispensation to be ordained a priest and consecrated a bishop at the age of 23. St. Louis went to Rome in 1296, and five days after being professed among the Franciscans, he was consecrated Bishop of Toulouse.

At Toulouse, St. Louis was modest, wearing an old Franciscan habit, and his devotion was an inspiration to his flock. Like St. Francis he developed a special love for those afflicted with leprosy. St. Louis’s service to the Diocese of Toulouse was richly blessed. He set aside 75 percent of his income as bishop to feed the poor and maintain churches. Each day he fed 25 poor people at his table. Within a few months, however, he asked for permission to resign his office, which he had accepted out of obedience, since he felt that its duties were more than he could handle. He was a reluctant bishop of Toulouse, France for the last six months of his life. St. Louis died in 1297, not yet 24 years of age. In no time he was considered a saint. When he died at the age of 23, St. Louis was already a Franciscan, a Bishop and a Saint! St. Louis was canonized on April 7, 1317 by Pope John XXII, one of his former teachers. He’s the Patron Saint of Valencia, Spain and Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, California.

Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 19:16-22

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and you will have treasure in heaven”

“A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord was speaking to a very religious young man who approached Him and asked Him about how he could attain eternal life, and the young man also mentioned how he had been obeying and following the Law, the commandments of the Lord, in all of its many precepts and rules. The young man had kept all the commandments of the Jewish Law since his youth. Yet, his spiritual yearning was not satisfied. He almost put it up to Jesus to give him a bigger challenge. However, when Jesus did make a call on him, the young man couldn’t respond to it. When the Lord asked the young man to sell everything that he possessed, leaving behind all worldly matters and glory, the young man left in sadness. This showed how despite everything that the young man had done in obeying the Law and commandments of God, he has not yet put the Lord at the very centre and as the first priority of his life. His love and attachment for those wealth and possessions was preventing him from truly being able to commit himself thoroughly as a disciple of the Lord.

According to the Gospel, this religious young man was clearly striving for the ideal of a good life when he asked Jesus, ‘What good deed must I do to possess eternal life?’ It is clear from his exchange with Jesus that he was already living a good living. He had kept the four commandments that Jesus quoted that had to do with relating to others, including the commandment found outside the ten commandments to love one’s neighbour as oneself. Yet, there was a longing in him for more, ‘What more do I need to do?’ We all experience something of that ‘more’ deep within us. We have a longing for God that moves us to live in ways that bring us ever closer to God. Jesus responded to the young man’s longer for more by calling him to become His close disciple, following Him in the way that Peter, Andrew and others had done. That would have meant moving on from his great wealth, giving it to the poor, and this was a step too far for him. His inability to respond to the call of Jesus, to the deepest longing of his heart, left him sad. The Lord is always calling on us to take a further step that will bring us closer to His will for our lives, whether we are young or not so young. That step will be different for each one of us. We find our deepest joy in responding to the Lord’s call to grow in our relationship with Him and in the living out of that relationship. The more generously we answer the Lord’s personal call, the happier we will be. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to give us the freedom to take the path the Lord may be calling us to take in response to that longing for ‘more’ in our lives.

In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord told His prophet to speak to the community of the Israelite exiles in Babylon and elsewhere, telling them how each and every one of them should always put their faith and trust in the Lord, and sin against Him no more, for all the sins which they and their ancestors had committed would lead them all to ruin and destruction, because of the many temptations that this world has offered them, and which kept them away from the path towards God and His grace. At that time, the remnants of Israel in the kingdom of Judah where Ezekiel hailed from was in the last days of its existence, as the Babylonians were about to conquer them and eradicate them from existence, destroying their city of Jerusalem and its Temple. We are reminded that if we choose to walk the path of sin and evil, through our disobedience against God and by embracing the temptations of worldly desires and greed, we are likely to end up in ultimate defeat, regret and destruction, just as the Israelites themselves had suffered, and just as how the Lord showed it through the examples of the misfortunes faced by His prophet Ezekiel. We must not allow the temptations and wickedness of this world from swaying us down the wrong path, and as Christians, we should remind ourselves that we have to follow what the Lord Himself has revealed and taught to us, His Law and commandments, through His Church, and because we are His people, it is important that we should live in accordance to God’s ways, at all times.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, all of us are reminded that in following God, we have to be truly sincere in doing so, and that we may have to encounter a lot of challenges, hardships and difficulties amidst our journey towards the Lord, and we may have to make sacrifices and persevere through whatever it is that we may have to endure in our journey towards God’s grace and salvation. The Lord has always been kind towards us and He has always shown His great patience, in continuing to love us all despite the stubborn attitudes that we had shown Him all these while. God has loved us from the beginning, and He has always helped us throughout the way, showing us the means through which we may find the surest path to His salvation, by entrusting to us His Law and commandments. Let us all therefore reflect upon the lives of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly the life and missions of St. John Eudes, the holy man of God and the other Saints who we celebrate today. Let us all do our own part in living our lives worthily of the Lord, by doing whatever we can in each and every moments of our lives to carry out what God had told us to do, and to follow Him wholeheartedly in all things just as we have heard from our Scripture readings today. We should always put the Lord at the centre and at the very heart of our every actions and works, in every moments of our lives and in our every interactions with one another. It is by doing all these that we are truly able to live a worthy, Christ-like life, and we can do what God has called us to do. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and let our lives be truly filled with God’s grace and love in all things, and may we all be the worthy bearers of His light and truth, and may we inspire many others to walk in the same path that we have walked ourselves in our journey towards God. Amen 🙏🏾

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 loving Lord, You invited the rich young man to strive for perfection. You also invite me and all Your children to this holy and high calling. Give me the grace I need to detach from all that hinders this goal so that I can make You and Your holy will the central and only goal of 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint John Eudes, Priest and Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse ~ 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 Love always, Philomena💖

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 18, 2024

Greetings, beloved family, and Happy Sunday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time.

