Category: REFLECTIONS

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 30, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Sunday of theThirteenth Week in Ordinary Time!

We thank God for the gift of life and for bringing us safely and successfully to the end of the month of June. May God’s grace and mercy be with us all now and always🙏

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

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 | June 30, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 30, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 30, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 30, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 30, 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, Sunday, June 30, 2024
Reading 1, Wisdom 1:13-15,2:23-24
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
Reading 2, Second Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Gospel, Mark 5:21-43

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

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

Gospel Reading ~ Mark 5:21–43

“Little girl, I say to you, arise!”

“When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.”

In today’s Gospel reading, two people were featured, a man and a woman, each of whom draw near to the Lord in their need. The man is given a name, Jairus. He was a synagogue official, someone who supervised the running of the local synagogue. He had a certain social status in the community. The woman is not given a name. She once had some financial means but she had spent all of her money on doctors in a failed attempt to be cured of her continuous haemorrhaging of blood. In that culture, her condition would have left her very socially isolated. She could not have joined the community when they gathered in the local synagogue. These two people approached Jesus in very different ways. The synagogue official approached Jesus in a very public way. Falling down at Jesus’ feet, he pleaded with him on behalf of his seriously ill daughter. It was highly unconventional for someone of his social standing to be throwing himself at the feet of someone like Jesus, regarded by most as a travelling prophet and miracle worker. Yet, distraught parents will go to any lengths on behalf of their seriously ill child. The woman’s approach to Jesus was secretive and private. She couldn’t bring herself to speak with Jesus face to face, like Jairus. Rather, she sneaked up behind Jesus not wanting him or anybody else to know she was there, and she touched his cloak. Perhaps she thought, because of her condition, ‘I am too worthless, too unclean, for Jesus to be interested in healing me’. She wanted an impersonal meeting with Jesus, hoping that would cure her. However, Jesus wanted to meet her personally, just as He had met Jairus personally. He wanted to hear her speak to Him, just as He heard Jairus speak to Him. He wanted the woman to know that He was just as interested in her condition as He was in the sickness of Jairus’ daughter. That is why Jesus, when He sensed power had gone out of Him, asked aloud, ‘Who touched me?’ As the disciples reminded Him, all sorts of people were pressing around Him, but Jesus knew that someone had touched Him in a different way, not casually, but with great trusting faith. He wanted to meet her and affirm her faith. He wanted her to know that she mattered to Him; she wasn’t a person of no worth. When she finally came out into public view, she did what Jairus had done; she threw herself at Jesus’ feet and told him the whole truth. Jesus immediately addressed her as ‘My daughter’, showing her that He loved her with the love of God the Father. He then publicly proclaimed her great faith to everyone present.

Jairus too had shown faith in approaching Jesus on behalf of his seriously ill daughter. His faith was now put to the test when, as Jesus was still speaking to the woman, word came through that his daughter had died. When Jesus said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, only have faith’, he could easily have pointed to the faith of the woman to inspire him. Jairus, who had shown faith in Jesus when his daughter was ill, now needed to keep faith in Jesus in the face of his daughter’s death. The faith of the woman had created a space for Jesus to work powerfully to bring her from a twelve year living death to new life. The faith of Jairus now created a space for Jesus to bring Jairus’ twelve year old daughter back from death to life. Just as the Lord was present to Jairus and the woman in their need, he is present to us in our need too. He doesn’t mind how we approach him. Sometimes our approach to him will be very public, like that of Jairus. At other times, our approach will be more like that of the woman; we have secret wounds and we bring them to the Lord as privately as possible. Yet, regardless of our approach, the Lord is always there to receive us; he wants to relate to us in a very personal way, as ‘my daughter’ or ‘my son’. He will always relate to us as Life-Giver, because what he wants for each of us is life to the full. Even when we are faced with the death of a loved one, Jesus assures us that He has power over death and will bring those who turn to Him through death into a new and glorious life, a sharing in his risen life. As St. Paul says in the second reading, Jesus ‘became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of His poverty’. He emptied Himself of his physical life so that we could all come to share in the richness of his risen life.

In our first reading today from the Book of Wisdom, it was highlighted that God created all things good and perfect, and what we all must realise is that because God Himself is all good and perfect, He did not create evil or sin, or any of the imperfections in this world. He created all things including all of us mankind in the state of perfection, all good and wonderful, truly worthy of God as the Master and Lord of all creation. Especially for us, we have been made and crafted in the very image and likeness of God Himself. All of us were never meant to suffer and to endure all the challenges and trials present before us and our predecessors in this world, as we were all meant to exist in the Presence of God, to enjoy fully His love and grace, experiencing fully His inheritance and everything that He has prepared for us in this world. According to our first reading from the Book of Wisdom, God also did not create death or rejoice in our destruction. Rather, our deaths came about because of our own doing, by our failures and inability to follow the Lord wholeheartedly, in our conscious choice to follow the path of rebellion and disobedience against God, which essentially us rejecting the love of God, His grace and kindness, and hence, when we reject God, the Lord and Master of life, then the life which He has granted to us will depart from us, and we will not have share in Him, and that was how death came to claim us, because when life departs us, then we suffer from death, as the prime consequence of sin, which in turn is the consequence of our disobedience against God. If we wonder why God Who made us all good and perfect had allowed us to disobey Him and to commit such evils, this was because He granted to us the gift of free will, the great gift which He has bestowed on us, because He wants us to love Him by our own free will, and that we truly choose to love Him and not by coercion or force. This is because true love is something that comes voluntarily and freely from the heart, and not something that God can force from us. Thus, He gave us the gift of free will, which is something that His Angels have also been given, as was evident from how Satan, once known as Lucifer, the most brilliant and mightiest of all the Angels that God had created, chose to embrace and give in to his pride and ego, his ambition and desire, rebelling against God and falling from grace, becoming the great enemy of all the faithful. It was him who also successfully tempted our first ancestors to sin, to disobey God just as he himself had done.

In our second reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Corinth, the Apostle exhorted all of the faithful people of God to be filled with love just as much as they had been filled with knowledge and other riches of all sorts, imitating and following the good examples of Christ Himself, the Lord and Saviour of all, Who had loved everyone, all of us so greatly, that He was willing to empty Himself of all glory, honour and riches, of all dignity so that by His loving embrace of our sufferings and by bearing upon Himself all of our sins and their consequences, He might open for us the path to salvation and eternal life, showing us all the path to return once again to the loving Presence and grace of God, to regain what we have lost. God had sent unto us all His own beloved Son, so that while our ancestors sinned by engorging upon the forbidden fruits and desiring and craving after knowledge, glory and riches of the world, thus, by His Son’s perfect obedience, and by His willingness to abandon all glory and honour, He has shown us all how we can come out from our state of deprivation and the darkness all around us in this world. Through His Son, God wants us all to find our way back to Him, and to have the chance to be reconciled with Him. He has given us many opportunities, again and again, for us to embrace Him and to accept the generous love and mercy which He has always shown us. He has reached out to us, calling out upon us to follow Him once again into the path of righteousness, abandoning our wickedness and sins.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, all of us are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s most important Creation, as the pinnacle of His works in this Universe and world, as His most beloved ones are truly precious to God, and we should truly be thankful to Him because He has always shown us His grace, kindness and love despite our many transgressions, stubborn attitudes and disobedience against Him. He has always put us first and foremost in His mind, reaching out to us to find us, to be reconciled with us and to help us all out of our predicament. He has always wanted each and every one of us to find our way back to Him, so that what was once lost from us through disobedience and sin, we may regain through our renewed obedience and faith in Him, through His love and ever generous forgiveness for our sins and transgressions. Let us all therefore return to the Lord, our loving God and Father, with renewed love and desire to serve Him and to follow Him all of our lives, rejecting from now on all the allures, temptations and false pleasures that sin and evil have tempted us with, and committing ourselves henceforth to live ever more faithfully in God’s Presence. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord continue to help, guide and strengthen us all in this journey of faith throughout our lives, and may He bless our every good works, efforts and endeavours, now and always. Amen 🙏🏾

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF THE FIRST HOLY MARTYRS OF THE HOLY ROMAN CHURCH AND BLESSED GENNARO SARNELLI, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 30TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church and Blessed Gennaro Sarnelli, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church on this feast day, we humbly pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world, we also pray for the Church and the Clergy. We continue to pray for the sick and dying, for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world.🙏

THE FIRST HOLY MARTYRS OF THE HOLY ROMAN CHURCH: Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church is celebrated in honor of the nameless followers of Christ brutally killed by the mad Emperor Nero as scapegoats for the fire in Rome. A great number of Christians perished at the hands of the Roman Emperor Nero during the terrible persecution that lasted from 64-68 A.D. This was the first of many major persecutions of the newly founded Church at Rome. The holy men and women who first died for the Gospel of Jesus Christ are also called the “Protomartyrs of Rome.” Some were burned as living torches in the Emperor’s gardens; some were crucified; others were fed to wild animals. Many died even before Sts. Peter and Paul, and therefore it is said of them that they are the “Disciples of the Apostles … whom the Holy Roman Church sent to their Lord before the Apostles’ death.” God used the sacrifice of these holy men and women, who suffered like their savior Jesus Christ, to lay the indestructible foundation of His Church. Their bold witness for the Christian faith as they endured a brutal death won many converts and caused the Church to grow and spread throughout the world.

These First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (see Romans 15:20). St. Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in A.D. 57-58. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in A.D. 49-50. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius’s death in A.D. 54. St. Paul’s letter was addressed to a church with members from Jewish and gentile backgrounds. In July of A.D. 64, more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. The pagan historian Tacitus and St. Clement of Rome tell of a night of horror (August 15, 64 A.D.) when in the imperial parks Christians were put into animal skins and hunted, were brutally attacked, and were made into living torches to light the road for Nero’s chariot. According to the historian Tacitus, a “great multitude” of Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in A.D. 68 at the age of thirty-one. From 64 to 314 “Christian” was synonymous with “execution victim.” Today, the site of Nero’s Circus, also the location of St. Peter’s martyrdom, is marked by the Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani (Square of the Roman Protomartyrs) in the Vatican next to St. Peter’s basilica. Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians.

PRAYER: God, You consecrated the copious firstfruits of the Roman Church with the blood of Martyrs. Grant that we may be strengthened in virtue by the agony of such a struggle and always rejoice in their victory… Amen🙏

BLESSED GENNARO SARNELLI, PRIEST: Bl. Gennaro Sarnelli (1702 – 1744) was the son of the Baron of Ciorani, was born in Naples on September 12, 1702. At the age of 14 following the beatification of Francis Regis, he decided to become a Jesuit. Having been dissuaded by his father because of his youth he began the study of jurisprudence and took his Doctorate in ecclesiastical and civil law in 1722 at the age of 20. He distinguished himself at the Bar and was enrolled in the Congregation of the Knights of the Legal and Medical Professions directed by the Pious Workers at St. Nicholas of Toledo. Among the rules of this Association, there was the obligation of visiting the sick in the Hospital of the Incurables. It was here he heard the call of the Lord to become a priest. In September 1728 he became a seminarist and was incardinated by Cardinal Pignatelli as a cleric in the parish of St. Anne di Palazzo. On June 4, 1729, in order to study in more peaceful conditions, he became a boarder in the College of the Holy Family known as the Chinese College, founded by Matthew Ripa. On April 8 of the following year, he left the Chinese College and on June 5 began his novitiate in the Congregation of the Apostolic Missions. On May 28, 1731, he concluded his novitiate and on July 8 of the following year, he was raised to the Priesthood. During these years in addition to his visits to the hospital, he devoted himself to helping young children forced to work and teaching them the catechism. He also visited the old people in the Hospice of St. Gennaro and those condemned to the galleys who were ill in the hospital at the docks. These were also the years when he developed a friendship with St. Alphonsus de Liguori and his apostolate. Together they devoted themselves to teaching the catechism to laypeople by organizing the Evening Chapels.

Following his ordination, he was assigned by Cardinal Pignatelli as Director of Religious Instruction in the parish of Sts. Francis and Matthew in the Spanish quarter. Having become aware of the rampant corruption of young girls he decided to direct all his energy against prostitution. In the same period (1733) he tenaciously defended St. Alphonsus against unjust criticism after he had founded the missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in Scala (SA) on November 9, 1732. In June of the same year having gone to Scala to help his friend during the mission at Ravello, he decided to become a Redemptorist while at the same time continuing to be a member of the Apostolic Missions. From his entrance into the Congregation in April 1736, he committed himself unsparingly to parish missions and to writing in defense of “young girls in danger”. He also wrote on the spiritual life and worked so hard that he was almost at death’s door. With the consent of St. Alphonsus, he returned to Naples for treatment and there renewed his apostolate for the rescue of prostitutes. As well as taking part in the Redemptorist apostolate and that of the Apostolic Missions he promoted meditation in common among the laity by publishing “Il mondo santificato”. He also campaigned against blasphemy in another book. In 1741 he planned and took part with St. Alphonsus in the great missions preached in the hamlets outside Naples in preparation for the canonical visitation of Cardinal Spinelli. Despite the permanently insecure state of his health he continued to preach until the end of April 1744 when by now extremely ill he returned to Naples where he died on June 30 at the age of 42. His body lies at rest in Ciorani, the first Redemptorist Church. Bl. Gennaro Maria Sarnelli has left us 30 works which treat of meditation, mystical theology, spiritual direction, law, pedagogy, moral and pastoral themes. By his social action in favour of women, he is considered one of the authors who treated this subject most fully in Europe of the first half of the eighteenth century. Holy Father Pope John Paul II beatified him on May 12, 1996, in St. Peter’s Square.

PRAYER IN HONOR OF BLESSED GENNARO SARNELLI: Holy Redeemer, we place ourselves in your presence confident that you are a loving and merciful God. You walk with us by day and by night as we strive to proclaim your gospel with compassion to people who are poor and abandoned. As we reach out to those most in need, we look to Blessed Gennaro Sarnelli as a model and help. His ardent desire was to bring people on the fringes of society and Church to a deeper knowledge and love of you. We pray that his zeal will inspire and motivate us to share your redemption with those who are marginalized. We especially remember people who make decisions that lead to destructive and addictive behaviours. May our choices be those of Blessed Sarnelli, who continually lived the gospel in spite of adversity and opposition.  We ask his help, that our commitment may not shrink for lack of support or favour, for as we become one with those who are outcast, we become one with you. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 compassionate Lord, You responded to the faith of this loving father, Jairus, with mercy and compassion. You encouraged Him to trust and were attentive to every detail. Please give me a similar faith so that I will never despair in life but always keep my hope in You. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, The First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church and Blessed Gennaro Sarnelli, Priest ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this special  feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we continue to pray 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, and grace-filled Sunday and week🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 29, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Saturday, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul!

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

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 | June 29, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 29, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 29, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 29, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 29, 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, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, Saturday, June 29, 2024
Reading 1, Acts 12:1-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Reading 2, Second Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Gospel, Matthew 16:13-19

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of  Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. Two of the great pillars of the church. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saints Peter and Paul on this feast day, we humbly pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and all the ministers, the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, all religious and we continue to pray for the Church, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏

SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES: St. Peter and St. Paul (1st c.) were the foremost Apostles of Jesus Christ; St. Peter was the leader of the Twelve, while St. Paul followed Christ after His ascension into heaven. Veneration of the two great Apostles, Peter and Paul, has its roots in the very foundations of the Church. Together the two saints are the founders of the Church in Rome through their apostolic preaching, ministry, and martyrdom in that city. They are the solid rock on which the foundation of the Catholic Church is built, the origin of her faith and they will forever remain her protectors and guides. To them Rome owes her true greatness, for it was under God’s providential guidance that they were led to make the capital of the Empire, sanctified by their martyrdom, the center of the Christian world whence should radiate the preaching of the Gospel.

Saints Peter and Paul came from very different backgrounds. St. Peter was a fisherman from rural Galilee. St. Paul was a learned Pharisee from the university city of Tarsus. St. Peter’s first language was Aramaic; St. Paul’s first language was Greek. St. Peter knew Jesus from the time of Jesus’ baptism and was with Jesus until the time of Jesus’ passion and death; St. Paul only ever met the risen Lord, in the vicinity of Damascus. St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in A.D. 66 or 67. He was crucified upside down and buried on the hill of the Vatican where recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of the Basilica of St. Peter’s. St. Paul was beheaded in the Via Ostia on the spot where now stands the basilica bearing his name. Down the centuries Christian people in their thousands have gone on pilgrimage to the tombs of these Apostles. In the second and third centuries the Roman Church already stood pre-eminent by reason of her apostolicity, the infallible truth of her teaching and her two great figures, Sts. Peter and Paul.

