FEAST OF THE DIVINE MATERNITY OF OUR LADY; SAINT JOHN XXIII, POPE AND SAINT TARACHUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOLY ROSARY FOR PEACE | PRAY WITH POPE LEO XIV | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN | OCTOBER 11, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-october-11-2025/

LIVE From St. Peter’s Square, prayer vigil for peace and recitation of the Holy Rosary led by Pope Leo XIV, within the context of the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality.

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 11, 2025

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MATERNITY OF OUR LADY; SAINT JOHN XXIII, POPE AND SAINT TARACHUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS | OCTOBER 11TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

(Direct link to the detailed history of the Feast of the Divine Maternity of Our Lady, Saint John XXIII, and Saint Tarachus and his Companions | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-october-11th/)

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | October 11, 2025 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-october-11-2025/

GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/

OCTOBER IS MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY | THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025: JUBILEE PRAYER | Link to the prayer of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/08/the-jubilee-prayer/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family.

Today, Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time, we joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us into the month of October. May this month bring us God’s blessings, peace, and joy in abundance. We pray for eternal repose of our loved ones who recently passed. May this month bring peace to troubled hearts, direction to the lost, comfort to the grieving, and strength to the weary. In all things, may His will be done and His name be glorified. Amen🙏🏽

Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past month. We entrust every day into Your hands, asking for Your blessings, guidance, and peace in our lives and families. May October be for us a season of renewed faith, deeper hope, and overflowing joy. We pray especially for all families, for children, parents, and teachers, that they may be strengthened and protected. Bless those who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new opportunities, and milestones this month, and comfort those who enter October with heavy hearts or struggles. Lord, go before us, walk beside us, and remain with us always, now and forever. Amen🙏🏽

Today, we humbly pray for the poor, abandoned, and those in need, for all those who are marginalized in our society. For those who are imprisoned, especially those who are unjustly imprisoned. We pray for charitable organizations, asking God’s blessing upon their mission and we lift our prayers for peace, love, justice and unity in our families, marriages and our world. May God protect us all and keep us safe and united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary on this special Feast day, we lift our prayers for the protection, safety and well-being of missionaries, pilots, and all travelers. We ask for healing for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, strength for the weary, peace in troubled homes, and provision for all in need. Guide our steps in righteousness, protect us from harm, and fill our hearts with faith, joy, and gratitude. May this month draw us closer to Your will, and may every day be a testimony of Your goodness and mercy in our lives. We begin this month with trust in Your unfailing love, Lord, and we surrender all that lies ahead into Your hands. Amen 🙏🏾

We continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest.

Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, mothers, workers, and all those who labor in this world. May the Lord bless the work of their hands, and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of October. 🙏🏽

We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our loved ones who recently passed away, and we continue to pray for the souls in Purgatory; lost souls. For the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4

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

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His Saints.” ~ Psalm 116:15

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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of October | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-october/

COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time | October 11, 2025
Reading 1: Joel 4:12–21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1–2, 5–6, 11–12
Gospel: Luke 11:27–28

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 11:27–28

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

“While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

In today’s Gospel reading, as Jesus was teaching the crowd, a woman in the crowd praises Jesus indirectly by pronouncing a beatitude on His mother. The woman lifted her voice in admiration and exclaimed, “Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed.” It was an expression of sincere praise, recognizing the greatness of Christ and the blessedness of His mother, Mary. Yet, in reply Jesus pronounces His own beatitude which focuses not on Himself or on His Mother but on all who hear God’s word and keep it. Jesus gently redirects the focus to a deeper truth: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Jesus does not reject the beatitude that the nameless woman in the crowd pronounced over His Blessed Mother Mary. However, He broadens the beatitude to embrace all who, like His Blessed Mother Mary, hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus’ own beatitude embraces all of us, insofar as we learn from Mary to surrender to God’s word, allowing God’s word to shape our lives. To hear and keep the word of God is to hear and keep the word of Jesus, because He is the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us. We spend our lives listening attentively to the Lord’s words to us and trying to live out His words in our day to day living.