On this Sunday, as our children and children all over the world begin the new school year, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe and well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 18, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 18, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 18, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 18, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 18, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | August 18, 2024
Reading 1, Proverbs 9:1-6
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:2-3, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Reading 2, Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel, John 6:51-58

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Today begins the Novena to Saint Monica (especially prayed for wayward children). Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 orr any time of year)

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worrie, and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081824.cfm

Gospel Reading ~ John 6:51–58

“My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink”

“Jesus said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drink, my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Today’s Gospel reading is the continuation of the discourse of the Bread of Life, of the Lord our God, our Saviour, Who has given Himself in His own Most Precious Body and Most Precious Blood to us to share and partake so that all of us who have eaten of His Body and drank of His Blood, we may receive new life and grace from Him, and receive the assurance of eternal life from Him, that one day we shall share with God the true and full happiness, joy and glory that we shall enjoy forever  in His Presence, no longer being separated or sundered from Him anymore because of our sins and wickedness. This is a core tenet and belief that we have as Christians, that the Eucharist that we receive and partake is the Lord Himself, truly present in the bread and wine. We believe in the doctine of transubstantiation, in which the bread and wine offered during the every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, by the power and authority of God Himself, passed down to the Church and all of us God’s faithful people through His Apostles and their successors, our bishops and priests, they have converted those bread and wine into the very essence and reality of Our Lord’s own Body and Blood, an unbloody sacrifice united and is indeed the very same bloody Sacrifice that Our Lord Himself has offered from His Cross, as He laid suffering and dying, pierced and nailed to His Cross, that is His Altar, from which His Blood, the Blood of the Lamb of God, and His broken Body became the most perfect and worthy sacrifice and offering for the atonement of our innumerable sins and faults.

Jesus, the true wisdom of God, calls on His disciples, not only to come to Him, but to eat His flesh and drink His blood. This kind of language must have seemed a bit shocking at the time. We can sympathize with the Jews who asked, ‘How can this man give us His flesh to eat?’ Indeed in a following up verse, some of Jesus’ own disciples say, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Yet, in spite of the hostile reaction to His words from the Jews, and even from some of His disciples, Jesus did not try to speak in a way that was more acceptable to His hearers. The language of eating His flesh and drinking His blood was not up for negotiation. The call of Jesus to come to Him raises no hackles, but His call, ‘Eat me’, still has the power to make us sit up a bit. In calling on us to eat His flesh and drink His blood, Jesus shows us just how deeply He wants to be in communion with us. It is the Eucharist that makes possible that depth of communion between us and the Lord that He desires. The Lord wants us not merely to come to Him, but to consume Him. He wants us to take Him into ourselves, to really digest Him, in the sense of making our own His outlook on life, His values, His attitudes, His way of relating. In absorbing Him in this way He promises that we will come to share in His very life. As Jesus says in the Gospel reading, ‘Whoever eats me will draw life from me’. Jesus gives Himself to us as food and drink so that we may live with His life. Whenever we eat food, the food becomes part of us; it lives in us, but when we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, He does not become part of us in that sense. Rather we become part of Him; we live with His own life. This is a life that never ends. ‘Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life’. The Lord offers us this level of communion with Himself so that our own lives may redeem the times in which we live. The life that we receive from the Lord in the Eucharist is to flow through us and enhance and ennoble the world of which we are a part. When we say ‘Amen’ before receiving communion, we are not only saying ‘I believe this is the body of Christ’, but we are also saying ‘Amen’ to the Lord dwelling in our lives so that He may carry out His life-giving mission in the world through us. The Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. According to Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical Letter on the Eucharist, ‘The Church has received the Eucharist from Christ her Lord not as one gift – however precious – among so many others, but as the gift par excellence, for it is the gift of Himself in His sacred humanity, as well as the gift of His saving work’. We receive the Lord’s gift of Himself in this Eucharist so that His saving work can continue in our world through our lives. He comes to us as food and drink in the Eucharist so that the age in which we live might be redeemed by our presence and our lives.

Our first reading today from the Old Testament, from the Book of Proverbs, the author of this Book spoke about the Wisdom of God calling on people to come to her so as to eat the bread and drink the wine of her teaching. The Wisdom of God having established itself upon this world and then calling upon the people to come and partake in the bread and wine that has been prepared for them as food and drink so that they all might gain enlightenment and knowledge, and all these were actually precursors and premonitions of what the Lord had planned for us, in sending unto us His own beloved Son, through Whom He bestowed upon us His Wisdom, by the words of truth and the Good News He has given us and by the Holy Spirit that He has granted to all of us, so that each and every one of us who partake in His Body and Blood all have a share in His Wisdom and knowledge, and therefore come closer to the path to salvation.

In our second reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful people of God in Ephesus the Apostle St. Paul exhorted the Christians in that place to behave themselves well and to carry out their lives in accordance to their Christian faith and beliefs, and not to be easily swayed by worldliness and wickedness of the temptations and vile things around them. He reminded them not to live as how the pagans lived, and all those who lived in their worldly manners, which kept them all away from the true salvation in God. In their folly and preoccupation with worldly matters and things, they have ended up losing sight on the true treasures that they can find in God alone. We are therefore also reminded to live in the manner that is truly pleasing to God. Each and every one of us should do our part in living our lives faithfully and worthily so that in our every moments in life, in our actions, words and deeds, we will always proclaim the Lord through our exemplary and good life, showing that we are truly God’s beloved people, belonging to Him and blessed by Him. As Christians we should always be careful and vigilant with our actions, words and deeds so that they may not end up contradicting what we believe in, and which then will make us look foolish in the eyes of the world. Those who profess to believe in God and yet act in manner that is contrary to their own beliefs are essentially hypocrites and are no better than unbelievers and pagans. If we truly consider ourselves as Christians, as God’s people and as His followers, then we ought to be truly committed to Him.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday each and every one of us are reminded that we are all expected as Christians, as the holy and beloved people of God, to be full of love and trust for the Lord and to follow Him in all of our ways. The Lord has revealed His truth and His ways to us, and gave us all His own Body and Blood to partake so that we all become part of Him, united as one people of God, and the Lord Himself dwells in us. Therefore, as the Lord Himself has brought us all into this new existence through His giving of His own Body and Blood, the Eucharist, we all should be truly transformed in all things, in all our whole lives so that we may truly be worthy to be God’s holy and chosen people. We are all presented and reminded of the great things which God Himself had done for us, as our most loving Father and Creator, in reaching out to us with His ever great, persistent and enduring love, the love which has always endured despite our repeated disobedience and stubborn attitudes against Him. The Lord has made available to us His ever generous mercy and forgiveness, and He waits for us to make the decision to turn away from our wickedness and sins, and to embrace once again His grace and kindness, His providence and compassionate love. That is why we should embrace God’s Wisdom and reject the foolishness of this world, the foolishness and stubbornness of our ego and pride, which have often become obstacles in our path towards God and His salvation. Let us all hence commit ourselves anew to the Lord and do whatever we can so that our lives, our every actions, words and deeds, our every interactions with one another may always be exemplary and be filled with righteousness and grace of God. May all of us be the shining beacons of God’s light and truth, and may each and every one of us continue to inspire our fellow brothers and sisters in living our lives worthily of the Lord and in drawing more and more people ever closer to God and His grace, His salvation and light. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace as we worthily proclaim God and His love to this world, so that by our actions and lives, we may truly profess Him and proclaim Him at all times with great and ever enduring faith, now and always. Amen 🙏🏾