SAINT PETER: St. Peter was a fisherman of Galilee, named Simon, and the son of John. His brother Andrew introduced him to Christ about Whom they had heard from John the Baptist, and he became His disciple, ultimately giving up his family and possessions to follow Him. Christ changed his name to Peter (Cephas – Petrus in Latin), which means ‘Rock’ and made him the Rock on which His Church was to be built. After His Resurrection, Jesus conferred the primacy on Peter, who became the Vicar of Christ and the head of the Apostles, the first Pope. The gospels speak about Peter more than any other Apostle. He was honored on many occasions; several miracles were performed for his benefit; Christ stayed at his home, preaching from his boat, sent him the first message of the resurrection, and appeared to him personally. Often Peter acted as spokesman for the other Apostles. Finally, mention is made of his defect: his anger, imperfect faith, impetuosity, and denial of Christ. After the Ascension Peter began his work as head of the Church. He directed the election of Matthias, delivered the first public Apostolic sermon, cured a man lame from birth, and received a Divine commission to receive Gentiles into the Church. After the execution of James by Herod Agrippa, Peter was miraculously rescued from prison. He presided at the Apostolic council of Jerusalem in the year 50, when it was officially declared that the Gentile converts to the faith were not subject to the Jewish law of circumcision. Afterward, he went to Antioch, where it was decided that converted Jews were not bound to observe the Mosaic Law.

St. Peter dwelt in Rome intermittently for 25 years as founder and first Bishop of the Church there. Finally, in one of the last years of Nero’s reign, 64, he was crucified with his head down-ward, at his own request, not deeming himself worthy to die as did his Divine Master, our Lord Jesus Christ. He was buried on Vatican hill. Two Epistles of the New Testament are attributed to him, and the Gospel of St. Mark, who was his disciple, has been called “The Gospel of Peter”. St. Peter is the Patron Saint of Fishermen; Watchmakers; against frenzy; bakers; bridge builders; butchers; clock makers; cobblers; Exeter College Oxford; feet problems; fever; fishermen; harvesters; locksmiths; longevity; masons; net makers; papacy; Popes; ship builders; shipwrights; shoemakers; stone masons; Universal Church; watch makers; Poznan, Poland; Rome; Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi; Diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; Diocese of Marquette, Michigan; Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island; Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

SAINT PAUL: St. Paul, the indefatigable Apostle of the Gentiles, known as Saul (his Roman name) before his conversion, was born at Tarsus in the Roman province of Silicia about two or three years after the advent of the Redeemer. He was the son of Jewish parents who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, was reared according to the strict religious-nationalistic party of the Pharisees, and enjoyed the high distinction of Roman citizenship. As a youth he went to Jerusalem to become immersed in the Law and had as a teacher the celebrated Gamaliel. He acquired skill as a tent-maker, a work he continued even as an apostle. At the time of Jesus’ ministry he no longer was at Jerusalem; neither did he see the Lord during His earthly-life. Upon returning to the Holy City, Paul discovered a flourishing Christian community and at once became its bitter opponent. When Stephen impugned Law and temple, Paul was one of the first at his stoning; thereafter his fiery personality would lead the persecution. Breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of Jesus, he was hurrying to Damascus when the grace of God effected his conversion from Judaism on the road to Damascus (about the year 34 A.D.).  St. Paul remained some days in Damascus after his Baptism, and then went to Arabia, possibly for a year or two, to prepare himself for his future missionary activity. Having returned to Damascus, he stayed there for a time, preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. For this he incurred the hatred of the Jews and had to flee from the city. He then went to Jerusalem to see Peter and pay his homage to the head of the Church. Later Paul went back to his native Tarsus and began to evangelize his own province until called by Barnabas to Antioch. After one year, on the occasion of famine, both Barnabas and Paul were sent with alms to the poor Christian community at Jerusalem. Having fulfilled their mission, they returned to Antioch. Soon after this Sts. Paul and Barnabas made the first missionary journey (44/45-49/50), visiting the island of Cyprus, then Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Lycaonia, all in Asia Minor, and establishing Churches at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

After the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem St. Paul, accompanied by Silas and later also Timothy and like, made his second missionary journey (50-52/53), first revisiting the Churches previously established by him in Asia Minor and then passing through Galatia. At Troas a vision of a Macedonian was had by Paul, which impressed him as a call from God to evangelize Macedonia. He accordingly sailed for Europe, and preached the Gospel in Philippi, Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens, and Corinth. Then he returned to Antioch by way of Ephesus and Jerusalem. On his missionary journey (53/54-58) St.  Paul visited nearly the same regions as on the second, but made Ephesus, where he remained nearly three years, the center of his missionary activity. He laid plans also for another missionary journey, intending to leave Jerusalem for Rome and Spain. But persecutions by the Jews hindered him from accomplishing his purpose. After two years of imprisonment at Caesarea he finally reached Rome, where he was kept another two years in chains.The Acts of the Apostles gives us no further information on the life of this Apostle. We gather, however, from the Pastoral Epistles and from tradition that at the end of the two years St. Paul was traveled to Spain, later to the East again, and then back to Rome, where he was imprisoned a second time, and in the year 67 was beheaded. St. Paul’s untiring interest in and paternal affection for the Churches established by him have given us fourteen canonical Epistles. It is, however, quite certain that he wrote other Letters that are no longer extant. In his Epistles, St. Paul shows himself to be a profound religious thinker, and he has had an enduring formative influence in the development of Christianity. The centuries only make more apparent his greatness of mind and spirit. St. Paul is the Patron Saint against snakes; authors; Cursillo movement; evangelists; hailstorms; hospital public relations; journalists; lay people; missionary bishops; musicians; poisonous snakes; public relations personnel; public relations work; publishers; reporters; rope braiders; rope makers; saddlemakers; saddlers; snake bites; tent makers; writers; Malta; Rome; Poznan, Poland; newspaper editorial staff, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Diocese of Covington, Kentucky; Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama; Diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island; Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts.

“A partial indulgence may be gained today by anyone who makes devout use of a religious article blessed by any priest but “if the article of devotion has been blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff or by any Bishop, the faithful, using it, can also gain a plenary indulgence, provided they also make a profession of faith (e.g. the Apostles Creed), as long as the usual conditions are satisfied.”

PRAYER: God, You give us a holy joy as we celebrate the solemnity of the Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul. Grant that Your Church may follow their teaching and example in all things, for it is through them that Christianity began its development. Amen 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 16:13–19

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven”

“When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

In today’s Gospel reading, it was to St. Peter that Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven, a symbol of St. Peter’s authoritative role in the early church. Sts. Peter and Paul, whose feast we celebrate today were key members of the early church. St. Peter was the leader of the twelve. St. Paul never met Jesus before Jesus’ death. Whereas Jesus called St. Peter by the Sea of Galilee, it was the risen Lord who called St. Paul on his way into the city of Damascus. Whereas Jesus called St. Peter to be the authoritative rock on which He would build His church, the focal point of the church’s unity, the risen Lord called St. Paul to be the apostle to the pagans. Each of these great disciples had very different experiences of Jesus and each received a very different mission from Jesus. Yet, it is clear from today’s first and second reading that both Sts. Peter and Paul had one thing in common. They both suffered in the exercise of their mission. The first reading tells us that King Herod Agrippa imprisoned St. Peter and in the second reading St. Paul writes from prison to Timothy in the awareness that his life is coming to an end. Indeed, both men were executed because of their preaching of the Gospel. The two basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Rome today stand over their tombs and are places of pilgrimage. The particular way the Lord calls us to follow Him will be unique to each one of us. Yet, what we can all have in common is a dedication to the Lord’s way, even though it may mean the way of the cross. When Sts. Peter and Paul took this way, they both discovered the Lord was supporting and sustaining them. St. Peter says in the first reading, ‘The Lord has saved me from Herod’, and St. Paul declares in the second reading, ‘The Lord stood by me and gave me power’. When we try to be faithful to the Lord’s way, we will make the same discovery of the Lord’s sustaining presence in our lives.The Lord comes to us in our times of weakness and stands by us in our moments of isolation. No matter what distressing situation we may find ourselves in, the Lord is with us to strengthen and sustain us. Even when we are cut off from those who matter most to us, we are never cut off from the Lord, because He is always true to His name of Emmanuel, ‘God with us’. That is why, in the words of today’s psalm, every moment of every day, we can ‘look towards Him and be radiant’.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today on this great feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, we are reminded that God did not choose the perfect to be His disciples or to do His will. We are all flawed after all, sinners and unworthy of God’s great goodness and perfection. Yet, God called and empowered those whom He had called and chosen to be His followers and disciples. He gave them Wisdom, guidance and strength, through the Holy Spirit Whom He had bestowed upon them. He led them down the path that He has pointed out to them, and provided them help and assistance along the way. In that way, St. Peter and St. Paul did many wonderful deeds for the greater glory of God, in caring for the needs of the flock, in their establishment of a stable and growing, vibrant Church which they patiently guided and nurtured. Let us then ask ourselves, have we responded to God’s call and commit ourselves to the missions which He has entrusted to each and every one of us? Or are we still ignorant and reluctant to follow the Lord or to entrust ourselves to Him? The choice is ours, unless we commit ourselves more fully to the Lord, then we are not yet doing what we should as Christians in our daily living. Let us all hence seek the Lord with renewed faith and commit ourselves in the spirit of St. Peter and St. Paul, inspired by the examples and the lives that they had led. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful and continue to open ourselves to the workings of that grace, as Peter and Paul did. And may God be with us always and empower us all to follow in the footsteps of the faithful Apostles, at all times and in all opportunities we have in life. May God bless us all, now and forevermore. Amen.🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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:

Saint Peter, you were uniquely chosen to be a rock foundation of faith upon which the Church was established. Saint Paul, you went forth to preach this faith far and wide, establishing many new communities of faith. Please use me, dear Lord, to continue the mission of Your Church so that the faith may be firmly planted in the minds and hearts of all Your people throughout the world. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this special  feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we continue to pray 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, and relaxing weekend🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 28, 2024

Greetings beloved family and Happy Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time!

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

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 | June 28, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 28, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 28 , 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 28, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 28, 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: Friday, June 28, 2024
Reading 1, Second Kings 25:1-12
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Gospel, Matthew 8:1-4

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 28TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Doctor of the Church, Bishop and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Irenaeus and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world, especially those suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏

SAINT IRENAEUS OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. Irenaeus (130 – c. 202 AD),  recently declared Doctor of the Universal Church (Doctor Unitatis or the Doctor of Unity) in 2022 by Pope Francis. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons was a second-century bishop and writer in present-day France. He was one of the Church’s first great theologians and apologists, writing his famous and important work ‘Against Heresies’ to combat the heresy of Gnosticism which greatly threatened the early Church. He is also an early witness of the primacy of Peter over the other Apostles, and thus the authority of the Roman See over the whole Church. St. Irenaeus is one of the most important early Church Fathers. He is best known for defending Christian orthodoxy, especially the reality of Christ’s human incarnation, against the set of heresies known as Gnosticism.

St. Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor around the year 130 A.D. He was well educated in Sacred Scripture, theology, philosophy, and literature. He became an astute disciple of St. Polycarp, who himself was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, one of the Twelve Apostles who belonged to Jesus’ inner circle. St. Irenaeus is therefore an early witness of the authentic teaching of the Apostles preserved and handed down in both the written and oral tradition. St. Irenaeus eventually was ordained a priest, and served in the Church of Lyons (in the region of Gaul) during a difficult period in the late 170s. During this time of state persecution in 177 and doctrinal controversy, St. Irenaeus was sent to Rome to provide Pope St. Eleutherius with a letter about the heretical movement known as Montanism. After returning to Lyons, St. Irenaeus became the city’s second bishop, following the martyrdom of his predecessor Saint Pothinus, the first bishop of the city and the first martyr of Lyons. St. Irenaeus succeeded him as bishop and twenty-five years later was martyred in his turn during a fresh persecution. At a time when Gnostic sects threatened to undermine Christianity by a perversion of Christian thought, St. Irenaeus vigorously denounced all heresies and safeguarded unity of belief by laying down the principles of the doctrinal tradition of the Church.

In the course of his work as a pastor and evangelist, the second Bishop of Lyon came up against various heretical doctrines and movements, many of which sounded a common note in their insistence that the material world was evil and not part of God’s original plan. The proponents of these ideas often claimed to be more deeply “enlightened” or “spiritual” than ordinary Christians, on account of their supposed secret knowledge (or “gnosis”). St. Irenaeus recognized this movement, in all its forms, as a direct attack on the Catholic faith. The Gnostics’ disdain for the physical world was irreconcilable with the Biblical doctrine of creation, which stated that God had made all things according to his good purpose. Gnostics, by contrast, saw the material world as the work of an evil power, crediting God only with the creation of a higher and purely spiritual realm. In keeping with its false view of creation, Gnosticism also distorted the concept of redemption. The Church knew Christ as the savior of the world: redeeming believers’ bodies and souls, and investing creation with a sacramental holiness. Gnostics, meanwhile, saw Jesus merely as saving souls from the physical world in which they were trapped. Gnostic “redemption” was not liberation from sin, but a supposed promise of release from the material world. St. Irenaeus refuted the Gnostic errors in his lengthy book “Against Heresies,” which is still studied today for its historical value and theological insights. A shorter work, the “Proof of the Apostolic Preaching,” contains Irenaeus’ presentation of the Gospel message, with a focus on Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Several of his other works are now lost, though a collection of fragments from them has been compiled and translated. Accordingly, he is regarded as a link between the East and West. He died a martyr in 202 during the persecution of Septimus Severus. In his most famous work, Against Heresies, St. Irenaeus strongly defended Christian truths and orthodox teachings against the numerous fallacies and falsehoods promoted by the supporters of those wicked teachings, and he also persevered and laboured hard against those among the authorities and the people who supported the heretical paths. St. Irenaeus committed himself thoroughly to serve the Lord and to glorify Him by his works and deeds, becoming a great champion of the Christian faithful, and whose dedication earned him the title of Doctor Unitatis or the Doctor of Unity, declared by Pope Francis, our current Pope as the newest Doctor of the Church very recently. He’s the Patron Saint of Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama.

PRAYER: God, You enabled St. Irenaeus, Your Bishop, to strengthen the truth of faith and the peace of the Church. Through his intercession may we be renewed in faith and love and always strive to foster unity and concord. Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 8:1-4

“If you wish, you can make me clean”

“When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

In today’s Gospel reading, a leper approached Jesus for healing. What he did was something very daring. According to the Jewish Law because of his leprosy, he should have kept himself apart from everyone. The term ‘leprosy’ was used to describe a variety of contagious skin diseases. Those who suffered from this disease were not only physically afflicted. They were also religiously afflicted, many believing that their disease was a punishment for sin. They were socially afflicted, in that they lived alone with only other lepers for coming. The leper shows great courage in breaking through all these barriers and approaching Jesus directly. He shows his faith in Jesus by saying, ‘if you choose, you can make me clean’. In response, Jesus also breaks through the barriers that separated this man from Himself, from God, from the community, and touches him, and in touching him, heals him. Despite the social barrier erected between himself and everyone else, yet, in his desperation and in his faith in Jesus he broke through this barrier. Jesus, in turn, by stretching out his hand and touching the leper, did something very daring. It was against the Jewish Law to approach a leper, never mind to touch one. Yet, Jesus was prepared to break through barriers of any kind to make contact with people in their brokenness and in their need. Jesus’ gesture in touching the leper and declaring him cured shows us His entire ministry in miniature: God’s outreach through Him in compassion and healing to afflicted humanity. The meeting that took place between Jesus and the leper, according to the religious law at the time, should not have happened. It happened because the leper was desperate to meet Jesus and Jesus was even more desperate to meet him. The Lord is desperate to meet all of us and to touch our lives with his compassionate and healing presence. What we need in response is something of the strong desire, the desperation, of the leper, who is prepared to stop at nothing to connect with Jesus. As the leper came up to Jesus and bowed down before Him, we do the same whenever we pray. Our seeking the Lord in prayer opens us up to experience the Lord’s even stronger seeking of us. Both Jesus and the leper have something to teach us. The leper teaches us never to be afraid to reach out to the Lord in our need, no matter how separated from Him we may feel. Jesus shows us that there is no condition in our lives, in our world, that He cannot touch with His loving presence. There is no situation, no matter how awful and desperate, that He cannot enter into and transform.