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT HELEN (HELENA), EMPRESS AND SAINT AGAPETUS, MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 18TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Helen (Helena), Empress and Saint Agapitus, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and those who mourn. We pray for all marriages, especially difficult marriages and also pray for all those who are divorced, we pray for peace, love, and unity in our marriage, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy in 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.🙏

SAINT HELEN (HELENA), EMPRESS: St. Helen, also known as St. Helena (d. 327 A.D.), was a woman of humble means from Asia Minor. She was born around 248 AD in Drepanum, which is located in modern day Turkey. Many know St. Helen as the highly influential mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, who made history by relaxing the rules against Christianity and paving the way for the rise of the Roman Catholic Church. What’s interesting to note is that she didn’t convert to Christianity until later in life. According to history,  St. Helen married the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus, and their son Constantine was born c. 272. Constantius divorced Helen in c. 293 to marry Emperor Maximian’s daughter for the sake of political gain. When her son Constantine became the Roman Emperor, St. Helen was given the imperial title “Augusta” and was treated like royalty. After Constantine legalized Christianity across the Roman Empire, St. Helen, a Christian convert, went to the Holy Land in search of the actual cross on which Christ was crucified, despite being in her 80s. She questioned local Christians and Jews and learned that the cross was buried under the Temple of Venus. St. Helen had the temple demolished and excavated. There she discovered the Holy Sepulcher, three crosses, the board with Pilate’s inscription, and the nails which pierced Jesus’ Sacred Body. In order to determine which cross was the Lord’s, the Bishop of Jerusalem touched them to a corpse, causing the man to come back to life. A second miraculous healing of a sick woman confirmed the discovery of the True Cross. Christians flocked to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Cross. St. Helen then visited all the holy places of Jesus’ life and built many churches over their locations, including Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane.

St. Helen wasn’t a Christian until she was roughly 65 years old. It can be a surprising fact, as St. Helen died about 15 years later and yet she is credited with the building of numerous churches and the discovery of a number of relics, such as the true cross of Jesus Christ. Her story is powerful and reminds us that no matter what age we might be, our past can never keep us away from the mercy of God. We might have made some bad mistakes in our younger years, but for God there is no time limit on his mercy. This is good news and reassures us that whether we are 9 or 99, we still have time to embrace the love of God. St. Helen is the Patron Saint of difficult marriages, divorced people, converts, against fire; against storms; against thunder; archeologists; converts; cloth dyers; empresses; diocese of Helena, Montana; nail smiths; needle makers. Her Feast Day is August 18. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, You willed to enrich Your Church through St. Helena with a treasure beyond price and so revealed to her the hiding place of Your Cross. Through her intercession, grant that the ransom paid on that life-giving wood may win the rewards of everlasting life for us. Amen 🙏

SAINT AGAPITUS, MARTYR: St. Agapitus was a martyr of Palestrina, not far from Rome. St. Agapitus was born to an imperial patrician family in Latium, Italy. At fifteen years of age, the boy proudly, publicly proclaimed his Christianity during the persecution of Aurelian. He suffered in his youth a cruel martyrdom at Præneste, now called Palestrina, twenty-four miles from Rome, under Aurelian, about the year 274. Upon orders from the Emperor Aurelian, he was mercilessly whipped with leaded scourges, then thrown into a vile basement to remain there four days without food. After further punishment under the lash, he was suspended head downwards over a smoldering fire so that he should die from the smoke; boiling water was dashed against him, and his jaws were battered. When wild beasts hesitated to harm him, he was finally beheaded. Thus ended the glorious martyrdom of the holy youth, St. Agapitus, in the year 274. Because he was a young man, and because the heroic way he met his martyrdom brought about many conversions, his was a favourite story in times past, and often grew in the telling, but we know very little about him for sure.

St. Agapitus’ name is famous in the sacramentaries of St. Gelasius, and St. Gregory the Great, and in the ancient calendars of the church of Rome. Two churches in Palestrina and others in other places are dedicated to God under his name. Agapitus is venerated as a martyr saint, who died on August 18, 274 AD, Palestrina, Italy, a date that the latest editions of the Roman Martyrology say is uncertain. His cult, which is very ancient, was particularly popular in the eternal city where Felix III (492) caused a church to be built in his honor. Ancient inscriptions show clearly the great confidence placed in the intercession of this martyr.  He’s Patron Saint Palestrina, Italy and against colic.

Saint Agapitus, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 Eucharistic Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief. I thank You for the very gift of Yourself, given to me in the reception of Holy Communion. Please continue to teach me about this Gift, dear Lord. Open my mind to understand so that I will always come forward to receive with the utmost faith, love and hope. 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Helen (Helena) and Saint Agapitus ~ 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 Love always, Philomena💖

NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 17, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

On this feast day, as our children and children all over the world begin the new school year, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 17, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 17, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 17, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 17, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 17, 2024 |

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

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

Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday August 17, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
Gospel, Matthew 19:13-15

NOVENA TO SAINT MONICA: Tomorrow begins the Novena to Saint Monica (especially prayed for wayward children). Traditionally prayed every day from August 18–26 (Or any time of year).

Memorial of Saint Monica is August 27
Memorial of Saint Augustine is August 28

Saint Monica was the mother of Saint Augustine. She is credited for being a holy and faith-filled mother whose prayers brought about the conversion of her son, Augustine. This novena can be prayed for any intention, especially for wayward children.

Dear Saint Monica, you were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Your faithfulness to prayer brought you and your son so close to God that you are now with him in eternity. By your intercession and God’s grace, your son St. Augustine became a great and venerable Saint of the Church. Please take my request to God with the same fervor and persistence with which you prayed for your own son. (Mention your intentions here)

With your needs, worries and anxieties, you threw yourself on the mercy and providence of God. Through sorrow and pain, you constantly devoted yourself to God. Pray for me that I might join you in such a deep faith in God’s goodness and mercy. Above all, dear Saint Monica, pray for me that I may, like your son, turn from my sin and become a great Saint for the glory of God.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be… Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT HYACINTH, CONFESSOR; SAINT JOAN OF THE CROSS (JEANNE DELANOUE), RELIGIOUS; SAINT LIBERATUS  AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS; SAINT NICHOLAS POLITI, RELIGIOUS; SAINT BEATRICE OF SILVA, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED MARIE ELIZABETH TURGEON, RELIGIOUS ~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 17TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Hyacinth, Confessor; Saint Joan of the Cross (Jeanne Delanoue), Religious; Saint Liberatus and his Companions, Martyrs; Saint Nicolas Politi, Religious; Saint Beatrice of Silva, Religious and Blessed Marie Elisabeth Turgeon, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all marriages, we pray for peace, love, and unity in our marriage, our families and our world. We pray for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are sick and suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy in 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.🙏

SAINT HYACINTH, CONFESSOR: St. Hyacinth, Apostle of Poland (1185-1257) was born of noble lineage and reared in a Polish castle. His parents took great care of the development of his mind and soul, entrusting his education to his uncle, a priest who became the Bishop of Krakow. He was well educated and excelled in his studies and was sent to the best universities in Europe, earning a Doctorate of Canon Law and Divinity. After earning two doctorates, he visited Rome in 1220 and met St. Dominic, who had recently received papal approval for the founding of the Order of Preachers. St. Hyacinth became one of the first Dominican friars and receiving the Dominican habit from St. Dominic himself, who sent him to preach and establish the order in Poland. He was so effective in his preaching for the salvation of souls that he also preached in many other countries including Austria, Prussia, Lithuania, Bohemia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China and Tibet. He founded many monasteries and Churches, Convents, and Catholic communities and multitudes were converted to the faith through his astounding miracles, even the extraordinary feat of raising a dead boy to life. One day, while saying Mass in Kiev, the enemy Tartars invaded and  attacked the city. After he finished the Mass, he took the ciborium containing the Holy Eucharist, but he stopped when he heard a voice from a statue of the Virgin Mary asking that he take her with him. Although the statue was much too heavy to carry, he found that it became so light that he lifted it with ease. He took the beloved statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and fled, leading the people to the deep river Dnieper. When he came to the Dnieper river with the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Mother in his arms, he, along with his companions, walked dry-shod across the river as they fled from the Tartars, infuriating the pursuing Tartars who could not follow them. It’s said that St. Hyacinth’s footprints remained on the water and could be seen for centuries afterward. Worn out by his constant labors and vast journeys, Hyacinth spent the last few months of his life in a convent he had founded at Cracow. There on the Feast of St. Dominic, 1257, he fell sick with a fever that was to terminate his earthly life. On the eve of the feast of the Assumption, he was warned of his coming death. In spite of his condition, he celebrated Mass on the feast day, as a dying man. He was anointed at the altar, and died the same day on the feast of Assumption on August 15, 1257. He was canonized in 1594 by Pope Clement VIII. St. Hyacinth is the Patron Saint of those in danger of drowning, Poland, Lithuania, UST-College of Tourism and Hospitality, Basilica of St. Hyacinth, Krakow, and Poland. His feast day is August 17th.

Saint Hyacinth,  Confessor  ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT JOAN OF THE CROSS (JEANNE DELANOUE), RELIGIOUS: St. Joan of the Cross (1666-1736), Joan Delanoue was a holy woman who gave up her business in service to the poor and needy, following an encounter with a beggar. St. Joan remained open to the message of God, seeing in the poor woman she encountered the personage of Christ, giving all she had in service, and founding the order of the Congregation of Saint Anne of Providence to continue her charitable mission. St. Joan was born at Anjou, France, in 1666, the youngest of twelve children in Saumur, France. Her parents, who identified as Catholic, were not especially devout, and the faith was presented to Joan as a part of life, rather than a mystery to behold and contemplate. The family worked long hours as shopkeepers, supporting the 14 members of the household as best they could. St Joan’s mother, however, was also generous, giving alms and food to any beggars who came to the door of the shop. As the youngest of twelve children, Joan was forced to take over her mother’s religious goods store when the latter died in 1691. For a time, St. Joan’s sole preoccupation seemed to be making money. However, when she was about thirty years old, she met Frances Souchet, a widow, and changed her whole life. In 1698, St. Joan closed her shop and volunteered to help with orphans. After six years, in 1704, St. Joan, her niece, and two companions adopted the religious life, forming a community called the Sisters of St. Anne of the Province of Saumur. After two years, Joan professed vows, and with help from St. Louis Grignion de Montfort as well as the Oratorians, she continued her work with orphans. In 1709, the Bishop of Angers gave St. Joan’s community canonical approval, and by 1721, her community had spread to other towns in France. St. Joan continued to live a life of austerity, while also suffering painful ailments. Worn out by her labours, St. Joan Delanoue died on August 17, 1736 at Fencet, France, of natural causes. At the time of her death, there were twelve communities of her Sisters spread throughout France, serving the poor and needy. The order St. Joan founded was renamed Congregation of St. Anne of Providence on December 3, 1964. St. Joan was beatified in 1947 by Pope Pius XII an canonised in October 1982 by Pope John Paul II. Today the congregation she founded numbers about 400 sisters and serves the poor in France, Madagascar and Sumatra. St. Joan became widely known for healings obtained through her intercession. St. Joan died on August 17, 1736. She was beatified in 1947 by Pope Pius XII and canonized in 1982 by Pope John Paul II.