Our first reading today from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah details the moments of the final defeat, downfall and destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem of the ancient Israelites that came to fruition after the people of God had disobeyed Him, disregarded and refused to obey His Law and commandments for a long time, after many of the kings of Israel and Judah had led the people down a path of rebellion and sin, by following and worshipping pagan idols and foreign false gods instead of worshipping and obeying the Lord, their one and only True God, the One Who had liberated all of them from the hands of the Egyptians and their Pharaoh, and led them to the Promised Land where they had been dwelling in all those times. Their disobedience and sins culminated in this tragic destruction of the lands of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the many other cities and towns of the land, echoing what had happened about a century and a half earlier on, when the northern kingdom of Israel, the northern half of the kingdom of God’s people, the Israelites, was conquered and destroyed by the forces of the Assyrians, who also destroyed Samaria, the capital of Israel and the many cities belonging to the Israelites, carrying many of its people into exile. Thus, this same fate eventually befell those in the southern kingdom of Judah as well, with this time the Babylonians who came to crush the kingdom of Judah and its capital Jerusalem, also carrying many of its people to exile in distant lands. All these as mentioned, happened because of the disobedience and sins which were committed by the people of God, in their refusal to follow the path and the Law which the Lord had provided to them, refusing to listen and to heed the words and reminders, the guidance and the help from the many prophets and messengers that God had sent to them to help them in their path. They also chose to trust in man’s power, in worldly powers and means instead of trusting in the Lord, their God. The prophet Jeremiah had warned the king and the people of Judah of the impending destruction, and not to rebel against the King of Babylon, or else Judah and Jerusalem would be destroyed. Yet, the false prophets and the nobles all encouraged and forced the king to side with the Egyptians to free themselves from the dominion of the Babylonian kingdom, and this led to the rebellion according to our first reading today, and its aftermath, after the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar brought his mighty force to besiege and destroy Jerusalem, and how the city was taken, the Temple and its hallowed halls were destroyed, the Ark of the Covenant disappeared, and the last King of Judah and his sons were captured, the former blinded while the latter were killed. All these things happened because of the lack of faith by those Israelites in God and His Divine providence and protection, choosing instead to trust in the worldly powers and false idols.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that if we put our trust in the Lord and follow Him, we shall gain assurance, providence and grace, and we shall be triumphant with Him in the end. Meanwhile, if we place our trust in worldly things and means, then we are likely to face disappointments and defeats handed down to us, as nothing in this world can give us the same assurance and providence as the Lord alone can give us. The examples shown in our Scripture readings today should serve as good examples for us of what will happen to us should we decide to follow the Lord and trust in Him versus putting our trust in the world and all the things it can provide us with, and the choice is ours to make on which path we want to choose in our own respective lives. Through the inspirational examples and commitment of the Saints and Holy men and women, in St. Irenaeus who lived a holy and worthy life in God, and devoted himself to oppose all the false teachings and heresies that threatened the unity of the Church and the salvation of souls. Therefore, all of us should be reminded that we too should also do the same in our own respective lives, in living a truly holy and worthy life centred on God, putting our faith and trust in Him, and helping to lead others around us by example so that more and more may come to know and recognise God and His truth, His love and salvation through us and our lives. Let us all continue to seek God’s grace, mercy and love, asking Him to strengthen us all in our every good efforts, endeavours and works for His greater glory. May the Lord continue to inspire and strengthen us each day and at every moments of our lives, to be faithful to Him at all times, much as how His great servant, St. Irenaeus, holy bishop and martyr, great Doctor of the Church, had lived his life and inspired so many people after his lifetime. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may He be with us all His beloved people and flock, with His Church, now and always. Amen 🙏🏾

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 holy Lord, You are worthy of all adoration, glory and homage. You and You alone deserve our worship. Help me to continually discover Your hidden presence in the lives of those around me. Help me, especially, to see You in the leper of our day. May my love and respect for them flow from my love for You and become an imitation of Your act of love for all. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Doctor of the Church, Bishop and Martyr  ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this special  feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we continue to pray 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, and relaxing weekend🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 27, 2024

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

Greetings beloved family and Happy Feast of our Lady of Perpetual Help!

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

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 | June 27, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 27, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 27, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 27, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 27, 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, June 27, 2024
Reading 1, Second Kings 24:8-17
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 79:1-2, 3-5, 8, 9
Gospel, Matthew 7:21-29

SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP AND MEMORIAL OF SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AND SAINT  LADISLAUS I, KING OF HUNGARY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 27TH Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church and Saint Ladislaus I, King of Hungary. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world, especially those suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep us united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP: Our Lady of Perpetual Help is also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. The icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help represents the Christian mystery of Redemption. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Byzantine icon that is believed to have its origin sometime during the 13th -15th century. The devotion to this Marian advocation revolves around the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour,  painted on wood, with background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel presenting  Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. The icon  was brought to Rome towards the end of the fifteenth century by a pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be exposed in a church for public veneration. It was exposed in the church of San Matteo in the famous Roman street of Via Merulana, which connects the basilicas of Saint Mary Major and Saint John Lateran. Crowds flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years many graces were obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of Saint Augustine. These Augustinians were still in charge when the French invaded Rome (1812) and destroyed the church. The picture disappeared; it remained hidden and neglected for over forty years, but a series of providential circumstances between 1863 and 1865 led to its rediscovery in an oratory of the Augustinian Fathers at Santa Maria in Posterula. Pope Pius IX, who as a boy had prayed before the picture in San Matteo, became interested in the discovery. But at that time, the ruins of San Matteo were in the grounds of  a convent of the Redemptorists -the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer-,  founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori  (1696-1787). 

The Father General of the Redemptorists, Most Rev. Nicholas Mauron, decided to bring the whole matter to the attention of the Pope.  The Pope listened attentively and felt sure it was God’s will that the icon should be gain exposed to public veneration and the logical site was their church of St. Alphonsus, standing as it did between the Basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran.  The Holy Father at once took a piece of paper and wrote a short memorandum ordering the Augustinian Fathers of St. Mary in Posterula to surrender the picture to the Redemptorists, on condition that the Redemptorists supply the Augustinians with another picture of Our Lady or a good copy of the icon of Perpetual Help. The Icon meant much to the Augustinians, but when the two Redemptorists came armed with the Pope’s signed memorandum, what could they do but obey?  On January 19, 1866, Fathers Marchi and Bresciani brought the miraculous picture to St. Alphonsus’ church.  Preparations were now made to inaugurate the new public reign of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. On April 26th, a great procession was staged in which the picture was carried throughout the Esquiline region of Rome.  Upon returning to the church, the picture was enthroned over the high altar, in a resplendent shrine-niche especially constructed for it. The report of  marvelous healings spread rapidly throughout the city of Rome and people came by the hundreds to visit the shrine.  Soon the whole area around the altar was filled with abandoned crutches and canes and several whole glass-covered cabinets were filled with gold and silver thanksgiving offerings in the shapes of miniature hearts, arms, legs and other votive offerings.  Scarcely two weeks after the solemn exposition of the picture, Pope Pius IX himself came to visit the shrine.  He stood quietly before it for a long time and then exclaimed: “How beautiful she is!”.

Pope Leo XIII, the next pontiff, had a copy of the picture on his desk so that he might see it constantly during his working day.  St. Pius X sent a copy of the icon to the Empress of Ethiopia and granted an indulgence of 100 days to anyone who repeated the phrase: “Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.” Pope Benedict XV had the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help placed immediately over his chair of state in the throne room.  Here it could be seen by all just over his head, as if to say: “Here is your true Queen!”. Pope Pius IX told the Redemptorists, in speaking to them of the treasure he had committed to their care: “Make her known!”  It seems as though they hardly needed the exhortation.  In the United States, they built the first Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in the Roxbury section of Boston, and it was eventually raised to the honor of a “Papal Basilica” by Pope Pius XII. The icon is known for being miraculous; over the centuries countless healings and special graces have been attributed to it, so much so that the image has been honored and venerated by many Popes. The image and the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help invite Christians to remember Mary’s maternal and protecting love and her unfailing intercession on behalf of those in need. To this day, the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome displays the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. They are the guardians and promoters of the holy icon, the only religious order entrusted with the task of doing so with a venerated image of Our Lady. Patron Saint of Redemptorist Order; Haiti; Almoradi , Spain; Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatuan, Philippines; Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds

“As the Council teaches, the Mother of God is the Christian’s model in faith, love and perfect union with Christ; and in a special way she is the Mother and model of those who live the consecrated life.” ~ Pope Saint John Paul II

SYMBOLISM OF THE ICON OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP: The influence of Eastern icons in the West, around the XII and XIII centuries brought a class of icons called Cardiotissa, from the Greek word kardia, meaning heart.  Cardiotissa means “having a heart” or showing sympathy and mercy and compassion.  In them the face of Our Lady appears full of sorrow, yet supremely dignified in her contemplation of the sufferings of her Son.  His passion is represented by angels holding instruments of His passion, most often the cross, the lance, the sponge, and the nails.

The Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon is of this type. The angels holding the instruments of the Passion have their hands covered with a protecting veil as a sign of reverence in handling sacred objects.

The Child Jesus is shown with an adult face and a high brow, indicating His divine Mind of infinite intelligence.  As God, He knew that the angelic apparition was prophetic of His future passion.  Yet in His human nature as a small child, He is frightened and runs to His Mother for protection. Our Lady hastily picks Him up and clasps Him to her bosom.  This action is indicated by the fact that the Lord’s right foot is nervously curled about the left ankle and in such haste that His right sandal has become loosened and hangs by a single strap.  Further action is indicated by the way the Child Jesus clasps His Mother’s right hand with both of His, holding tightly to Our Lady’s thumb.

Our Lady is clothed in a dress of dark red which was long reserved in the Byzantine world for the Empress alone, indicating the Queenship of Mary.

Some commentators on color claim that bluish purple became the color of penance in the Western Church (during Lent and Advent) because purple is a combination of blue and red.  The blue reminds us of heaven, to which we wish to arrive by our penance, and the red recalls martyrdom, because all penance requires a dying to oneself, especially mortifying inordinate desire for food and pleasure.  The archangels Gabriel and Michael were tunics of purple since they carry the instruments of the passion and death of Christ.  The figures of the icon are identified with abbreviations of their names and Mary is designated by her chief title to glory: Mother of God.

Our Lady’s face is of unspeakable majesty and calm and yet her large eyes, partly closed, express ineffable sorrow and sympathy.  Our Lady is not looking at Jesus, but rather to us,  to express compassion for us in our fears and sorrows. The feast is celebrated on June 27 by the universal Church.

PRAYER: O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary. Amen🙏

O what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fill my soul when I pronounce thy sacred name, or even only think of thee. I thank God for having given thee, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely pronouncing thy name: let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee, Mother of Perpetual Help… Amen🙏

HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death… Amen🙏 

THE MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen🙏

Our Lady of Perpetual Help ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria was an Egyptian bishop and theologian, born in Alexandria, Egypt, about 374. He is best known for his role in the Council of Ephesus, one of the metropolitan sees of the Christian Church in the east, where the Church confirmed that Christ is both God and man in one person. He was one of the great defenders of the faith against the heresy of Nestorius who denied the oneness of person in Jesus Christ. He fought to defend the Church’s teachings of the two natures of Christ. He strenuously defended the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin against Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, who maintained that Jesus Christ, as man, only, was born of Mary, and that His Divinity was acquired after His human birth because of His great merits. From his writings, it appears he received a solid literary and theological education. Along with his uncle, Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, he played a role in an early fifth-century dispute between the Egyptian and Greek churches. There is evidence he may have been a monk before becoming a bishop. When Theophilus died in 412, St. Cyril was chosen to succeed him at the head of the Egyptian Church. He continued his uncle’s policy of insisting on Alexandria’s preeminence within the Church over Constantinople, despite the political prominence of the imperial capital. The two Eastern churches eventually re-established communion in approximately 418. Ten years later, however, a theological dispute caused a new break between Alexandria and Constantinople. Cyril’s reputation as a theologian, and later Doctor of the Church, arose from his defense of Catholic orthodoxy during this time. In 428, a monk named Nestorius became the new Patriarch of Constantinople. It became clear that Nestorius was not willing to use the term “Mother of God” (“Theotokos”) to describe the Virgin Mary. Instead, he insisted on the term “Mother of Christ” (“Christotokos”).

During the fourth century, the Greek Church had already held two ecumenical councils to confirm Christ’s eternal preexistence as God prior to his incarnation as a man. From this perennial belief, it followed logically that Mary was the mother of God. Veneration of Mary as “Theotokos” confirmed the doctrine of the incarnation, and Christ’s status as equal to the God the Father. Nestorius insisted that he, too, held these doctrines. But to Cyril, and many others, his refusal to acknowledge Mary as the Mother of God seemed to reveal a heretical view of Christ which would split him into two united but distinct persons: one fully human and born of Mary, the other fully divine and not subject to birth or death. Cyril responded to this heretical tendency first through a series of letters to Nestorius (which are still in existence and studied today), then through an appeal to the Pope, and finally through the summoning of an ecumenical council in 431. Cyril presided over this council, stating that he was “filling the place of the most holy and blessed Archbishop of the Roman Church,” Pope Celestine, who had authorized it. The council was a tumultuous affair. Patriarch John of Antioch, a friend of Nestorius, came to the city and convened a rival council which sought to condemn and depose Cyril. Tension between the advocates of Cyril and Nestorius erupted into physical violence at times, and both parties sought to convince the emperor in Constantinople to back their position. During the council, which ran from June 22 to July 31 of the year 431, Cyril brilliantly defended the orthodox belief in Christ as a single eternally divine person who also became incarnate as a man. The council condemned Nestorius, who was deposed as patriarch and later suffered exile. Cyril, however, reconciled with John and many of the other Antiochian theologians who once supported Nestorius. St. Cyril of Alexandria died on June 27, 444, having been a bishop for nearly 32 years. Long celebrated as a saint, particularly in the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1883 and the Church venerates him as one of her great doctors. His commentary on the Gospel of St. John is one of the richest doctrinally of those left us by the Fathers of the Church.

PRAYER: God, You made St. Cyril, Your Bishop, the invincible champion of the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God may be saved through the Incarnation of Christ Your Son. Amen🙏

SAINT  LADISLAUS I, KING OF HUNGARY: St. Ladislaus (c. 1040-1095), also known as St. Laszlo and St. Ladislas I of Hungary, was a Christian Saint and elected the King of Hungary, born to a royal family in Krakow, Poland on June 27, 1040. His father became King Bela I of Hungary, and his mother was the daughter of the King of Poland and his brother was Andrew I. He was raised as a Christian, spending his childhood in the court of the Polish king. After the death of his father and brother, Geisa I, passed over Solomon, the son of Andrew I, and chose Ladislaus to be the king of Hungary in 1077 and also later the King of Croatia in 1091. He was a beloved king, highly regarded as a moral and pious man and a great leader. A King of Hungary who greatly expanded the boundaries of the kingdom and consolidated it internally; no other Hungarian king was so generally beloved by the people. He is remembered for his accomplishments in bringing peace and stability to his country following the strife of civil war, for his success in defending the kingdom of Hungary against the invading Cumans, and for politically and financially supporting the spread of Christianity in his kingdom.

St. Ladislaus eventually made peace with Solomon, when the latter gave up all claims to the throne of Hungary, however, later on he rebelled against St. Ladislaus, who took him prisoner and held him in the fortress of Visegrád. On the occasion of the canonization of Stephen I, St. Ladislaus gave Solomon his freedom, but in 1086 Solomon, with the aid of the heathen Cumans, revolted against St. Ladislaus a second time. Ladislaus, however, vanquished them again, and in 1089 gained another victory over theTurkish Cumans. In 1091 St. Ladislaus marched into Croatia at the request of his sister, the widowed Queen Helena, and took possession of the kingdom for the crown of Hungary where, in 1092, he founded the Bishopric of Agram (Zágráb). In the same year (1092), he also founded the Bishopric of Grosswardein (Nagy-Várad) in Hungary, which, however, some trace back to Stephen I. He adding Dalmatia and Croatia to his territory. Thought to be responsible for the progress of Christian ideas among the Magyars. According to legend, while in battle he witnessed a Cuman warrior abducting a Hungarian girl. He pursued the enemy, defeated him, and liberated the girl. Because of his skills in military and diplomacy, as well as his religious devotion and chivalry, St. Ladislaus (Laszlo) was chosen to lead the first Crusade to the Holy Land, but died before the mission commenced. He died on July 29, 1095, Nitra, Slovakia and was buried in the cathedral of Grosswardein. St. Ladislaus was canonized by Pope Celestine III. St. Ladislaus governed the religious and civil affairs of his assembly of the Imperial States at Szabolcs, that might almost be called a synod. He tried vigorously to suppress the remaining heathen customs. He still lives in the sagas and poems of his people as a chivalrous king.

St. Ladislaus I, King of Hungary ~ Pray for us🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 7:21-29

“It was founded on rock”

“Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

In today’s Gospel reading, the Sermon on the Mount that has been read for the past couple of weeks is brought to a close. There are three activities mentioned in the Gospel reading that followers of Jesus engage in, speaking, listening and doing. All three activities are important. When we gather for public prayer we speak; in the words of the Gospel reading, we address Jesus as ‘Lord, Lord’. When we gather for public worship and at times of private prayer we listen; we listen to the word of the Lord and allow it to sink into our hearts. Neither speaking nor listening is enough, although when it comes to our relationship with the Lord we have to do both. These two activities of speaking and listening will always be central to the life of a disciple. However, Jesus says in the Gospel reading that unless our speaking and our listening flow over into concrete action their value is undermined. It is not enough to say ‘Lord, Lord’, we are to do the will of the Father in heaven. It is not enough to listen to the words of Jesus, we have to then act on them. We must act in accordance with what we say and what we hear. When our speaking to the Lord and our listening to His word bear fruit in good works, the kind of works that characterized the life of Jesus, then our lives will be solidly grounded, like a house built on rock. According to our Gospel reading, if our words to the Lord and His words to us shape our behavior, then we will more easily withstand the storms that come our way in life. We are called to listen to His words and to give expression to our faith in words, as when we pray in public. Listening and speaking are important expressions of faith. Yet, the litmus test for Jesus is doing. We must do God’s will, which Jesus equates with doing His words. The words Jesus has in mind are the words of the Sermon on the Mount because today’s Gospel reading concludes the Sermon on the Mount. It is above all in doing the words of the Sermon on the Mount that our lives will be built on solid ground, the kind of ground that does not collapse when the storms of life come battering on our door.

Our first reading today from the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah is the continuation of the story of the people of God and the kingdom of Judah, in which we heard today of the last days of the existence of the independent kingdom of Judah, having once again disobeyed the Lord and left the righteous path which the previous King, King Josiah of Judah in our first reading yesterday had highlighted to us, in his efforts and endeavours to bring the people of God back towards obedience and commitment to God. Those efforts were ultimately in vain, as after the passing of King Josiah, the people of God and their kings went back to the path of disobedience and sins against God, and therefore, the kingdom went on its path to its eventual destruction. Back then, the kingdom of Judah were in between the powerful kingdoms of Egypt and Babylon, with the former having attacked and overcome Judah after defeating King Josiah and his forces in battle earlier in the years prior to the parts mentioned in today’s first reading passage. Egypt subjugated the kingdom of Judah for a while and placed it under its sphere of influence, before as we heard today, the rising power of the Babylonians led to the forces of the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar to strike at Judah and Jerusalem, taking over the control and overlordship over Judah from the Egyptians to themselves. The king of Judah, Jehoiachin and many of the people of Judah were brought off into exile from Jerusalem and Judah after the King of Babylon besieged and attacked Judah and Jerusalem. All these were likely caused by the people’s lack of faith in God, as they trusted more in worldly powers and in the worldly means, in the play of power and politics, all of which led to the eventual mistakes and repercussions which would end up in the divisions and destructions of the kingdoms of God’s people, as had once happened to the northern kingdom of Israel. The people and king of Judah depended on the Egyptians to protect themselves from the Babylonians, and on other occasions, on the Babylonians to protect themselves against the Egyptians, thinking that by depending on these powers of the world, on their alliances and intricate political links and arrangements that they could get themselves out of trouble and escape their predicament. Little that they know that all these would not avail them at all. This is why we are all reminded that putting our trust and faith in worldly things and in all of our worldly means and powers will not give us true happiness and satisfaction, and while it may give us temporary reprieve, relief or joy, but in the end, it is with the Lord alone there is true fulfilment, satisfaction and joy, and in the end, if we remain truly faithful to God and trust in Him wholeheartedly, we shall have true joy and glory with Him, and we shall be freed from all the bonds and hardships facing us, and God shall bless us forevermore with the true and lasting peace, happiness and wonders, all of which He has promised to us, and which our holy and worthy predecessors have received and experienced, and which we too should be looking forward to.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that we must always put our faith and trust in the Lord, and building our lives upon a firm foundation in Him. Otherwise, if we place our trust and faith in the world and whatever things that we depend on in this world instead of putting our faith in the Lord, we will sooner than later realise that our trust in the things and matters of this world, in any of our worldly means and powers will not avail us through the difficult and challenging moments, and it is in the end, the Lord alone is our firm hope and foundation, through Whom we shall receive consolation, strength and providence, and it is He alone Who will not disappoint any one of us. Let us all therefore reflect upon the Scriptures and from the life and works of the Saints a s Holy men and women, especially St. Cyril of Alexandria, holy servant of God and bishop, who we celebrate tiday. Let us all continue to commit ourselves to the Lord, doing whatever we can so that by our exemplary lives and works, we may always live lives that are worthy of God, truly holy and righteous in all things. May all of us be blessed and be strengthened, guided and empowered by God, our Lord and Master in all that we do, and be those who place their trust in God and build the foundation of our lives and faith firmly in Him, now and always. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to have a trusting faith in Jesus in the face of great suffering, a faith that Jesus recognizes and affirms. May His love continue to watch over us and inspire us that we may ever be His better disciples and most dedicated Christians, now and always, to be His witnesses and messengers to our world and communities today. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 glorious Lawgiver, You taught as One with authority. Today, as Your holy Word is read and proclaimed, You continue to exercise Your new and glorious authority of love and mercy. Please help me to listen to You and to always submit myself to Your authority so that I am governed by Your New Law of grace. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Saint Cyril of Alexandria and Saint Ladislaus I, King of Hungary ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this special  feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and we continue to pray 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, and fruitful week🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 26, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time!

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

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 | June 26, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 26, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 26, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 26, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 26, 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: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Reading 1, Second Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40
Gospel, Matthew 7:15-20

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA, PRIEST; SAINTS JOHN AND PAUL, MARTYRS; SAINT ANTHELM, BISHOP; SAINT PELAGIUS OF CÓRDOBA, MARTYR AND BLESSED JACQUES GHAZIR HADDAD, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 26TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, Priest; Saints John and Paul, Martyrs; Saint Anthelm, Bishop; Saint Pelagius of Córdoba and Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world, especially those suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏

SAINT JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA, PRIEST: St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975) was born in 1902 at Barbastro Spain, one of six children of a devout Catholic family. Growing up, he observed his parents faithfully endure painful family trials (the death of three of their young children and devastating financial setbacks) and this had a profound effect on his own faith. As a teenager he discovered his vocation to the priesthood when he saw the path of footprints in the snow left by a barefoot Carmelite friar. He then experienced a radical conversion: he gave up his intended career as an architect and entered the seminary. He spent most of his life studying and teaching in universities, earning a doctorate in civil law and theology.

Saint Josemaria Escriva’s was ordained in Saragossa in 1925 and by divine inspiration and lasting impact lies in the foundation of Opus Dei (“The Work of God”), an organization of laity and priests dedicated to the universal call of holiness and the belief that ordinary, daily life is an authentic path to sanctity. This foundation opened a new way for the faithful to sanctify themselves in the midst of the world. Today Opus Dei has over 80,000 members worldwide. His famous written work is The Way, a collection of spiritual and pastoral reflections on the gospels and their application to everyday life. On June 26, 1975, after glancing at an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in his office in Rome, St. Josemaría died suddenly of  zed arrest. He was canonized a saint on October 6, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.  

St. Josemaria Escriva, Priest ~ Pray for us🙏

SAINTS JOHN AND PAUL, MARTYRS: Saints John and Paul (d. 362 A.D.) were two blood brothers, who encouraged each other to remain faithful in their sufferings and were  martyred for the Catholic faith in their own home. Sts. John and Paul were officers of the Roman army in the days of Constantine the Great. Sts. John and Paul were imperial officers of high repute. They served in the house of Princess Constance (Constantia) daughter of Constantine,  who was consecrated to God; their virtues and services to her father rendered them very dear to her. They would soon glorify God by a great moral victory; after despising the honors of the world, they triumphed by their martyrdom over its threats and torments. After a successful career of soldiering, Constantine the Great entrusted Saints John and Paul with the protection of his daughter, Constantia. With the aid of the liberality of the Christian princess, they were practicing many works of charity and mercy, until the deaths of both Constantine and Constance.

Upon the death of Constantine in 337 and his bequeathal of a formidable inheritance, Saints John and Paul retired to private life, built a house on the Caelian Hill, led exemplary Christian lives of charity and prayer, and prospered under the reign of Constantine II. In A.D. 361, Julian the Apostate ascended to the imperial throne. From his youth, Julian had exhibited strong pagan tendencies, and during his reign, he reestablished many pagan practices, persecuted the Church, and challenged the authority of bishops throughout the empire. The Christian brothers saw many wicked men prosper in their impiety, but were not dazzled by their example. They considered that worldly prosperity accompanied by impunity in sin is the most dreadful of all judgments, indicating reprobation. And history reveals how false and short-lived was the glittering prosperity of Julian. In the summer of 362, he called Saints John and Paul back to military service in his court. Their acquiescence to Julian’s request would have meant a denial of their Catholic faith, since court officials were required to offer incense to false pagan gods. Saints John and Paul recoiled at the thought of apostasy. Their refusal enraged Julian who accused them of impiety, a capital crime. Certain that Julian would order their deaths, Saints John and Paul charitably dispersed their earthly possessions to the poor of Rome.

Julian sought to murder them, but he feared public outcry, for the Saints were extremely popular. Thus, the Emperor dispatched Terentianus, an officer of his court, with a murderous objective to their home. When he entered, he found Saints John and Paul at prayer. When they rejected Terentianus’ order to offer sacrifice to Jupiter, he ordered them, on Julian’s prior instruction, beheaded on the night of June 26, 362 in their own home. Then Terentianus buried their bodies in the house and spread the rumor that Julian had sent Saints John and Paul into exile. It did not take long for the truth to be known. A certain person, praying in the house, was granted a vision, wherein he saw, and loudly proclaimed, the details of the heinous crime. Many were converted thereafter, including Terentianus himself. One year later to the day of the martyrdom of Saints John and Paul, on June 26, 363, Julian the Apostate, was felled by an arrow while campaigning in Mesopotamia. He died with the words “Vicisit Galilaee” (“Thou hast conquered, Galilean”). Since the fifth century, the names of Saints John and Paul have been included in the Roman Canon of the Mass. The Basilica of Saints John and Paul sits atop the Caelian Hill, one of the seven hills of ancient Rome. The basilica is built over the home of Saints John and Paul, where they were murdered. Saints John and Paul’s feast day is celebrated on June 26, the date of their martyrdom.

Saints John and Paul, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT ANTHELM, BISHOP: St. Anthelm (1107-1177) was a prior of the Carthusian Grand Chartreuse  and bishop of Belley. St. Anthelm, rightfully regarded as the greatest ecclesiastic of his age, was born about 1107 in Savoy of a noble family, who educated him for the Church. After ordination he was made provost and secretary of the province of Geneva and increased the earning of his diocese by astute management. Up to that time, he was a high-minded young priest, hospitable and generous, but, as his background might suggest, primarily interested in the things of the world. However, Anthelm’s outlook changed drastically as a result of a change visit to the Carthusian monastery at Portes. So at the age of thirty St. Anthelm resigned his ecclesiastical benefice, left the world, and donned the habit of St. Bruno. Two years later (1139), he became Prior of the motherhouse of his Order, the Grande Charteuse, which soon began to flourish under his direction. He increased the number and the fervor of those in the community, repaired its buildings, and brought the other monasteries into relation with it. In the process he also became the first Master General of the Order.

In 1152, St. Anthelm retired Portes, looking forward to a life of solitude. But God had other plans for him. He was appointed Prior of Portes and succeeded in reforming that monastery as well. Two years later he returned to the Grande Charteuse bit still was denied solitude. In 1159, a schism occurred in the Church between the supporters of the canonically elected Pope, Alexander III, and a rival put forward by the powerful Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. St. Anthelm supported the true Pope by a strong and vociferous campaign that resulted in the Pope’s triumph and in the appointment of Anthelm as Bishop of Belley.

Prevailed upon to accept the Episcopacy, St. Anthelm applied himself to it in characteristic fashion, showing himself to be a brilliant administrator, dedicated reformer, and fearless battler for truth. He did not even hesitate to reprove the Pope when in 1175 the latter lifted the excommunication that the Saint had imposed on Count Hubert of Marienne for glaring misdeeds. Shortly afterward, the Pope commissioned St. Anthelm to go to England and try to reconcile king Henry II and St. Thomas Becket; but he was prevented from going by his death, which took place on June 26, 1177. St. Anthelm established a community for women solitaries. The good bishop spent his last years tending to the lepers and the poor. He was distributing food in a famine when he was felled by fever. As St. Anthelm lay dying, he was visited by Humbert who sought his forgiveness. Miracles are said to have occurred at his tomb, one being that, as he was lowered into the tomb, a lamp lit only for great festivals kindled spontaneously.

PRAYER: God, You made Your Bishop St. Anthelm an outstanding minister of Your Church by his prayer and pastoral zeal. Through his prayers grant that Your faithful flock may always find pastors after Your heart and salutary pastures. Amen 🙏

SAINT PELAGIUS OF CÓRDOBA, MARTYR: St. Pelagius of Córdoba (c. 912–925 A.D.) was a Christian thirteen year old boy, a teenager who died as a martyr in Córdoba in southern Spain around 925 AD for refusing to denounce his faith and convert to Islam and rejecting Homosexuality. He chose death rather than submission to the sexual advances or the false religion of the Muslim Caliph of Córdoba. 10th century Cordoba was the most powerful and glorious time in the world for the muslim caliphates and they boasted the largest mosque outside of the Caaba in Mecca.

St. Pelagius of Córdoba was born in 912 AD, Crecente, Spain. Pelagius means ”dweller by the sea” and in Spain he is known as San pelayo. St. Pelagius, as a ten year old boy, was taken hostage by the Moors of Cordoba during a rampage in a Christian town. He was in captivity for three years and nobody had made any attempt to ransom him. The Emir of Cordoba offered him his freedom if he would convert to Islam. St. Pelagius refused to convert to Islam and rejected having sex with a Muslim pasha due to his Christian faith. For this he was tortured and killed. He was scourged and had his arms and legs cut off and he was finally beheaded. He is said to have endured six hours of constant excruciating pain until he died. St. Pelagius died on June 26, 925 AD, Córdoba, Spain and was buried at Sacramental de San Ginés y San Luis. Due to his martyrdom he is regarded as a saint for men and women struggling with same-sex attraction as well as holy purity, hence in art he is depicted with a lily, a symbol of chastity. He’s the Patron Saint of abandoned people, torture victims, Castro Urdiales, Spain. Saint Pelagius is venerated in Leon, Cordoba, and Oviedo, where his relics have been kept since they were transferred there in 985. His Feast Day is June 26th.

Saint Pelagius of Córdoba, Martyr ~ Pray for us🙏

BLESSED JACQUES GHAZIR HADDAD, PRIEST: Bl. Jacques Ghazir Haddad (1875-1954), recently beatified was Founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross. As a Capuchin Missionary, he traveled through the mountains preaching and teaching the people to pray. The last twenty-three years of his life were devoted to the apostolate of charity and care of the most abandoned. Thousands of poor people found in care of his Sisters of the Cross comfort and reason to hope. Fr Jacques Ghazir Haddad was born on February 1, 1875, in Ghazir, in the heart of Lebanon, the third of five children. He attended school in Ghazir and then the College de la Sageese in Beirut, where he studied Arabic, French and Syriac. In 1892 he went to Alexandria, Egypt, to teach Arabic at the Christian Brothers’ College, and there he felt the call to the priesthood. He entered the Capuchin Convent in Khashbau the next year. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1901 in Beirut, Lebanon. As an itinerant preacher from 1903 to 1914 he walked all over Lebanon proclaiming the Word of God and was given the name “the Apostle of Lebanon”. He was also seen preaching in Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Turkey.

In 1919 he bought a piece of land on the hill of Jall-Eddib, north of Beirut, where he built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea. Nearby he erected a great Cross. Fr Jacques was tireless, he would help anyone in need following in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi. In 1920, to assist him in this mission to help the sick and the poor, he founded the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross of Lebanon. The modest work of Fr Jacques aroused the people’s admiration, many poor and sick people began to go to the “Cross” and Fr Jacques would welcome them all. In 1950 the “Cross” became exclusively a psychiatric hospital, one of the most modern in the Near East. The movement of charity began to spread throughout Lebanon and Fr Jacques and his Sisters multiplied their works of social assistance. In 1933 he opened the House of the Sacred Heart in Deir el-Kamar, a girls’ orphanage, which later became an asylum for the chronically ill. In 1948 he opened the Hospital of Our Lady for the aged, the chronically ill and the paralyzed. In 1949 St Joseph’s Hospital became one of the most important medical centres of the capital. It was followed in 1950 by St Anthony’s House in Beirut for beggars and vagabonds whom the police found on the streets and Providence House for homeless girls. Even though Fr Jacques was very busy with the hospital mission, he and his Sisters carried on the important work of education and opened several schools as well as an orphanage for 200 girls.