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

SAINT LIBERATUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS: Abbot Liberatus and six monks of the Augustinian–inspired monastery of Gafsa (Saints Liberatus, Boniface, Servus, Rusticus, Rogatus, Septimus, Maximus), the youngest of whom was Maximus, were living in a monastery near Capsa. They were at that time summoned to Carthage and imprisoned under the African Vandal king Huneric who in the seventh year of his reign in Africa, published new edicts against the Catholics, and ordered that all their monasteries be demolished. St. Liberatus and his Companions were imprisoned for refusing to abandon either their Catholic faith or their monastery. They were first tempted with great promises, but as they remained constant in their confession of the Trinity and of one Baptism, they were charged with irons and thrown into a dark dungeon. The faithful by bribing the guards were able to visit the Saints, and did so day and night to be instructed by them. All mutually encouraged one another to suffer for the faith of Christ. The king, learning of this, commanded them to be more closely confined, loaded with heavier irons, and tortured with a cruelty never heard of before that time. Soon after, he condemned them to be put into an old ship and burnt with it at sea. The martyrs walked cheerfully to the shore, indifferent to the insults of the Arians as they passed by. Particular endeavors were used by the persecutors to gain the young monk Maximus; but God, who makes the tongues of children eloquent in His praises, gave him strength to withstand all their efforts. He boldly told them that they would never be able to separate him from his holy Abbot and his brethren, with whom he had borne the labors of a penitential life for the sake of everlasting glory. They were bludgeoned to death in the year 484 after an old boat on which they were to be burned alive had failed to ignite. An old vessel was filled with dry branches, and the seven martyrs were placed on board and bound tightly to the wood. Fire was put to it several times but went out immediately, and all endeavors to kindle it were vain. The tyrant, in rage and confusion, gave orders that the martyrs’ brains should be dashed out with oars, which was done, and their bodies cast into the sea, whose waves carried them all to the shore. The Catholics interred them honorably in a monastery at Bigua. Their long-standing cult was confirmed by the Church in 1671. The seven died for the sake of Christ, united in their faith and Augustinian fraternity.

Saint Liberatus and his Companions, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT NICHOLAS POLITI, RELIGIOUS: St . Nicholas Politi, (1117-1167) was born into nobility in the twelfth century in Sicily in the city of Adrano, an only child of aged parents. He received a good cultural and religious education. He was a pious child with a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and contemplation of the Passion of Christ, and was early drawn to a life consecrated to God. Wed at age 17 in an arranged marriage; the wedding was a crisis point in his discernment of a vocation, and he fled to become a lay monk with the Basilian monastery of Santa Maria Del Rogato. He retired to become a cave hermit on Mount Calanna, Arcaria, Sicily. He lived a life of severe asceticism, but returned to the monastery of Rogato every weekend to go to Confession and receive Communion. He remained a virgin in mind and body with prayer, penance and hermit life for some time on the slopes of Etna and then at the Calanna in the Nebrodi Mountains at Alcara li Fusi. Anchorite and Hesychast, he enriched his existence weekly by participating in the cenobitic life at the Byzantine monastery of the Holy Mother of God at the Rogato Monastery, confessing and feeding on the Holy Eucharist. After having given his sweet soul to Heaven, his body was found on his knees by a good man named Leone Rancuglia on August 17, inside a cavern between the slopes of Monte Calanna, near Alcara li Fusi. Two women gave testimony of him who some time before his death had met him begging for some pears that they carried along the way. Portentous prodigies accompanied his death, his discovery and the transport of his body to the land of Alcara and the decision, by divine will, to place it at the Rogato church. The categumeno (Italian-Greek abbot monk) Cusmano Theologian, who was honored to have known the great penitential fervor of the saint during his life, composed a hymn in Greek to celebrate his virtues, faith, heroism, miracles and holiness. A contemporary monk extensively narrated his life. The sanctity was also celebrated in some liturgical passages of the Italo-Greek office of the twelfth century. On the occasion of his powerful patronage, which took place on May 10, 1503 with numerous prodigies, conversions and miraculous healings, his fame spread greatly.

Saint Nicolas Politi, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT BEATRICE OF SILVA, RELIGIOUS: St. Beatrice of Silva (1424-1492), also known as Beatriz da Silva y de Menezes and as Beatriz de Menezes da Silva, was a noblewoman of Portugal, who became the foundress of the monastic Order of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady in Spain. St. Beatrice was born in Campo Mayor, Portugal, around 1424 to Portuguese nobility, daughter of Count of Viana,  Rodrigo Gómez de Silva and Isabella de Meneses, who had eleven children in all. Both were descendants of noble families, related to the royal houses of Spain and Portugal. One of their children, the fifth in the order of birth, was Blessed Amedeo de Silva, founder of the Amadeites, a reformed branch that later rejoined the Order of Friars Minor. St. Beatrice spent her childhood and adolescence in Campo Mayor, where her father had moved from Ceuta before her birth. Her mother, very fond of the Friars Minor, wanted some of them to take care of the education of her children. At the same time, they taught the boys a special devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. St. Beatrice was raised in the household of the future Queen Isabel of Portugal and spent some time in her royal court in Castile following the Queen’s marriage to John II. She soon got tired of the empty life at court and joined a Cistercian convent in Toledo.  She lived at the convent until 1484, when she answered a summons from God to found a religious order. The Congregation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was begun, and with the help of the Queen, she founded a house outside of Toledo where she lived and served as superior until her death  on September 1, 1492. Saint Beatrice was Beatified on July 28, 1926, Rome, Kingdom of Italy, by Pope Pius XI and Canonized on October 3, 1976, Vatican, by Pope Paul VI.

Saint Beatrice of Silva, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

BLESSED MARIE ELIZABETH TURGEON, RELIGIOUS: Bl. Marie Elisabeth Turgeon, was born on February 7, 1840, in Beaumont (Quebec), the fifth of a family of ten children. A gifted student, she wanted to continue her education, but the death of her father when she is only fifteen, lead her to help her mother to bring up her four younger sisters. When she was twenty years old, Elisabeth was allowed to go to the Ecole Normale in Laval to prepare to become a teacher. She obtained her diploma and in 1863 became the principal of a school near her family home. Her bad health forced her to quit at the end of the school year, in 1872. She then opened a private class in Saint Roch, but once again was unable to continue. She therefore turned to Saint Anne and promised to teach for free if Saint Anne heals her. As she fulfilled this promise, Father Langevin, who was named Bishop of Rimouski, asked her to direct the small community of teachers that was being formed in his diocese. She hesitated because of her poor health, but ended up accepting because she believed it is God’s will for her to enter religious life. With other young women she formed the first group of the Soeurs des Petites Ecoles, dedicated to the education of the poor children of the surrounding countryside. On September 12, 1879, Elisabeth and twelve other sisters took their vows. Marie-Elisabeth was made superior and committed herself to establish the community of sisters and regularized its status (civil charter, constitutions, rule). She founded the community’s first mission on January 2, 1880 and two others the following September, in outlying and poor parts of the Diocese of Rimouski. Then she opened a private school in Rimouski, where the novices had their first teaching experience. Charity was the unifying principle in Elisabeth’s life. She offered love to everyone, especially to her sisters, by being very attentive with them and always filled with goodness. Despite her poor health, she showed extraordinary strength: she worked day and night and overcame difficulties with patience and joy. She died on August 17, 1881, only 41 years old. She was beatified on April 26, 2015.