Fr Jacques was worn out by vigils, fatigue and travel. Although he suffered from numerous illnesses, became almost completely blind and was stricken with leukemia, he did not stop blessing God and working. He was lucid to the end, his last hours were an uninterrupted series of prayers invoking the Cross and the Virgin Mary until he died on 26 June 1954 in Lebanon. His cause for Beatification was introduced in February 1979; on February 24, 1979, His Holiness Pope John Paul II signed the Decree of Introduction of the Cause for Beatification. On Sunday, June 22, 2008, he was beatified during a special Mass in Beirut by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., Prefect of Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Since Bl. Haddad’s death additional hospitals have opened to assist those injured during the war and to assist the Kabr-Chemoun region where medical services were scarce.

Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad, Priest ~ Pray for us🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 7:15-20

“By their fruits you will know them”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.”

In today’s Gospel reading, which is part of the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws attention to the separation there can often be between appearance and reality. He speaks of those who look like harmless sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. Projecting a false image, living a lie, is an ongoing part of the human experience. Where our hearts lie does not always correspond to how we appear. Jesus declares that the real test of what is in our hearts is the kind of fruit that our lives bear. ‘You will be able to tell them by their fruits’. St Paul used that same language of ‘fruit’ when he wrote about the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, which he describes as ‘love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’. St. Paul doesn’t speak of ‘fruits’ but of ‘fruit’. There is one fruit of the Spirit which can be described in all these different ways. If our lives bear that kind of good fruit, our heart belongs to God, regardless of how we may appear at times. We need to keep opening our hearts to the Spirit whom we have been given, so that the good fruit of the Spirit will be more abundant in our lives.

According to the proverbs, ‘you cannot judge a book by its cover’ and ‘all that glitters is not gold’, like all proverbs, they express a truth about human reality that has been gleaned from people’s experience over a long period of time. People have learned, sometimes from all too bitter experience, that what you see is not always what you get when it comes to other people. Jesus makes the same observation in today’s Gospel reading when He speaks of those who ‘come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves’. There is a sharp contrast between a sheep and a wolf, the wolf being a dangerous enemy of the sheep. Jesus declares in today’s Gospel reading that we judge a person’s character not by how they appear to us but by what He calls ‘their fruits’. By ‘fruits’ Jesus means the fundamental attitudes and values, along with the actions or ‘good works’ that flow from them, which He has been portraying throughout the Sermon, beginning with the beatitudes. This is not far removed from what St. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, calls the fruit of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’. It is St. Paul who reminds us that if Jesus’ Gospel message is to bear the appropriate fruit in our lives, we will need to open our lives to the Holy Spirit who, as St. Paul declares in his letter to the Romans, ‘helps us in our weakness’. In John’s Gospel the branches of the vine, the disciples of Jesus, bear the fruit of love, the quality of love that God has for Jesus and that Jesus has for His disciples and for the world. In the letters of St. Paul the fruit of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is also love, because, for St. Paul, the Holy Spirit is the love of God poured into our hearts. Those in whom the Spirit bears the fruit of love can be trusted because the good fruit of the Spirit always comes from a good heart, a heart that has been given over to the Lord.

Our first reading today from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah details the story of the time when the Book of the Law of God was found once again in the neglected Temple of God in Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. The High Priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law of God and the King, who obeyed the Lord’s commands and lived according to His ways, sought to find out what the Law of God was about, and how the people ought to live in the manner that was pleasing to God. At that time, the people of God had wandered off so far from the path of God, disobeyed and refusing to believe in Him in many occasions despite the Lord’s reminders towards them through His many prophets and messengers, and hence, the people of God faced a lot of hardships, challenges and trials, suffering all the terrible defeats and worldly hardships for their disobedience and sins. King Josiah was the last of the kings of Judah who was considered as righteous and obedient to God, and immediately after having read through the details of the accounts of the Law and commandments of God, the king was frightened at the extent of how the people had disobeyed the Lord according to the Law which by then had been mostly forgotten and ignored, and he sought to make amends by ordering the priests and all of the people of the kingdom to do what God had commanded them to do, in obeying His Law and commandments once again, fulfilling the many things that God had called them all to do, such as observing the Passover festival again, and purifying the Temple of God, and removing from their midst all the abominations of the pagan and foreign idols that had misled so many into the path of sin.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of our obligation as God’s holy and beloved people to be the good and faithful servants, followers and disciples of His cause, called and encouraged to do what is right, good and just according to God’s will. Each and every one of us must always strive to be good and worthy in all the things that we say and do, so that we will continue to be good role models and inspirations for each other, for everyone who witness us and all of our lives, that we may proclaim the Lord and His truth, His love and Good News through our lives and good examples, at all times. Each and every one of us must always be filled with God’s grace and love, His compassion and kindness at all times. May the Lord continue to strengthen and empower us all in each and every one of our journeys in faith throughout our lives, and may He continue to guide us all through the many challenges and trials in life so that regardless of the hardships and obstacles that we may have to endure and experience amidst our path and journey towards Him, we will continue to persevere and carry out our lives and actions with great faith and obedience to Him, to His Law and to His will. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful and trust in the Lord and may all of us continue to be the great and worthy bearers of God’s Good News, His light of hope, His love and truth in our society, amongst everyone whom we encounter and journey with, now and always. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 Lord of all truthfulness, You and You alone define the good and evil in our world. Your truth reveals the good fruit that is born to nourish the growth of Your glorious Kingdom. Give me courage and clarity of mind and heart so that I may continually do all that You call me to do so as to bring the good fruit of the Kingdom to all in need. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saint Josemaría Escrivá; Saints John and Paul; Saint Anthelm; Saint Pelagius of Córdoba and Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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, and fruitful week 🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

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

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

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

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 | June 25, 2024 |

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

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

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 25, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 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: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Reading 1, Second Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35, 36
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 48:2-3, 3-4, 10-11
Gospel, Matthew 7:6, 12-14

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT WILLIAM OF VERCELLI, ABBOT; SAINT PROSPER OF REGGIO, BISHOP AND SAINT DOMINIC HENARES, PRIEST AND SAINT PROSPER OF AQUITAINE, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 25TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint William of Vercelli, Abbot; Saint Prosper of Reggio, Bishop; Saint Dominic Henares, Priest and St. Prosper of Aquitaine, Doctor of the Church. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world especily those suffering from political and religious unrest. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith… Amen 🙏

SAINT WILLIAM OF VERCELLI, ABBOT: St. William of Vercelli (1085 – June 25th 1142 A.D.), also known as St. William of Monte Vergine or St. William of Monte Virgine, was Abbot and Founder of the Congregation of Monte-Vergine. He was born in Vercelli, a city of Lombardy, in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. He was born into a noble family, though he was orphaned very early on in his life, he lost his father and mother in his infancy and was brought up by a relative in great sentiments of piety. At fifteen years of age, having an earnest desire to lead a penitential life, he left his native region and made a long and austere pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain to the shrine of the Virgin founded by Saint James at Saragossa. While on the pilgrimage, he wore a ring of iron around his waist as an additional penance. After his return to Italy, St. William decided to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and traveled as far as southern Italy. St. William would have made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem but he was accosted by brigands on the road and was beaten and robbed. St. William took this as a sign that God was calling him to a solitary life and wished him to stay in Italy and spread the Gospel there. He retired into the kingdom of Naples and chose for his abode an uninhabited mountain. He settled on the top of Monte Vergiliana near Naples, and lived there as a hermit, changing the name to Montevergine (Mount of the Virgin). He lived in perpetual contemplation and the exercises of rigorous penitential austerities. His holiness and piety attracted many followers. Many miracles were attributed to him including a miracle of healing a blind man by his prayers. He was discovered and his fame throughout southern Italy grew. His contemplation was interrupted, so he decided to move to another mountain, where he built a very beautiful church in honor of Our Lady. With several former secular priests who joined him there, in 1119 he began the establishment of the Congregation of Monte Vergine, or Mount of the Virgin. This site is between Nola and Benevento in the same kingdom of Naples.

These sons of Our Lady lived in great austerity. Seeing the progress in holiness of the good religious being formed there, the devil sowed division and criticism; but God drew good from the evil when Saint William went elsewhere and founded several more monasteries, both for men and women, in various places in the kingdom of Naples. He assisted the king of Naples, who greatly venerated him, to practice all the Christian virtues of a worthy sovereign, and the king in gratitude had a house of the Order built at Salerno opposite his palace, to have him near him more often. When Saint William died on the 25th of June, 1142, he had not yet written a Rule for his religious; his second successor, Robert, fearing the dissolution of a community without constitutions, placed them under that of Saint Benedict, and is regarded as the first abbot of the Benedictine Congregation of Monte-Vergine with a Rule based on the Benedictines. A portrait of the Virgin venerated there has been an unfailing source of holy compunction; pilgrims continue to visit it. Five other houses were formed during his lifetime, but only the original survives today. St. William of Vercelli is honored as a saint who was a leader in monastic life—both because he established a number of monasteries and because his rigorous discipline, prayer, and fasting were an example for many monks. He died June 25, 1142 of natural causes.
He’s the Patron Saint of Irpinia, Italy.   

PRAYER: Grant us, O Lord, that amid the uncertainties of this world we may cling with all our heart to the things of heaven, for through the Abbot blessed William of Vercelli, you have given us a model of evangelical perfection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏

SAINT PROSPER OF REGGIO, BISHOP: St. Prosper of Reggio, was a 5th/6th-century Saint shrouded in obscurity; beginning with the 9th century he was venerated in the Italian province of Emilia, although he may have been a native Spain originally. He was Fifth century bishop of Reggio in Italy. Tradition holds that he was a bishop of Reggio Emilia for twenty-two years and was much loved for his kindness and modesty. He cared so little about his own glory that he specially asked to be buried in the small church outside the city walls, rather than the city’s large cathedral.

When a rich young man asked Jesus: “What have I to do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus told him: “Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” According to tradition, Saint Prosper took this command so seriously he gave away all his possessions and goods to the poor in order to fulfill our Lord’s precept to the rich young man. He became a Bishop and his beneficent Episcopate lasted twenty-two years. In due time, Prosper passed on his heavenly reward, surrounded by his priest and deacons. He died on June 25 in 466 at Reggio Emilia and he was buried in the church of St. Apollinaris, which he had built and consecrated, outside the walls of Reggio. In 703, his relics were transferred to a great new church erected in his honor by Bishop Thomas of Reggio. And fittingly enough he is the principal Patron of that city. He is remembered for his sense of charity. He is the Patron Saint of Reggio Emilia, Italy; The Poor.

PRAYER:  God, You made St. Proper an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in faith and love, and become sharers of his glory. Amen 🙏
 
SAINT DOMINIC HENARES, PRIEST: St. Dominic Henares (1764-1838) was born to a poor family in Spain. He joined the Dominican Order and was ordained a priest in 1790. Ten years later he was sent as a missionary to the Far East. He went from Mexico to the Philippines, and finally to North Vietnam. He became Bishop of Phunhay, Vietnam, in 1803. In 1831 the Vietnamese emperor officially prohibited Catholicism and severely persecuted the Church. Whole villages were sent into exile; priests were arrested and subjected to the most terrible tortures before they were killed. Those who helped capture them were richly rewarded. Bishop Henares was arrested and beheaded in Nam Dinh on June 25, 1838; the soldiers and villagers who participated in his arrest received generous compensation. St. Dominic Henares is one of an estimated 130,000 to 300,000 Catholics martyred for the faith in Vietnam between the 15th and 20th centuries. They were canonized together by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988. St. Dominic Henares’ feast day is June 25, and the collective memorial for 117 of the Vietnamese Martyrs is November 24.

Saint Dominic Henares, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT PROSPER OF AQUITAINE, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Prosper of Aquitaine (390 – c. 455 AD), was a Christian  writer and disciple of St. Augustine of Hippo, was the first continuator of Jerome’s Universal Chronicle. Saint Prosper was born in the Roman province of Aquitaine in the year 390. He is known chiefly through his writings, which reveal that in his youth he had applied himself to all branches both of sacred and secular learning. Because of the purity and sanctity of his manners, the writers of his time testify that he was a holy and venerable man. By his labors in France against the semi-Pelagian heretics, he was a strong collaborator of Saint Augustine in Africa. He was in correspondence with the African doctor, who wrote two of his works to refute and give light to the semi-Pelagians: On the predestination of the Saints and On the gift of perseverance. The enemies of Saint Augustine turned against Saint Prosper also, publishing fifteen errors which they attributed to the latter, then sixteen propositions supposedly clarifying Augustine’s true sentiments, and spread them widely. The Saint with gentleness answered all these writings without acrid reprisals.

Saint Prosper, insofar as is known, was not an ecclesiastic; but being of great virtue and possessing extraordinary talents and learning, he dealt with delicate questions with remarkable insight. Saint Leo the Great, when chosen Pope in 440, invited him to Rome, made him his secretary, and employed him in the most important affairs of the Church. It was primarily Saint Prosper who finally crushed the Pelagian heresy definitively, when it was raising its head in the see of Peter. Its complete overthrow is said to be due to his zeal, learning, and unwearied endeavors. The date of his death remains uncertain, but he was still living in 455, the date at which his Chronicle concludes.

Saint Prosper of Aquitaine, Doctor of the Church ~ Pray for us 🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062524.cfm

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 7:6, 12-14

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you”

“Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”

In today’s Gospel reading, in the words of the Lord to His disciples, he tells them all not to give what is holy to the dogs and throw the pearls to the pigs, using the connotations commonly known then to highlight how they should not profane the Holy Name of God, His Law and commandments, just as the King of Assyria had done in mocking Him and His power, and just as how the people of Israel disobeyed Him and refused to obey His Law and commandments, spurning His love and kindness, all of which eventually led to their destruction and tragic fates. It is an important reminder for us not to allow worldly temptations and corruptions from distracting and misleading us down the wrong path which can lead us to our downfall and destruction. All of us are also reminded by the Lord Himself in today’s Gospel reading that the path towards salvation in God, while it is always open and available for us, courtesy of His ever enduring and wonderful love for each and every one of us, but this path is truly a narrow one, and it is not an easy path for all of us to follow and walk through. Jesus is suggesting that the way of life He has set before His disciples is a difficult and challenging way. Entering through a narrow gate requires a clear focus and a certain concentration of effort. Jesus is also suggesting that His way will often run counter to the way taken by the great majority. The call of the Gospel, in that sense, will often be experienced as counter to the prevailing culture. For that reason, it will require a conscious decision on our part. The way of the Lord, with all it entails, is a way that needs to be chosen. That choice is always a response to a call, the Lord’s call, but it remains a human choice. We may have been baptized into this way of the Lord as infants but as we go through life we have to choose this way for ourselves. Every day we have to choose to go through the narrow gate, to take the Lord’s way. There are indeed many obstacles, challenges, distractions and pressures all around us, all of which can lead us down the wrong path in life. Sin is born out of our disobedience against God, and unfortunately often, time and again, we and many of our predecessors have been swayed by the temptations, allures and corruptions present in this world. Although the gate is narrow and the way may be difficult, Jesus assures us in the last line of the Gospel reading that His way is the way that leads to life. It not only leads to life beyond this earthly life, eternal life, but it leads to life here and now. As St. Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians, ‘now is the day of salvation’. The Lord is calling on us to be Jesus figures for others. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can all be Jesus figures in our world today, to some degree.

Our first reading today from the Book of Kings of Israel and Judah details the story of the time when the forces of King of Assyria, Sennacherib came to Jerusalem and besieged it after this same King struck at Judah and its cities likely with the intent to conquer and destroy it as he had done with many other cities and states in the region. At that time, Assyria was an ascending great power that had conquered many nations, including that of the Aramaeans and the northern kingdom of Israel, which was destroyed not long before the circumstances of today’s first reading. King Sennacherib brought with him a mighty army to do the same to Judah and Jerusalem, and how He mocked God and His people for trusting in Him. But God reassured His people in Judah that He would not abandon them and that He would stand by them just as He has always promised them when King Hezekiah of Judah led the people in praying to God and asking for His Divine providence and intervention. The prideful boasts and mockery of Sennacherib, the King of Assyria God turned into a sorrowful and anguished cry of defeat when He sent His Angels and destroyed all of the whole massive army of the Assyrians, supposedly numbering a hundred and eighty-five thousand, a truly large army. God rescued His people and destroyed all those who mocked Him and those who were faithful to Him, and sent this Assyrian king in shame back to his own homeland, and according to the Scriptures, the same king would soon be killed by his own sons. A truly terrible ending for a prideful and sinful man. According to today’s reading, it is clear indeed that God truly has the authority over all things, and He has the power over all nations and all earthly forces, over life and death. God was with His people and He did not leave them at the hour of their need, fighting and journeying with them as He has always done throughout time and history. He is the one and only True God, Who has defended and protected His people, marching before them and destroying their enemies. While the other gods and pagan idols of the many countries and states, cities and places which King Sennacherib ransacked and destroyed did nothing to stop all that, the Lord alone stepped in and defended His beloved and faithful people when they were in need of His help.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, all of us are reminded that we are all called to remain true and faithful to the Lord in all things. We must not be dissuaded, swayed or tempted away from God and His path because of all the oppositions, hardships, challenges, trials and obstacles which we may encounter in our paths in life. Instead, we must always encourage one another and remain strong in our faith despite the many difficulties and obstacles that we may have to face in this path we face, and we should gain inspirations from our holy predecessors and also from supporting one another in the face of those challenges and trials so that we may remain strong in our faith.This is why each and every one of us must always remind ourselves that we have to remain firmly anchored in faith in God, adhere closely to His teachings and truth. Each and every one of us as Christians must always strive to be the worthy and faithful bearers of the truth and Good News of God, obedient to His Law and commandments, and ever righteous, just and good in all of our words, actions and deeds. All of us should be exemplary and committed in our desire to serve the Lord in each and every moments of our lives. We should be good role models and inspirations for our fellow brothers and sisters, in resisting the allures of worldly glory and temptations, and in doing what God has commanded and willed us to do in our respective lives. May the Lord continue to strengthen us all in faith and remind us all to stay true and strong in our faith in Him, and not be swayed or tempted to give up in exchange for the comforts and pleasures of the world. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may He guide us all in our path and journey of faith through our lives, and may He continue to guide and bless us all in our every efforts and endeavours, in everything that we say and do, so that by all these, we may continue to glorify the Lord by our lives, now and always. Amen 🙏🏾

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 most magnificent Lord, You and You alone are worthy of all glory, honor and praise. May everything I do in life lead to Your glory and may I avoid everything that harms my relationship with You. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You and glorify You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint William of Vercelli, Saint Prosper of Reggio; Saint Dominic Henares and St. Prosper of Aquitaine ~ Pray for us🙏

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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, and fruitful week 🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

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

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist!

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

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 | June 24, 2024 |

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

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

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 24, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 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: Monday June 24, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 49:1-6
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15
Reading 2, Acts 13:22-26
Gospel, Luke 1:57-66, 80

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint John the Baptist and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick, especially those who are sick with throat diseases, seizures and convulsive disorders and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, we pray for their divine healing. We also pray for all expectant mothers and those seeking for the fruit of the womb. We pray for all those who recently received the Sacrament of Baptism. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏

SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST: Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, the one whom the Lord had sent to be His own Herald, in proclaiming His coming into this world, and to prepare the path and everything for His entry and appearance in our midst. Only Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother also have feast days celebrating their birthdays. So why does the Church give such special reverence to the birth of St. John the Baptist?

Today’s feast anticipates the feast of Christmas. We celebrate the birth of John the Baptist on June 24th, six months before we celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th. A family relation of Jesus, St. John the Baptist is called “the Forerunner” because he was sent by God to “prepare the way of the Lord” ahead of Jesus’ public ministry. The birth of St. John the Baptist to his elderly and previously barren parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, is recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel. His birth was announced to his father Zechariah by the Archangel Gabriel, who also brought the news of Christ’s birth to the Blessed Virgin Mary. John the Baptist’s nativity is one of only three birthdays celebrated by the Church, along with the nativities of Jesus and Mary. Though not an official dogma, according to ancient tradition St. John the Baptist was freed from original sin at the moment his mother heard the greeting of the Blessed Virgin at the Visitation, causing John to leap in his mother’s womb through the action of the Holy Spirit. So, like Jesus and Mary, St. John would have been born without sin, and therefore his birthday is also worthy of special honor. Because Christ praised John the Baptist so highly by saying “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist,” he was one of the most highly venerated saints in the ancient and medieval Church. Before Christ’s public life began, a divine impulse sent Saint John into the desert; there, with locusts for his food and wearing haircloth, in silence and in prayer, he chastened his soul. In his youth he remained hidden, because He for whom he waited was also hidden. St. John the Baptist is the Patron Saint of Baptism; bird dealers; converts; convulsions; convulsive children; cutters; epilepsy; epileptics; farriers; hailstorms; Knights Hospitaller; Knights of Malta; lambs; Maltese Knights; lovers; monastic life; motorways; printers, spasms; tailors; builders. St. John also serves as the patron saint of a variety of places throughout the world. St. John the Baptist has two feasts: his nativity on June 24th and his passion on August 29th.

In the breviary St. Augustine explains the reason for today’s observance in the following words: “Apart from the most holy solemnity commemorating our Savior’s birth, the Church keeps the birthday of no other person except that of John the Baptist. [The feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin had not yet been introduced]. In the case of other Saints or of God’s chosen ones, the Church, as you know, solemnizes the day on which they were reborn to everlasting beatitude after ending the trials of this life and gloriously triumphing over the world. “For all these the final day of their lives, the day on which they completed their earthly service is honored. But for John the day of his birth, the day on which he began this mortal life is likewise sacred. The reason for this is, of course, that the Lord willed to announce to men His own coming through the Baptist, lest if He appeared suddenly, they would fail to recognize Him. John represented the Old Covenant and the Law. Therefore he preceded the Redeemer, even as the Law preceded and heralded the new dispensation of grace.”

Today we mark the moment when the Lord brought forth into this world the news and revelation of His salvation, of the long awaited salvation and Saviour that He has always promised and spoken about to His people. The Lord has reassured all of us that His love for us has always endured, and He will deliver unto us His providence and strength.

PRAYER: O God, who raised up Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord, give your people, we pray, the grace of spiritual joys and direct the hearts of all the faithful into the way of salvation and peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 1:57-66, 80

“He asked for a tablet and wrote, John is his name”

“When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

In today’s Gospel reading, there was something special about John the Baptist. It suggests that his being given the name ‘John’ was itself special or unusual. The neighbours and relations seem to have decided that Elizabeth’s child would be called Zechariah after his father. However, the child’s mother stood up against this consensus, declaring that he would be called John, after the name given to him by the angel Gabriel at the annunciation of the child’s birth to Zechariah. The wider family and community were stunned and objected to this name. ‘No one in your family has that name’, they said. Yet, John’s parents understood that God wanted their child to be called ‘John’. Zechariah, who had been rendered dumb for doubting the promise made by Gabriel, confirmed in writing that his child would be called John. A new beginning in God’s dealings with his people called for a new name, a name that conveyed the nature of this new beginning. Most Hebrew names have a religious meaning and the name ‘John’ means ‘God is gracious’ or ‘the Lord has shown favour’. The child of Elizabeth and Zechariah would announce the coming of someone who would reveal God’s gracious love in a powerfully new way and God was inaugurating a new era of favour through this child. According to the Gospel reading, people were asking, ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ He turned out to be the adult God wanted him to be, the one who witnessed to the arrival of God’s special messenger to humanity and who prepared people to welcome him by calling on them to be baptized. John would lead people to Jesus, God’s gracious gift to all. John reveals the essence of our baptismal calling, which is to witness to Jesus by opening our lives to Jesus’ presence and allowing him to grow in us. On this feast of his birthday, we might give thanks for all those people in our lives who have led us to Jesus and have helped us to see Him more clearly.

In our first reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, God revealed to His people, to all of us through Isaiah, of everything that He had done for us, in sending us His servants, whom He had called and chosen, like Isaiah himself, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, Elisha, and earlier on still, Moses, and other leaders and elders of the people, and like St. John the Baptist himself, all of whom had been entrusted with the particular missions and vocations, with purpose and commitments for them to help lead the people of God, us mankind, back to the Lord, our most loving God and Saviour. The Lord had prepared St. John the Baptist to be His servant, from before he was even born, telling that to his parents, revealing to them just how important his role would be. That is what we have also heard in our Gospel passage today, as God foretold the great deeds that St. John the Baptist would do. As Christians, all of us should be inspired by the great examples set by St. John the Baptist, whose contributions are not limited only just by what he had done in baptising the countless thousands and more at the River Jordan. It was his faithfulness and his dedication to the Lord which should inspire us all to follow his good examples and faith as well. Not only that, but St. John the Baptist also showed us great courage and steadfastness in faith, in courageously opposing even the powerful ones at his time, the teachers of the Law and the chief priests, whom he scolded and criticised as the band of vipers for their lack of faith, hypocrisy and mismanagement of the people, and also King Herod, whom St. John the Baptist criticised for his immoral and adulterous behaviour with his brother’s wife, Herodias.

St. John the Baptist, who did not fear persecution and oppression, and who gave his whole life and efforts to the service of God, is a paragon of virtue and Christian discipleship, and all of us as Christians should be inspired to walk in the same path that St. John the Baptist had traversed, and be inspired by his great courage and commitment to God. He is a great role model for us all, in how each and every one of us should be living our lives as well, with great virtue and commitment to God, and in doing whatever it is that we have been entrusted by God to do with our lives, in our respective areas of responsibilities, and in our various vocations in the Church and in this world, in doing our best to glorify God by our lives. In addition, there is also one more great virtue that St. John the Baptist had, which all of us should very well emulate as well in our own lives, and that is one of obedience and humility. In his commitment to God, St. John the Baptist was thoroughly committed to his mission and he did not do anything for himself or for his own selfish purposes and desires. Like what St. Paul said in the second reading today in his Epistle, in which the Apostle directly quoted St. John the Baptist himself saying that he himself was not the Messiah, and he was not even worthy to untie the straps of His sandals. This was the response that St. John the Baptist gave to all those who asked him and wondered if he was the Messiah long awaited by the people of God. Given how popular St. John the Baptist had been, he could have claimed that he was the Messiah that the people awaited for, but he did not do that, and he was even also glad when he heard that the Lord was gaining more and more followers, saying that it was just right that while He increased, that he decreased. Such was the virtue and the humility that St. John the Baptist has shown, and which we all should emulate in our own lives.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this special feast day as we rejoice in this celebration of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, rejoicing in the memory of the birth of this great saint and servant of God, let us also therefore remember everything that he had done for the sake of God’s people, the dedication and zeal with which he had carried out his mission, in embracing the call and the mission that God had entrusted to him, and which he carried out fervently and humbly, as when he was asked if he was the Messiah, he immediately told them that he was not the Messiah, but rather merely the one who prepared the way for the coming of the Saviour. Let us all discern our own path in life, and see how each one of us can be inspired to follow in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist, in all that he had done as a faithful disciple of the Lord. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called to various missions and ministries, given the opportunities and the talents, the gifts of abilities and other means to reach out to one another, and to proclaim God’s truth, love and hope to our world today. Every one of us should be inspired by the examples that St. John the Baptist has shown us, and we should walk in his footsteps as faithful disciples of the Lord. May the Lord continue to guide each and every one of us to be ever more faithful and committed to Him, and may He continue to bless us and strengthen us with faith, such that we may continue to serve Him in our own various capacities and opportunities with zeal and dedication, inspired by what His saints, especially that of St. John the Baptist, had shown us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful to our baptismal calling and may St. John the Baptist, Holy Herald of the Lord and His faithful servant, continue to pray and intercede for us all, that God may continue to guide and strengthen each and every one of us in our lives and in our works, so that we may truly be worthy of Him, and be committed in living our lives most worthily and faithfully in all things, in our every words, actions and deeds, at all times. May God bless us all, in our every good efforts and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 all greatness, You sanctified Saint John the Baptist in the womb, and You continued to pour forth Your grace upon him throughout his life. He responded to You and fulfilled his glorious mission. I thank You for the sanctification given to me by my Baptism and strengthened through Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Help me to be open to all the graces You wish to bestow so that I may fulfill the unique mission given to me. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint John the Baptist ~ Pray for us🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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, and fruitful week 🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 23, 2024

Greetings, beloved family and Happy Sunday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time!

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

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 | June 23, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 23, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 23, 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, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | June 23, 2024
Reading 1, Job 38:1, 8-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31
Reading 2, Second Corinthians 5:14-17
Gospel, Mark 4:35-41

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

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

Gospel Reading ~ Mark 4:35–41

Who is this whom even wind and sea obey?

“On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples were struck by a great storm in the Sea of Galilee which battered their boat and threatened them with all the winds and the waves, all of which were greatly dangerous, and the disciples were all panicking, thinking that they would drown in that place with all that went against them. When they awakened the Lord, He rebuked them for their lack of faith in Him, their lack of trust in God’s power and providence, and then went on to calm the waves and the storm with the mere power of His words and will. During the storm, the disciples said to Jesus, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down’. The panic of the disciples stands in sharp contrast to the attitude of Jesus – ‘in the stern, His head on a cushion, asleep’. The panic of the disciples revealed their anxiety that the chaos of the storm would overwhelm them; the sleep of Jesus indicated His deep conviction that all would be well. Different people can react to crises in different ways. Some remain calm and others go to pieces. In a crisis we need at least some people to remain calm and to have a calming influence on everybody else. This occasion is a reminder for us all, that God is always with His Church, represented and symbolised by that boat that was floating and battered by the great waves and the wind. The disciples were representing all of us, all the holy people of God, the members and parts of God’s Church. Those winds and great waves represent the great obstacles, trials and challenges which were facing us all in the Church, all the oppositions, persecutions and hardships that many among the faithful had to face. All those challenges and obstacles may indeed seem to be very daunting and terrible, scary and seemingly insurmountable, but we must never lose faith in the Lord, and remain firmly faithful in Him. We must not lose heart and give in to the temptations and challenges, or else, we may end up losing everything. According to the Gospel reading, the disciples undoubtedly learned something important from their traumatic experience on the Sea of Galilee. The storm made them question more deeply, ‘Who then is this?’ The church has had to grapple with many painful questions in recent times. A weakened, vulnerable church can come to recognize in a new way its total dependence on the Lord. When all is not well, we learn to seek the Lord with greater passion, like the disciples in the boat, rather than presuming that we already know Him. Difficult and painful times can deepen the church’s relationship with the Lord.

In our first reading today from the Book of Job, the Lord spoke to His servant Job, who had been afflicted greatly by many misfortunes affecting his property, family and personal health due to the attacks from the evil one, Satan, who wanted to test Job’s faith and trust in God. Job suffered greatly, but earlier on in the Book of Job, he did not waver in his faith and remained steadfast in trusting the Lord, not allowing all those misfortunes from tempting and misleading him down the path of rebellion and disobedience against God. He did not give in to despair, and while he struggled amidst the trials and challenges that he had faced, he continued to follow the Lord faithfully and blamed himself more for the misfortunes that he had faced. This was where God reminded Job of the vastness of His mysteries and all the things that were hidden from human understanding and perception, as something that is beyond our capacity and ability to know and understand. God told Job that He has the power and dominion over all things, and everything in this world happened because of what He has willed to be, and nothing is ever beyond His reach and ability. This is why through these words and reminders, we are also called to heed the fact that we must always put our faith and trust in the Lord, and we must never lose hope and the focus on Him, as it is in Him alone that we can find lasting and true peace that endures and saves.