Blessed Marie Elisabeth Turgeon, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 19:13-15

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”

“Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After he placed his hands on them, he went away.”

In today’s Gospel reading, parents bring children to Jesus so that He may lay His hands on them and pray for them. Parents always want what is best for their children and, recognizing Jesus as a man of God, they wanted to open their children up to God who was at work through Jesus. It is strange that Jesus’ disciples would try to prevent this from happening, turning the children away. Clearly their attitude towards children and Jesus’ attitude towards children differed. The disciples may have felt that children were not important enough for Jesus to bother with. In the time of Jesus, children were way down the pecking order; they were without rights or status. Perhaps the disciples thought that these children were not ‘worthy’ of Jesus’ attention. If so, they had a great deal to learn about the values of the kingdom of God that Jesus came to proclaim. Jesus insisted on allowing the children come to Him. He identifies them as those to whom the kingdom of God belongs in a special way. In the upside down world of God’s kingdom present in Jesus, those who have little or no status or importance in this world have a special place in the kingdom of God. St Paul was true to the teaching and actions of Jesus when he stated in his first letter to the Corinthians, ‘God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong’. In the previous chapter of Matthew’s Gospel to today’s reading, Jesus had told His disciples that they would not enter the kingdom of God unless they become like little children. Jesus seems to be saying that when it comes to our relationship with God, those who appear to have least of what the world considers important can have most to teach us. Even though the disciples may have felt that children were not important enough for Jesus to bother with. Yet, Jesus’ words show that He wanted children to be at the centre of the life and prayer of the community of disciples, ‘Let the children alone, and do not stop them coming to me’. Not only did He want children to be at the centre of the church’s life but He also declared that adults within the community have a great deal to learn from them, ‘it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs’. Children’s instinctive openness and trusting nature models for us how we are to relate to God. It is to those with an open heart and a trusting spirit that will be able to receive the gift of the kingdom from God.

In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord’s words reminded and exhorted His people, the Israelites who were by then living in the exile in the lands far away from their homeland to turn away from their wickedness and the sins that their ancestors and predecessors had once committed so that they all could be freed from their predicament and sufferings, because all that they had experienced and endured, their sufferings and tribulations were caused from their own offences against the Lord and also their sins and mistakes against their fellow brethren. Their disobedience and wickedness brought them to their doom, all of their greed and injustice against their fellow men and women, all of which led them to fall into the trap of sin and destruction. But the Lord also reassured them all at the same time, that if they were to turn away from their sins and wickedness, then in the end, they would again receive God’s grace and love, and they would be blessed once again, and be assured of the glorious inheritance and the great and wonderful things which God would grant to them all. The Lord is ever merciful and kind to His people, to those whom He loves, like that of a father who may be strict on his children, and yet, loved them all the same. What God does not want to happen to any of us is that He does not want any one of us to fall into the path of sin and darkness because of our disobedience and inability to follow the Law and the rules which He has provided to us to help us in our journey and path in life.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all once again reminded that each and every one of us are God’s children, truly precious and beloved to Him, and at the same time, He is also a God Who is all holy and perfect, without blemish or taint of sin, and our own attitudes, actions and sinfulness in life in this world are the things which often prevented us from being able to reach out to the Lord and embrace Him fully and wholeheartedly. Yet, God is also ever forgiving and merciful towards us, and He extends towards us His mercy and forgiveness at all times, desiring us all to return back to Him, to embrace once again the fullness of His love and grace, which He has meant for us from the very beginning but which we have squandered out of our disobedience. Let us all continue to discern carefully our path and journey in life so that we do not end up falling into the trap of sin and evil, of all the worldly desires and all the temptations around us. Let our lives be truly faithful to God, exemplary in our every deeds, actions and interactions with everyone around us. Let our works, actions and commitments be truly sincere and filled with God’s grace, love and truth, so that everyone who witness us and interact with us may come to know the Lord and experience Him through what we have done and through our genuine love and desire to serve the Lord and to walk ever more courageously and faithfully in His path, in each and every moments of our lives. May the Lord, our most loving God and Father continue to care for us and to be patient with us, we all who are sinners and are His wayward children, followers and disciples, who have disappointed Him many times through our unfaithfulness and inability to resist the temptations and coercions of sin and evil around us. May He continue to guide us to the right path, and help us with the strength and courage to resist the temptations of sin and evil at every step of our journey in life, reminding us that we need to be truly faithful to Him, and to discard from our hearts and minds, all the obstacles that have prevented us to come to Him, that we may truly be pure in our faith like that of little children, and come towards our loving Father, to love Him and to be with Him forever. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to be receptive, and share what we receive from Him with each other. May God be with us always and may He bless our every good efforts and works, all of our actions and dealings, our way of life. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 tender Lord, You welcome all people to share in Your grace. You welcome every child and every child of God to share in Your loving embrace. Please extend that welcome to me and help me to accept this gift of Your infinite love. And help me to become a better instrument of Your love toward others, never interfering or preventing them from turning to You. 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Hyacinth; Saint Joan of the Cross (Jeanne Delanoue) and Saint Liberatus and his Companions; Saint Nicolas Politi; Saint Beatrice of Silva and Blessed Marie Elisabeth Turgeon ~ 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💖

NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 16, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

On this feast day, as our children and children all over the world begin the new school year, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for their safety and well-being, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. And we continue to pray for peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe andh well. Amen 🙏

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ~ James 1:5

We continue to pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | August 16, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 16, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |August 16, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 16, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | August 16, 2024 |

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

Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://youtu.be/vVc782kcDds

Today’s Bible Readings: Friday, August 16, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 16:59-63
Responsorial Psalm, Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
Gospel, Matthew 19:3-12