In our second reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in the city of Corinth, the Apostle spoke of the salvation which everyone has received from the Lord through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, the Son of God, through Whom God had revealed His salvation to everyone, so that through His Son, all of us mankind, who have once been separated from Him, may find the sure path to be reunited once again with Him. It was indeed a great mystery of God’s salvation and saving works among His people that He has sent none other than His own Beloved and begotten Son to be Our Saviour, and through the amazing manner by which He had done so, in lovingly bearing for our sake, our many burdens and the punishments for our sins and wickedness. Again, we are all reminded that our hope is in the Lord, which He has made clear through His Son, through Christ’s Light and Hope, which has illuminated our path in the darkness surrounding us, all the evils and wickedness, the power of sin and corruption that have surrounded and dominated us all these while. Despite all these things arrayed against us and all the challenges and trials that we have to face in our path and journey, but God reminds us all that in Him alone that there is truly the path to eternal life and true happiness. Separated from God, we truly have nothing and we cannot persist amidst all the challenges and trials facing us, and without Him as the anchor of our lives, we will easily be swept away by the destructive forces and waves of sin, evil and wickedness around us.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, all of us are reminded that in God alone we have hope and salvation, and as His people, we must always have this strong faith and trust in Him, believing that it is in Him that we shall always have the assurance of true happiness and eternal glory, all of which shall be ours if we remain steadfast in our dedication and commitment to God. We need to have faith and trust in the Lord even when we are encountering difficulties, challenges, trials and tribulations, as it is during all those period of challenges that we often lose our faith in God and ended up veering off into the path towards destruction and damnation. This is why we are all reminded this Sunday that we must always stay steadfast to this faith that we have in the Lord. All of us are reminded that we must always establish our lives and our livelihood, our actions and everything in our lives upon the firm foundation that God alone can provide us. It has certainly been too often that we have been disappointed again and again by the many worldly means and provisions which had been our staple and our means of survival, and yet, none of those could truly provide us with true and lasting satisfaction and happiness besides that of the Lord and His loving providence. That is why we are reminded again and again this day that we should always strive to put God at the centre and as the focus of our whole lives and existence. May the Lord continue to be with us all, His beloved people and His Church, and may He empower each and every one of us so that by our whole lives, our actions and by our examples, we may always be good role models in leading and inspiring more and more people to be ever more faithful to the Lord, to commit themselves to Him and to do His will, as we have all been called to do. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may bless our every efforts and endeavours, and may He be with His Church, and grant us all His strength and grace, now and always. Amen 🙏

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ETHELDREDA (AUDREY), VIRGIN; SAINT MARY OF OIGNIES, RELIGIOUS AND SAINT JOSEPH CAFASSO, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 23RD Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Etheldreda (Audrey), Virgin; Saint Mary of Oignies, Religious and Saint Joseph Cafasso, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick, especially those who are sick with diseases of the throat, seizures and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, we pray for their divine healing. We also pray for all expectant mothers and those seeking for the fruit of the womb. We pray for the poor and needy, for justice, peace and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏

SAINT ETHELDREDA (AUDREY), VIRGIN: St. Etheldreda or Audrey (636-679) is the most popular of Anglo-Saxon women saints, an Anglo-Saxon queen and founder of a double monastery at Ely, who took a vow of celibacy despite being married twice. St. Etheldreda was born c. 636 near Newmarket, Suffolk. This holy virgin was the third daughter of Annas, the saintly King of East Anglia. Three of her sisters, Sexburga, Ethelburga, and Withburga, are numbered among the Saints. To comply with the desire of her parents she married Prince Tonbert, but she remained a virgin, for they lived in perpetual continence, it was said that the marriage was never consummated. After three years, her husband died and she was widowed. She lived a secluded life of contemplation for five years. She had taken a perpetual vow of virginity, but married again, this time for reasons of state. The Saint’s fame reached the ears of Egfrid, the King of Northumberland, who extorted her consent to marry him.

With her second husband she lived, as she had done with the first, more as his sister than as his wife, devoting her time to the exercises of devotion and charity. Her young husband soon grew tired of living as brother and sister and began to make advances on her. She continually refused. He eventually attempted to bribe the local bishop, Saint Wilfrid of York, to release St. Audrey from her vows. Saint Wilfrid refused, and helped Audrey escape. She fled south, with her husband following. They reached a promontory known as Colbert’s Head, where a heaven sent seven day high tide separated the two. Eventually, Audrey’s husband left and married someone more willing, while Audrey took the veil, after twelve years of weddedlife, upon the advice of St. Wilfrid and more or less with her husband’s consent, she embraced the religious life. She retired to the monastery of Coldinghan near Berwick, where she lived in obedience to the Abbes, St. Ebba. In the year 672, St. Etheldreda returned to the Isle of Ely and founded a monastery, the great abbey of Ely, where she lived an austere life. Her life henceforward was one of great austerity and perfection. She became a model of virtue to all he Sisters. Suffering were her delight. She thanked God when, in her last sickness, she had much to suffer, she had an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck, which she gratefully accepted as Divine retribution for all the necklaces she had worn in her early years. After the lingering illness she expired in peace on June 23, 679 at her monastery in 679 where she had been abbess for seven years. She’s Patron Saint of throat and neck complaints.

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

SAINT MARY OF OIGNIES, RELIGIOUS: St. Mary of Oignies (1167-1213) was born in Belgium (Nivelles in the diocese of Liege) to a wealthy family in 1167. But while still very young, she rejected everything childish or vain — games, beautiful clothing, ornaments. From her early youth Mary felt called to the religious life, but she entered into an arranged marriage to a virtuous young lord at age 14. despite her desire to be a nun. Her holy life caused admiration in her spouse and decided him to follow her examples; and together they resolved to practice continence for life, to distribute their wealth to the poor and consecrate themselves to works of piety. She convinced her husband to live chastely, and to turn their home into a leper hospice, after giving away much of her fortune to the poor as she could, St. Mary spent her days caring for lepers. The demon tried every artifice to make them relent in their holy resolution, but failed. They drew down on themselves the most abundant blessings, as well as sarcasms and insults from the worldly.

St. Mary had the gift of tears, and could not look at a crucifix without breaking into a torrent of tears or being ravished in ecstasy. When a priest told her to cease these exhibitions, she asked God to make him understand that it is not possible for a creature to arrest tears which the Holy Spirit obliges to well up. And the priest, that same day while saying his Mass, began to shed so many tears that the altar cloths and his vestments were wet with them. She had a great devotion to Saint John the Evangelist and conversed with him as well as with her Guardian Angel. Noted for visions, especially of Saint John and her guardian angel, ecstacies, prophecies, and psychic gifts; she ate no meat, dressed exclusively in white, may have been a stigmatist, and reported cut off pieces of her flesh to rid herself of desire for the world. By vision and revelation she often knew the temptations and secrets of the hearts of the persons who consulted her. She converted many, obtained graces by her prayers for the living and especially for the dead, for whom she offered prayers and sacrifices, and suffered various illnesses with invincible patience. Her many visitors made her life of contemplation difficult, and she decided to change her residence. Later in life, with the permission of her husband, she moved into a hermit‘s cell near the Augustinian house at Oignies, France and spent the rest of her life there, where she lived in retreat amidst her heavenly favors and conversations,  praying for souls in Purgatory, and giving advice to would-be spiritual students. She saw the place destined for her in heaven, and gave up her holy soul surrounded by angelic songs of bliss on June 23, 1213. The faithful who have addressed her were so impressed with the value of her intercession that her relics became the object of great respect. Buried at Oignies, her remains in 1609 were placed in a silver reliquary in its parish church of Our Lady; in 1817 they were transferred to the Church of Saint Nicolas at Nivelle, near her birthplace. She’s Patron Saint of women in labor and against fever.

St. Mary of Oignies, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT JOSEPH CAFASSO, PRIEST: St. Joseph Cafasso (1811–1860) was born in Castelnuovo d’Asti, Italy, to a peasant family near the city of Turin. Four years later, one of his most famous students St. John Bosco (feast day – March 31) was born in the same town. St. Joseph was born with a physical deformity of the spine, which caused him to grow into a stunted and crippled man for life. But he had loving parents who were willing to make big sacrifices so Joseph could study in Turin to become a priest. Discerning a call to Holy Orders, he entered the seminary in Turin where he later met another famous saint—John Bosco. St. Joseph talked to him at the church in 1827 when John was twelve. St. Joseph taught St. John Bosco and encouraged him in his mission to minister to the town’s impoverished street youth.  At that time Joseph was studying at the seminary to become a priest. After they talked, the excited John ran all the way home. “Mom, Mom,” John called, “I met him, I met him!” “Who?” his mother asked. “Joseph Cafasso, mother. He’s a saint, I tell you.” Mrs. Bosco smiled and nodded gently.

In 1833, St. Joseph was ordained a priest. He began his priestly work and went to an excellent school of theology (religious studies) for priests. When Father Cafasso graduated, he became a theology professor at the college in Turin. He taught many young priests over the years. They could tell that he really loved them. St. Joseph was an excellent professor of moral theology, as well as a famed preacher and confessor. He performed his duties so well that he became known as the “Priest’s Priest.” He spent entire days preaching in prisons, offering comfort to the prisoners, hearing their confessions, and even advocating to improve the poor conditions of the prison. For this work he also earned the name, “Priest of the Gallows.” Father Cafasso was known as the priest who believed in the gentle and loving mercy of God. His kindness gave people courage and hope. He guided many priests, religious and lay people. He helped John Bosco begin his great priestly work with boys and guided him in starting his religious order known as the Salesians. Father Cafasso directed other founders, too.

There were many social needs in Father Cafasso’s time. One of the most urgent was the prison system. Prison conditions were disgusting and he worked hard to improve them. But what most moved Father Cafasso was the custom of hanging in public, prisoners sentenced to death. Father Cafasso went to them and heard their confessions. He stayed with them, telling them of God’s love and mercy until they died. He helped over sixty prisoners who repented and died in the peace of Jesus. Father Cafasso called them his “hanged saints.” Father Cafasso also became the pastor of St. Francis Church in 1848. He was a wonderful example for people to follow promoting devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He also did some great works in the Church. Father Cafasso died on June 23, 1860. His faithful friend, St. John Bosco, preached the homily at his funeral. The life of this saint was marked by kindness and understanding of the people of his time. St. Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of prisoners, prisons, and prison chaplains. His feast day is June 23rd.

PRAYER: We humbly ask you, almighty God, that at the intercession of  blessed Joseph Cafasso  you may multiply your gifts among us  and order our days in peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 sleeping Lord, as I endure the many storms of life, may I always have faith in the saving power of Your Cross and Resurrection. May I always call upon You to calm the storms and hear You speak to me the many truths I need to hear. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Etheldreda (Audrey), Saint Mary of Oignies and Saint Joseph Cafasso ~ Pray for us🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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 and grace-filled Sunday and week 🙏

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

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

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

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

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 | June 22, 2024 |

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

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

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

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 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, Saturday, June 22, 2024
Reading 1, Second Chronicles 24:17-25
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
Gospel, Matthew 6:24-34

SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PAULINUS OF NOLA, BISHOP; SAINTS JOHN FISHER, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND THOMAS MORE, MARTYR AND SAINT ALBAN, MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 22ND Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop; Saints John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr and Thomas More, Martyr and Saint Alban, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and  the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, we  particularly pray for those who are sick and dying, those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests during this Novena, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏

SAINT PAULINUS OF NOLA, BISHOP: St. Paulinus was born of a patrician
Senatorial Roman family at Bordeaux, Gaul, in present-day France during 354. Saint Paulinus of Nola gave up his life in politics to become a monk, a bishop, and a revered Christian poet of the 5th century. Born at Bordeaux in present-day France during 354, Paulinus came from an illustrious family in the Roman imperial province of Aquitania. He received his literary education from the renowned poet and professor Ausonius, and eventually rose to the rank of governor in the Italian province of Campania. Not yet baptized or a believer in Christ, St. Paulinus was nonetheless struck by the Campanians’ devotion to the martyr Saint Felix at his local shrine. He took the initiative to build a road for pilgrims, as well as a hospice for the poor near the site of St. Felix’s veneration. But Paulinus grew dissatisfied with his civil position, leaving Campania and returning to his native region from 380 to 390. He also married a Spanish Catholic woman named Therasia. St. Paulinus’ wife, Therasia, along with Bishop Delphinus of Bordeaux, and St. Martin the Bishop of Tours, guided him toward conversion.

St. Paulinus and his brother were baptized on the same day by Bishop Delphinus. But it was not long into his life as a Christian, that two shattering upheavals took place. St. Paulinus’ infant son, his only child died shortly after birth; and when St. Paulinus’ brother also died, he was accused in his murder. After these catastrophes, St. Paulinus and Therasia mutually agreed to embrace monasticism, living in poverty and chastity. Around 390, they both moved to Spain given away their considerable wealth. Approximately five years after his change of residence and lifestyle, the residents of Barcelona arranged for St. Paulinus’ ordination as a priest. During 395 he returned to the Italian city of Nola, where he and his wife both continued to live in chastity as monks. St. Paulinus made important contributions to the local church, particularly in the construction of basilicas. In 409, the monk was consecrated as the city’s bishop. St. Paulinus served as the Bishop of Nola for two decades. He gave his people not only an example of virtue but also wise guidance during the ravages and calamities of the Gothic invasion. His gifts as a poet and composer of hymns were matched by his knowledge of Scripture, generosity toward the poor, and devotion to the saints who had preceded him – especially St. Felix, whose intercession he regarded as central to his conversion. Praised by the likes of St. Augustine and St. Jerome for the depth of his conversion to Christ, the Bishop of Nola was regarded as a saint even before his death on the evening of June 22, 431 at the age of 78, and was buried at Nola near the tomb of St. Felix.

PRAYER: God, You willed that St. Paulinus, Your Bishop, should shine forth with pastoral solicitude and compassion for the poor. Help us who celebrate his merits to imitate the example of his charity. Amen 🙏

SAINTS JOHN FISHER, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND THOMAS MORE, MARTYR: St. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester and St. Thomas More were martyrs against tyranny. St. John Fisher and his friend St. Thomas More gave up their lives in testimony to the unity of the Church and to the indissolubility of Marriage. St. John martyred on June 22, 1535, Tower of London and St. Thomas martyred on July 6, 1535. St. John was Canonized with Saint Thomas More in 1935.

SAINT JOHN FISHER, BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. John Fisher was born in Beverly, Yourkshine, in 1459. He studied Theology in Cambridge (England) and received his Master of Arts degree in 1491. He occupied the vicarage of Northallerton, 1491-1494; then he became proctor of Cambridge University. In 1497, he was appointed confessor to Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and became closely associated in her endowments to Cambridge. He created scholarships, introduced Greek and Hebrew into the curriculum, and brought in the world- famous Erasmus as Professor of Divinity and Greek. In 1504, St. John became Bishop of Rochester and Chancellor of Cambridge, in which capacity he also tutored Prince Henry who was to become Henry VIII. St. John was dedicated to the welfare of his diocese and his university. From 1527, this humble servant of God actively opposed the King’s divorce proceeding against Catharine, his wife in the sight of God, and steadfastly resisted the encroachment of Henry on the Church. Unlike the other Bishops of the realm, St. John refused to take the oath of succession, which acknowledged the issue of Henry and Anne as the legitimate heir to the throne, and he was imprisoned in the Tower in April 1534. The next year he was made a Cardinal by Paul III, and Henry retaliated by having him beheaded within a month. A half-hour before execution, this dedicated scholar and churchman opened his New Testament for the last time and his eyes fell on the following words St. John’s Gospel: “Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ. I have given You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do. Do You now, Father, give Me glory at Your side” (17:3-5). Closing the book, he observed: “There is enough learning in that to last me the rest of my life.” His friend, Thomas More, wrote of him, ‘I reckon in this realm no one man, in wisdom, learning and long approved virtue together, meet to be matched and compared with him.’ St. John was martyred on June 22, 1535, Tower of London and was canonized in 1935 by Pope Pius XI. He’s the Patron Saint of those persecuted for the Faith.

SAINT THOMAS MORE, MARTYR: St. Thomas More (1478–1535) was born in London England in 1478, the son of a lawyer and judge. He was educated in the finest schools and became a brilliant English statesman. After a thorough grounding in religion and the classics, he entered Oxford to study law. Upon leaving the university he embarked on a legal career that took him to Parliament. In 1505, he married his beloved Jane Colt who bore him four children, and when she died at a young age he married a widow, Alice Middleton, to be a mother for his young children. A wit and a reformer, this learned man numbered Bishops and scholars among his friends, and by 1516 wrote his world-famous book Utopia. King Henry VIII appointed St. Thomas to a succession of high posts, and finally made him Lord Chancellor in 1529. However, he resigned in 1532, at the height of his career and reputation, when Henry persisted in holding his own opinions regarding marriage and the supremacy of the Pope. As a family man and a public servant, his life was a rare synthesis of human sensitivity and Christian wisdom. The rest of Thomas’s life was spent in writing mostly in defense of the Church. In 1534, with his close friend, St. John Fisher, he refused to render allegiance to the King as the Head of the Church of England and was confined. Fifteen months later, and nine days after St. John Fisher’s execution, he was tried and convicted of treason. He told court that he could no go against his conscience and wished his judges that “we may yet hereafter in heaven merrily all met together to everlasting salvation.” And on the scaffold he told the crowd of spectators that he was dying as “the King’s good servant—but God’s first.” He was beheaded on July 6, 1535, and canonized in 1935 by Pope Pius XI. St. Thomas More is the Patron Saint of lawyers; statesmen and politicians (declared in 2000 by St. John Paul II); Adopted children; diocese of Arlington, Virginia; civil servants; court clerks; difficult marriages; large families;  diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee Florida; politicos; step-parents; widowers.