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT STEPHEN OF HUNGARY, KING AND SAINT ROCH (ROCCO), CONFESSOR ~ FEAST DAY ~ AUGUST 16TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Stephen of Hungary, King and Saint Roch  (Rocco), Confessor. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all those who are single and seeking for life partners, may God bless them with loving and God-fearing life partners. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are sick with heart and lung diseases, knee problems, skin diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for peace, love, justice and unity in our families and our world. We pray for all workers and those seeking for employment, for the poor and needy in 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🙏

SAINT STEPHEN OF HUNGARY, KING: St. Stephen, King of Hungary, (975-1038) was the monarch chosen by God to bring his people to embrace the Christian faith during the 11th century. St. Stephen, born Vajk, in 975 at Gran, then the capital of Hungary. The son of Geza, the fourth Duke of Hungarians, and of Sarboth, his wife, who had both been recently to converted to Christianity. Before St. Stephen’s birth, his mother, the duchess Sarboth, is said to have received a vision in which the original Saint Stephen – the Church’s first martyr – appeared telling her she would bear a son who would evangelize their land. Together with her husband, the Hungarian duke Geza, Sarboth is believed to have been converted and baptized by the bishop Saint Adalbert of Prague. The same saint baptized their son, Vajk in 985, giving him the name of Stephen. After a Christian education under the care of St. Adalbert, Bishop of Prague, and of Theodatus, a virtuous Italian Count, he succeeded his father upon the latter’s death in 997. Geza, St. Stephen’s father had desired to convert the Hungarians to the Catholic faith, a passion shared by St. Stephen once he reached adulthood and succeeded him in power. After conclusively defeating an alliance of rival pagan nobility, he used their acquired wealth to build a monastery, and invited clergy to convert the people.

St. Stephen established laws favoring Christianity over paganism, and sent an emissary to Rome with a request for the Pope to proclaim him as king. Pope Sylvester II accepted the request, sending him a crown and a gold processional cross, while also giving St. Stephen certain religious privileges. He was offered the privilege of being crowned king and the ceremony took place on December 25, 1000. His great zeal for the spread of the Catholic faith earned him the title of apostolic king and apostle of Hungary. He showed great diligence as king, while devoting the rest of his time to his religious duties – including charity toward the poor and sick, as well as the worship of God – and to his household. Gisela, St. Stephen’s wife, was the sister of the ruler later canonized as the Holy Roman Emperor Saint Henry II. Greatly devoted to the Virgin Mary, St. Stephen had several churches built in her honor both in Hungary and outside the kingdom. Her intercession is credited with preventing a war between Hungary and the Holy Roman Empire under Conrad II, and stopping an assassination plot against St. Stephen himself. The Hungarian king also established a monastery in Jerusalem, and set up institutions to aid pilgrims in other major cities. St. Stephen counted saints among his friends and correspondents, and fulfilled the Pope’s charge to use his royal authority for the good of the Church.

Suffering came to the king, St. Stephen however, when only one of his children survived to adulthood. St. Stephen’s only living son Emeric received a strong Catholic upbringing, and was expected to succeed his father. But Emeric died before Stephen, after a hunting accident in 1031. Emeric was later canonized as a saint in his own right, and Stephen eventually came to rejoice that his son had been permitted to enter God’s presence before him. The king’s final years, however, were marked by illness as well as a succession dispute among his relatives. In 1038, on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, St. Stephen delivered his final words to leaders of the Church and state, telling them to protect and spread the Catholic faith. To the Virgin Mary, the king directed one of his final prayers: “To thee, O Queen of heaven, and to thy guardianship, I commend the holy Church, all the bishops and the clergy, the whole kingdom, its rulers and inhabitants; but before all, I commend my soul to thy care.” St. Stephen died on August 15, 1038, the feast of the Assumption of our Lady, to whom he had consecrated his kingdom. He was buried alongside his son St. Emeric, and the two were canonized together in 1083 and his cult was approved in 1083 by Pope Gregory VII. He is the Patron Saint of Bricklayers; death of children; Hungary; kings; masons; stone masons; stonecutters.

PRAYER: Almighty God, Your Church flourished through the efforts of St. Stephen when he reigned on earth. Grant that she may now be defended by him dwelling gloriously in heaven. Amen 🙏

QUOTE OF SAINT STEPHEN OF HUNGARY: “Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you may never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death.”

SAINT ROCH (ROCCO), CONFESSOR: St. Roch, also known as St. Rocco (1295-1327), was a French noble, born in Montpellier, France, the pious son of the city’s governor. He was born with a red cross on his chest, a sign that the Virgin Mary answered his mother’s prayer to heal her barrenness. His parents died when he was twenty, he became orphaned, after which he gave his wealth to the poor and handed the government of the city over to his uncle. He rejected the luxe life, and as a young adult, donated his sizeable inheritance to the poor and sought a life as a pilgrim. Free from earthly cares, he set off as a pilgrim for Italy. When he came upon a town badly struck by the plague, he sojourned there to help the sick. He cured many people by making the Sign of the Cross over them. These miracles occurred at every plague-infested area that he passed through on his way to Rome. When he reached Piacenza he himself contracted the disease in his leg, which rendered him sick, feeble, and an outcast from society. St. Roch found a safe place to live in a deserted cave and awaited death in the remote forest hut. Providentially, a count’s hunting dog found and befriended him, brought him food, and licked his wounds. This local dog brought him bread on a daily basis, and this was how St. Roch survived until he recovered. A spring arose nearby, providing fresh water. The count, who followed his dog one day, discovered the saint and aided him in his recovery.

Slowly St. Roch’s health was restored, after which he returned to his native Montpellier, France. He refused to disclose his identity to the townspeople so that he could remain poor and unknown. This secrecy aroused suspicion that he might be a spy, and he was cast into prison by his own uncle, who did not recognize him. St. Roch died in prison five years later. His identity was then discovered by the red cross birthmark on his chest. At his funeral, many miracles attested to his sanctity, and a church was erected for his veneration. His body was afterward transferred to Venice, deposited with great honors in the church dedicated under his invocation. An archconfraternity of St. Roch still is active today. He is the Patron Saint of dogs, bachelors; invalids; surgeons; cholera; diseased cattle; epidemics; falsely accused people; invalids; knee problems; plague; relief from pestilence; skin diseases; skin rashes; surgeons; tile makers; Barano, Italy; Castropignano, Italy; Constantinople; Istanbul; Orsogna, Italy; Patricia, Italy. His feast day is August 16th.