PRAYER: God, You consummated the form of the true faith in martyrdom. Through the intercession of Sts. John and Thomas, grant that we may confirm by the testimony of our lives that faith which we profess with our tongues. Amen🙏

SAINT ALBAN, MARTYR: He was the first Christian martyr in Britain during the early 4th century. He was a citizen of Verulam, although he was not a man of faith, St. Alban was very hospitable and compassionate. As a soldier, he sheltered a persecuted priest, Amphibalus, during a time when Christians were being put to death in Britain. The priest’s faith and piety struck St. Alban, as well as his dedication to prayer. Alban soon converted to Christianity by the persecuted priest, Amphibalus whom he sheltered in his house. It was not long until the Roman authorities caught up with Amphibalus. However, Alban’s new-found faith would not allow him to let the authorities arrest the priest. In an effort to help the priest escape, he switched clothes with the priest. St. Alban was caught and ordered to renounce his faith. St. Alban refused to worship idols, and when asked to state his name, answered “My name is Alban, and I worship and adore the only true and living God, who created all things.” And to this day, St. Alban’s prayer is used in St Alban’s Abbey: “I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things.”

When St. Alban refused to renounce his beliefs, the magistrate ordered that he should receive the punishment intended for the escaped priest. Upon this ruling, Alban was led out of Verulamium and up the hillside where he was tortured and beheaded. The person first selected to execute St. Alban heard his testimony and converted on the spot. After refusing to kill Alban, he was executed as well. A number of other conversions are claimed to have happened thanks to the witness of St. Alban’s martyrdom, specifically on behalf of spectators of his execution. Finally, when the priest learned that Alban was arrested in his place, he turned himself in, hoping to save Alban’s life. But that wasn’t the case. The priest was killed as well. St. Alban was executed on Holmhurst Hill. On that spot King Offa erected the Benedictine abbey of St. Alban’s by which name Verulam has since been known. The town where he was born was also renamed after him. St. Alban died in 303 in England. St. Alban is venerated as the proto-martyr of Britain. For centuries, the shrine of St. Alban in the abbey has been a destination for pilgrimages, and remains so today. He’s the Patron Saint of converts, refugees, torture victims.

Saint Alban’s Prayer: Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today, Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB |
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062224.cfm

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 6:24-34

“Do not worry about tomorrow”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will He not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is not saying ‘don’t ever worry about anything’. The focus of worry in the Gospel reading is food, drink and clothing, and the worry in question is excessive worry or preoccupation. Jesus makes reference in the reading to ‘the pagans who set their hearts on all these things’. The issue is setting our hearts on what is not of ultimate importance. Jesus must have worried about His disciples, especially when they did not seem to be fully receptive to His message. There is, however, a certain kind of worry that can take over our lives and leave us with very little freedom to attend to others. This seems to be the kind of worry that Jesus warns against in today’s Gospel reading, a fretful preoccupation about what is not of ultimate importance. We can be overly worried about food and clothing; we can fret about what we don’t yet possess. Jesus calls on us to have the kind of trusting relationship with God that preserves us from being unnecessarily anxious and fretful. He wants us to trust that God will look after us, just as He looks after the flowers of the field and the birds of the air, and, we, of course, are even more precious in His sight than those. There is a healthy worry that is of value, but there is also an unhealthy worry that Jesus is warning against and that shows a lack of trust in God as our loving and caring Father. At the end of the Gospel reading, Jesus suggests what we need to be anxious about, namely, God’s kingdom and His righteousness, the coming of God’s kingdom and the way of life that creates a space for its coming. Jesus says that if we give this the priority it deserves, then God will see to it that all our other needs will be met.

Our first reading today from the second Book of Chronicles of Israel and Judah details the story of the development in the kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Joash of Judah. In the earlier reading yesterday before today’s reading, this king by the grace of God had been saved from the massacre done by her grandmother, Queen Athaliah of Judah who usurped power from the House of David. God restored him and the House of David to power through the efforts and works of one faithful priest, Jehoiada, who helped and guided King Joash throughout the early years of his reign, ensuring that he and the people obeyed the Lord’s commandments and Law, and to live righteously and faithfully in God’s path. However, in today’s first reading, the moment the faithful Jehoiada passed away, King Joash was persuaded by his courtiers, nobles and advisors to carry out actions and practices that were against God’s Law and commandments, and the people once again began worshipping pagan gods and idols once again as they had done before. The people slipped once again back to their old wicked ways because they allowed themselves to be tempted by the many temptations, pressures, coercions and the allures of worldly pleasures, fame and glory being present all around them. All these were the reasons why God then raised the son of Jehoiada, named Zechariah to speak up against the King. But neither Zechariah nor the other prophets sent by the Lord to His people were able to persuade the King and all the others who had veered off from the path of righteousness and virtue. And not only that, the King and the others plotted against Zechariah and stoned the righteous man of God at the courtyard, committing murder against the Lord’s servant, a truly heinous and wicked act, and especially for the King, it was a total lack of appreciation and gratitude that he committed against the late Jehoiada, who had helped to shelter and protect the King himself in his youth, and raised him back to power, when this same King slaughtered Jehoiada’s son when the latter tried to advice and remind him to stay true to the Lord’s path as he should have done. Eventually, the retribution would come for the wicked, as the King and his forces, presumably all those who have committed the murder of Zechariah and led the people of God into sin, were crushed and routed by the forces of the Aramaeans, who wounded the King, and eventually, this same King Joash would be plotted against and killed by the other officers who disagreed with him, much in the same way that he had plotted the death of Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son. It was also mentioned in the Scriptures that he was not given burial in the place reserved to the kings of Israel and Judah, which was a clear sign that the king’s wickedness and vile actions were truly abominable and despised even after his death.

As we reflect on the words of the Scriptures today, we are all reminded clearly that as God’s holy and beloved people, each and every one of us must always be guided by God in all of our ways, in all of our words, actions and deeds, or else, we will find that it is easy for us to be persuaded, tempted and swayed into evil and wicked path in life, into actions that are contrary to the will and commandments of God. We will be dragged by all those temptations and wickedness into the ways that lead us into destruction and eternal damnation, rather than righteousness and salvation in God. Having witnessed and heard the great lives of the Holy Saints and Martyrs, let us all therefore do our best so that in our own respective lives, we may continue to live our lives worthily as Christians, as God’s holy and beloved people, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will always do our best to put God first and foremost in all things. We are all reminded that we should not allow the temptations and wickedness of this world to distract and mislead us down the path of ruin and damnation, and we are reminded to remain ever strong and faithful in our journey towards the Lord. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us all, now and always. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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 Lord and God, You are worthy of all of my love. You and You alone must become the single focus of all of my love. As I love You, dear Lord, help me to discover all that Your will directs me to love more and all that Your will calls me to detach from. May I choose only You and that which is contained in Your holy and perfect will. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Paulinus of Nola; Saints John Fisher and Thomas More and Saint Alban ~ Pray for us🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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 💖

ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 21, 2024

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

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

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 | June 21, 2024 |

Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 21, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 21, 2024 |

Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 21, 2024 |

Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 21, 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, Friday, June 21, 2024
Reading 1, Second Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18
Gospel, Matthew 6:19-23

SAINT OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (JESUIT SEMINARIAN) ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 21ST Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious (Jesuit Seminarian). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all Youths, for Seminarian and the sick and dying, we  particularly pray for those who are sick with cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏

SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (JESUIT SEMINARIAN): St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568–1591) was born on the 9th of March, 1568 to a noble Italian family, the eldest of seven children of Ferdinand Gonzaga, Marquis of Castiglione, his father was a compulsive gambler. The first words he pronounced were the holy names of Jesus and Mary. He grew up in a castle and and was destined for the military, he was trained from a very young age of four to be a soldier and courtier. At the age of eight he served in the court of Grand Duke Francesco I de’ Medici. He was baptized in the womb, because his life was in danger.  As a young boy, St. Aloysius always had a great desire to know and serve God, but his family life was not always supportive of this desire. At the age of nine Gonzaga made a private vow of chastity, a vow of perpetual virginity, and by a special grace was always exempted from temptations against purity. As a safeguard against sexual temptation he always kept his eyes downcast in the presence of women. St. Aloysius encountered many holy people in his lifetime; he received his first Communion from St. Charles Borromeo and studied under St. Robert Bellarmine. As a teen, he suffered from a kidney disease and in the process of recovery spent time in spiritual reading and prayer. He considered the disease a blessing, as it left him with plenty of time for prayer. At an early age he resolved to leave the world, and in a vision was directed by our Blessed Lady to join the Society of Jesus. At 18 he signed away his legal claim to his title and his family’s lands and entered the Jesuits. When St. Aloysius Gonzaga announced his intention to become a Jesuit, the Saint’s mother rejoiced on learning his determination to become a religious, but his father for three years refused his consent. Although his family wanted him to be a secular priest so that they could buy him a bishopric. However, he chose to become a Jesuit and at length Saint Aloysius obtained permission to enter the novitiate on November 25, 1585.

He pronounced his vows after two years, and studied, as was customary, philosophy and theology. A fervent penitent at all times, he was accustomed to say that he doubted whether without penance grace could continue to make headway against nature, which, when not afflicted and chastised, tends gradually to relapse into its unredeemed state, and thereby loses the habit of suffering. I am a crooked piece of iron, he said, and have come into religion to be made straight by the hammer of mortification and penance. While he was studying in Rome, during his last year of theology a malignant fever broke out in Rome. St. Aloysius volunteered to care for the sick during the outbreak of the plague, despite the delicateness of his own health. The Saint offered himself for the service of the sick, and was accepted for the dangerous duty. Several of the religious contracted the fever, and  St. Aloysius was among them. He was at the point of death but recovered, only to relapse a little later into a slow fever, which after three months his fragile health could no longer resist. He died at the age of twenty-three, repeating the Holy Name, a little after midnight between the 20th and 21st of June, 1591 on the octave day of Corpus Christi. He died before completing his priestly studies. St. Aloysius was connected with two great figures of the Counter-Reformation: he received his First Holy Communion at the age of twelve from St. Charles Borromeo, and his Last Rites from St. Robert Bellarmine, both of whom served as his spiritual advisers. On the night of his death, St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi had a vision of him being received into great glory. In the sick, the helpless, the dying, St. Aloysius saw the crucified Christ. The man of the iron will who thought he could take Heaven by sheer determination surrendered at last to divine grace. St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the Patron Saint of youth and bodily purity; AIDS care-givers; AIDS patients; Catholic youth; Jesuit students; relief from pestilence; sore eyes; teenage children; teenagers; young people; now might be a patron of those who tend COVID-19 patients, our modern day plague. His feast day is June 21st.

Saint Aloysius’ Act of Dedication to the Virgin Mary: O Holy Mary, my Mother, into your blessed trust and custody, and into the care of your mercy I this day, every day, and in the hour of my death, commend my soul and body. To you I commit all my anxieties and miseries, my life and end of my life, that by your most holy intercession and by your merits all my actions may be directed and disposed according to your will  and that of your Divine Son… Amen🙏

PRAYER: God, Author of all heavenly gifts, You gave St. Aloysius both a wonderful innocence of life and a deep spirit of penance. Through his merits grant that we may imitate his penitence… Amen🙏

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

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

Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 6:19-23

“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”

“Jesus said to His disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus contrasts two kinds of treasures, treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. He implies that treasures on earth are vulnerable to all kinds of external forces, such as the actions of the thief. In contrast, treasures in heaven are totally secure. Elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus speaks of being rich in the sight of God, which is equivalent to storing up treasures in heaven. Jesus is saying that it is not earthly treasures and possessions that make our life secure but being rich in the sight of God. The one person who was supremely rich in the sigh of God was His Son, Jesus, and we are rich in the sight of God to the extent that we are becoming conformed to the image of His Son, in the language of Saint Paul. Jesus shows us what being rich in the sight of God looks like. Rather than storing up treasures for Himself on earth, He emptied Himself in the service of others. He gave Himself away for others and this self-giving reached its completion on the cross. As He hung from the cross, He was supremely poor in the eyes of the world, but supremely rich in the sight of God. Insofar as we allow the risen Lord to live out His self-giving love in our lives, we too will be rich in the sight of God and our lives will be truly secure.

Jesus in today’s Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount invite us to ask the question, ‘Where does our treasure lie?’ ‘What is it that we truly treasure?’ As Jesus makes a contrast between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven, He calls on us to store up treasures in heaven rather than treasures on earth. What does it mean to store up treasures in heaven? According to the Gospels, Jesus speaks about being rich in the sight of God, as distinct from being rich in worldly terms. We are rich in the sight of God when we use our possessions in the service of others, to promote their well-being. The Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan is a good example of such a person. He had earthly resources; mention is made of oil, wine, a horse, money. That would suggest he was reasonably well-off in the culture of the time. Yet, he used his earthly treasures to store up treasure in heaven, to become rich in the sight of God, by placing them at the disposal of someone from whom everything had been taken and who was literally at death’s door. This is what Jesus had referred to a little earlier in this Sermon on the Mount as letting our light shine in the sight of all, so that, seeing our good works, they may give praise to God in heaven. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says, ‘where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’. The Samaritan treasured the broken man lying by the road side more than he treasured his possessions, and, so, his heart was moved by his plight. He is very much the Jesus figure we are all called to grow up into. Jesus continues to call on us to store up treasures in heaven rather than treasures on earth.

Our first reading today from the Second Book of Kings of Israel and Judah details the story of the usurpation done by Queen Athaliah of Judah, at the time when the Queen Mother Athaliah attempted and successfully managed to seize power in the kingdom for herself after her son, King Ahaziah of Judah was killed by Jehu, the new King of Israel appointed by God. King Ahaziah perished partly because of his sins, in his failures to bring the people of God to obey God’s Law and commandments, but his mother Athaliah committed an even greater sin and wickedness before God and man alike, she attempted to eradicate the entirety of the descendants of her son, and the extended family in order to secure power for herself.bThrough all of that, Athaliah had committed a truly grave sin before God, for the murders that she had carried out not just one but so many innocent people, not sparing even women and children on this. Why did Athaliah do so? While the full reason and details were not highlighted in the records in the Scriptures but based on other comparable events and similar actions by other figures throughout history pointed to greed and desire for worldly power, glory, fame, ambition for more personal gains among other things. It was likely that Athaliah had one of these as her motive to carry out such heinous acts and wickedness. But through what we heard in these series of events in today’s reading, we are all reminded that God would always be with His beloved and faithful ones, and while challenges might come upon them, but they would be triumphant in the end. That was how we heard of the survival of Joash, one of the descendants of the late king and helped him to survive the massacre when all the other relatives and members of the royal family were purged and massacred. Joash was protected by God, saved and helped to be prepared as future king under the guidance of the priest Jehoiada, whom we heard then eventually orchestrating the return of the House of David to power. Through the support of the people and others who disliked Queen Athaliah’s authoritarian rule, that was how Queen Athaliah met her ignominious end, overthrown and punished to death for all the wicked deeds which she had done all those years ago. King Joash of Judah ascended to the throne and restored the rule of the House of David just as God intended it.

As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, each and every one of us are reminded that we are all called to focus our attention and our whole lives upon the Lord our God, Who should be the sole focus and reason of our existence. We should not easily allow ourselves to be swayed by the many temptations, coercions, pressures and desires present all around us that we lose our focus and sight on what is truly important, and forgetting that as Christians, we are God’s holy and beloved people, and we should always strive to be worthy of Him at all times, in all of our words, actions and deeds, in our every interactions and commitments in life. Let us all therefore do our best so that our lives may truly be holy and worthy of God, focusing on Him and not on the many temptations of worldly pleasures and all the other things which may tempt and distract us away from the path towards salvation and eternal life in God. Many of our predecessors had fallen into this path, as the earlier example of Queen Athaliah of Judah had shown us. God has given us all the means and the help to lead us towards righteousness in Him, and we should therefore follow the examples of our holy predecessors, like that of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, who we celebrate today, so that we may truly be good role models and inspirations for one another in our Christian faith and life. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord be with us always, and may He bless our every efforts and endeavours in life, and grant us His grace, now and forevermore. Amen 🙏

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.

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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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, 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. 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:

God of all glory, You and You alone are worthy of all my praise. Your will and Your will alone must become the foundation of all that I choose in life. Give me the spiritual insight I need to look deeply at all that motivates me and all of my most interior intentions in life. May all of my intentions and all of my actions have as their goal Your eternal glory. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious ~ Pray for us🙏

Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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 💖