PRAYER TO SAINT ROCH: O Blessed Saint Roch, Patron of the sick, have pity on those who lie upon a bed of suffering. Your power was so great when you were in this world, that by the sign of the Cross, many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in heaven, your power is not less. Offer, then, to God our sighs and tears and obtain for us that health we seek through Christ our Lord…Amen. Saint Roch, pray for us, that we may be preserved from all diseases of body and soul🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 19:3-12

“Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so”

“Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

Today’s Gospel reading from St. Matthew gives us Jesus’ teaching on marriage and celibacy. Our Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples and some of the Pharisees who were there, who asked Him about the matter of divorce, and how the Law of God as revealed through Moses, or the Mosaic laws did allow for divorce to happen under certain conditions and arrangements. Even though within the Jewish tradition the Book of Deuteronomy allowed for divorce, Jesus refers back to the original intention of the Creator as expressed in the Book of Genesis, according to which the union between man and woman in marriage was to be enduring. The Lord pointed out that this was not actually what God intended for His people to do, but merely what He allowed them to do through Moses because of their stubbornness and constant disobedience. It is at least a lesser evil compared to letting them to persist in their sinfulness and in refusing to follow other tenets and precepts of the Law of God. God wanted them all to know that His Law and commandments, the rules and regulations that He had put in place was meant to keep them away from immoral living and from all sorts of sins which could further jeopardise them and their souls. If the church is to be faithful to the teaching of Jesus it must keep promoting God’s vision for marriage as the giving of a man and a woman to each other for life. Jesus also acknowledges the value of celibacy, for those to whom it has been granted, for those who have the graced capacity for celibacy from God. Jesus declares that it is a value given with a view to a greater value, God’s kingdom. It is to be lived for the sake of that kingdom, to further the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will. Whether married or single we are all called to work together in the service of God’s purpose for our world and our lives, as revealed to us by Jesus.

The teaching of Jesus on marriage in today’s Gospel reading can seem very challenging and uncompromising today, especially in the context of the high proportion of marriages that do not last. We are all only too well aware that marriages break down. Many of us will know that from our own families. His vision of marriage can seem far removed from the reality of married life for many couples. Yet, perhaps it is precisely because so many marriages do not last today that the teaching of Jesus on marriage is all the more important. Jesus calls for a love between husband and wife that is faithful and enduring, a love that lasts in good times as well as bad, a love that is generous and ready to forgive. His vision of how a man and woman are to relate to each other in marriage is shaped by His insight into how God relates to all of us. God loves us with a faithful and enduring love. God’s love for us never changes; it lasts through good times and bad times in our lives; it is a love that is generous and ready to forgive. This is the quality of God’s love that is reflected in today’s first reading from the prophet Jeremiah. In the reading, the Lord accused His people of breaking the covenant He made with them. Yet, in spite of that infidelity, the Lord promises them, ‘I will remember the covenant that I made with you… I am going to renew my covenant with you… you will be reduced to silence when I have pardoned you for all that you have done’. Jesus calls on married couples to relate to one another in the way God relates to us. That call is addressed to all of us, whether we are married or single. We are to love one another in a way that reflects how God loves us.

In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Ezekiel we are reminded of the time when the Lord showed His people through Ezekiel how He still loved them all despite all the wicked things that they had done, despite all the evils and the betrayals which they all had done to Him, all of which had caused them to be sundered and separated from His grace and love, and brought them to their downfall. God listed down all the wickedness they had done, how they had tainted themselves with wickedness and corruptions of the world, and how they had spurned and rejected His love, His kindness and patient care. Yet, He still wished to heal them from their troubles, to bless and endow them with all the good things and blessings which He had given to them earlier on, to show just how precious and beloved they all are to Him. Joshua reminds the people of Israel of the many ways they have been blessed and graced since God first called Abraham. The land they had recently entered with its towns, vineyards and olive groves was not the result of their own efforts but was much more by way of a gift from God. We all need to be reminded of how much we have received, the extent to which we have been graced by God. The more aware we are of the giftedness of life, the more thankful we will be. Saint Paul often called upon the first Christians to be thankful. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, which is the earliest Christian document that has come to us, he says, ‘give thanks in all circumstances’. We are to live out of a sense of gratitude to God for what we have received from God. We express our gratitude to God in prayer but also in life, by our willingness to give to others out of what we have received from God, by seeking to love others in the way we have been loved by God.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of God’s great love and mercy towards us, as He constantly sought us out, reaching out to us with His great and ever enduring love although we have often disappointed Him, turning away from His Law and commandments, disobeying Him and not listening to Him and His words. God has sent His many messengers, the prophets and many other servants to remind and help them in their journey, calling upon them to embrace His love and grace once again, and while His people constantly rebelled against Him and even persecuted His prophets and messengers, He still loved them all nonetheless, and while chastising and punishing them for their sins, He still opened the path to forgiveness and reconciliation for His beloved but wayward children and people. We are called to emulate the great examples and lives of the Saints and Holy men and women, particularly St. Stephen of Hungary and all the Saints we celebrate today. Each and every one of us are reminded to be good and worthy in our own lives and actions as Christians as well. We must always strive to do our best, to be ever more faithful, committed and loving towards God in all things, to embrace God’s ever loving kindness, mercy and forgiveness so that we may walk ever more steadfastly in the path that God has shown to us, and that we may no longer be lost to Him into the darkness and corruptions of sin. n all the days of our lives. Amen. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to keep praying for the freedom of the Spirit, the freedom to respond to the Lord’s continuing call to us. May God empower all of us so that we may always be ever faithful and committed in all things and may He help us to resist the temptations and pressures of pride and ego, so that we may always grow ever more faithful to Him, and be ever closer to Him, now and always, evermore. Let us ask St. Stephen of Hungary and all the Saints to intercede for all of us, and may the Lord continue to help and strengthen us all. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST:

MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception; that is, in preparation for the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady’s purity of heart began to flower—so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – FOR POLITICAL LEADERS: We pray that political leaders be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good, especially caring for the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

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

PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

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 🙏🏾

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

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, 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. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. 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, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. 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 loving Lord, Your love is beyond all comprehension. It is a love that can only be understood by the gift of Your grace. Please do grant me the grace I need to not only understand and to receive Your love in my life but to also offer Your love to all. May my life become an ongoing instrument of the perfection of love that You lived. 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 Most Blessed Mother Mary and  Saint Stephen of Hungary and Saint Roch (Rocco) ~ 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💖