In these few words of the Gospel, Jesus reveals that true blessedness is not found merely in natural relationships or external admiration, but in obedience to the Word of God. He honors His mother not by denying her, but by highlighting the reason she is truly blessed because she listened to God’s Word and lived by it in perfect faith. Blessed Mary’s greatness lies not only in giving birth to the Savior but in her unwavering “yes” to God’s will. Indeed, it was because Mary heard God’s word, addressed to her by the Angel Gabriel, and then surrendered to that word, that she became the mother of Jesus. Her listening and keeping of God’s word, expressed in her response to Gabriel, ‘Let it be to me according to your word’, is what Jesus draws attention to, because everything else, including her physical motherhood of Jesus, is based on that, and comes from it. We are all invited to look to Mary as the one who can show us what it means to hear God’s word and keep it. Yes, she is the physical mother of Jesus, but she is also the model disciple of Jesus, and it is above all from her that we can all learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. In so far as we hear the word of God and keep it as Mary did, we will give birth to Jesus in our own lives. Blessed Mary’s Son will live in and through us.

Today’s Gospel challenges us to move beyond admiration to imitation. It is not enough to recognize Christ’s greatness from afar; we must allow His Word to shape our lives. Hearing the Word without obedience leads to spiritual barrenness, but when the Word takes root in us through faith and action, it bears the fruit of holiness. Today, Jesus reminds us that every act of obedience, every moment we choose forgiveness over resentment, prayer over distraction, and compassion over indifference, draws us into the true blessedness of God’s Kingdom.

In the first reading, the prophet Joel paints a dramatic picture of divine judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, where the nations gather to face the Lord’s righteous verdict. Images of harvest, winepress, and overflowing vats symbolize the fullness of human deeds reaching their appointed time. The scene is both terrifying and hopeful, for while God’s justice is severe against evil, it is also a refuge for His faithful ones. Joel’s message echoes throughout history: the day of the Lord is near, a moment when God’s justice will shine and all hidden things will be revealed. Yet even amid trembling and chaos, the Lord promises restoration, “the mountains shall drip new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk.” It is a poetic vision of redemption, where judgment gives way to renewal. For the people of God, this passage is a reminder that His justice is not meant to destroy but to purify and renew the earth. Like the Israelites, we live in a time of decision, a valley where faithfulness or compromise defines our destiny. God calls us to conversion not out of fear, but out of love, inviting us to trust that His justice is always guided by mercy.

Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, the psalmist’s cry, “Rejoice in the Lord, you just!” perfectly complements Joel’s vision of divine victory. God’s reign is not one of oppression but of joy, justice, and light. “The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice!” declares the psalm, reminding us that when God’s righteousness prevails, creation itself celebrates. For those who live uprightly, light dawns even in dark times. The Lord’s justice is a source of security, not fear. He melts the mountains like wax before His presence, reminding us that no power can withstand His truth. As we journey through life’s trials, this psalm encourages us to take refuge in His holiness and to give thanks for His steadfast love that never fails the faithful.

As we meditate and reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we might ask ourselves: Do I seek to listen deeply to God’s Word and allow it to transform my actions, or do I only admire it from a distance? In moments of trial, do I trust God’s justice as a source of hope, or do I resist His refining work in my life? How can I cultivate a heart that, like Mary’s, treasures the Word and responds in humble obedience? And do I live with the joyful awareness that God reigns, even in the chaos of the world, bringing justice, mercy, and peace to those who remain steadfast in faith? As we reflect on God’s Word today, let us strive to be not only hearers but doers of His will. True blessedness comes from listening to the Word of God and keeping it alive in our hearts through faith and obedience. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace as we remain steadfast in faith and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth and may our lives bear witness to His truth, and may His justice and mercy flow through us to bring light and hope to others.🙏🏽

Heavenly Father, You are a just and merciful God, a refuge for all who trust in You. Teach us to hear Your Word with attentive hearts and to live it with faithful obedience. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we say “yes” to Your will in every circumstance. Help us to stand firm in holiness even when the world trembles around us, and to rejoice always in Your justice and truth. May Your Word bear fruit in our lives and draw us closer to the eternal joy of Your Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MATERNITY OF OUR LADY; SAINT JOHN XXIII, POPE; AND SAINT TARACHUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 11TH: Today, the Church joyfully celebrates the Feast of the Divine Maternity of Our Lady, honoring Mary as the Mother of God and the spiritual mother of all humanity. We also commemorate Saint John XXIII, Pope (Patron of Christian unity and peace), and Saint Tarachus and his Companions, Martyrs (models of steadfast faith in persecution). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother and these holy saints, we pray for mothers everywhere that they may be strengthened in love and faith. We remember the sick and suffering, especially those battling cancer and terminal illness; the poor, widows, and the homeless; and the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed. We pray for peace, unity, and renewal in our families, communities, and the Church. May the Lord bless our Holy Father, bishops, priests, and all who labor for the Gospel, and grant us the grace to live in obedience and charity. Amen. 🙏🏾

Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | October 11th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

(Direct link to the detailed history of the Feast of the Divine Maternity of Our Lady, Saint John XXIII, and Saint Tarachus and his Companions | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-october-11th/)

FEAST OF THE DIVINE MATERNITY OF OUR LADY: The Feast of the Divine Maternity of Our Lady celebrates Mary as the Theotokos—the “God-Bearer.” This title was solemnly proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., affirming the mystery that the Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God, since she gave birth to Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1931, on the 1,500th anniversary of this Council, the feast honors Mary not only as the Mother of Christ but as our Mother too, who intercedes for all her children with tender love.

As Pope St. Pius X beautifully wrote:

“For is not Mary the Mother of Christ? Then she is our Mother also… we are all children of Mary, and she is Mother of us all — Mother spiritually indeed, but truly Mother of the members of Christ.”

Through her divine maternity, Mary became the vessel of our salvation, the model of perfect motherhood, and the compassionate advocate who draws her children to the heart of her Son. On this feast, we entrust all mothers and families to her maternal care and pray that her example of humility, faith, and obedience will guide us toward deeper union with God.

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 Blessed Mother Mary — Pray for us. 🙏🏾

SAINT JOHN XXIII, POPE (1881–1963): Pope St. John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was a humble shepherd and reformer who brought new light and joy to the Church. Born in a poor farming family in northern Italy, his life was marked by simplicity, warmth, and deep spirituality. Ordained a priest in 1904, he served as a military chaplain during World War I, a papal diplomat in Bulgaria, Turkey, and France, and later as Patriarch of Venice. Elected pope in 1958, his papacy was characterized by compassion and renewal. He famously convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962, opening the windows of the Church to the modern world and calling for Christian unity, peace, and dialogue. His encyclicals, Mater et Magistra and Pacem in Terris, championed human dignity, social justice, and global peace. Known affectionately as “Good Pope John,” he radiated paternal kindness and hope to all he met. He died on June 3, 1963, and was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014, alongside Pope St. John Paul II.

PRAYER: Almighty and eternal God, who in Pope St. John XXIII gave the world a model of goodness and a shepherd of peace, grant that through his intercession, we may work joyfully for unity, justice, and the salvation of souls. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

SAINT TARACHUS AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS: Saint Tarachus, Probus, and Andronicus were courageous Christians martyred in the early 4th century during the persecution of Diocletian. Arrested in Cilicia for professing their faith, they were brutally tortured in Tharsis, Mopsuestia, and Anazarbus, yet remained unshaken in their love for Christ. Even when wild beasts were unleashed upon them, the animals miraculously refused to harm them. Seeing their steadfastness, their executioners eventually put them to death by the sword. Their heroic witness inspired countless believers to stand firm in the face of persecution.

PRAYER: O God, who gave St. Tarachus and his Companions the courage to suffer for the name of Christ, grant that, through their intercession, we may bear witness to Your truth with steadfast faith and joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

Our Blessed Mother Mary, St. John XXIII, and Sts. Tarachus and his companions ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏾

GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/

Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation, and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER: For collaboration between different religious traditions. Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice, and human fraternity.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF OCTOBER | MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary, a powerful prayer that draws us into the heart of the Gospel through the eyes of Mary. The Rosary is more than repetition. It is a meditation on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, united with the loving presence of His Blessed Mother. As Pope St. John Paul II reminded us, the Rosary is “a compendium of the Gospel,” helping us to contemplate Christ’s face with Mary.

The twenty mysteries of the Rosary, Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous, invite us to journey with Christ from His Incarnation to His Passion and His triumph over death. Each mystery opens us to God’s saving love, strengthens our faith, and leads us to imitate the virtues of Jesus and Mary in our daily lives. This month, the Church invites us to renew our devotion to the Rosary by praying it daily, whether alone, in families, or in community. Through it, we find peace in times of trial, strength against temptation, and deeper trust in God’s providence. Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, intercedes for us and leads us always to her Son.

“O Mary, our Blessed Mother and Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, teach us to pray with a pure heart and a steadfast spirit. As we meditate on the mysteries of Christ, help us to grow in faith, hope, and love. Intercede for us before your Son, that our families, our Church, and our world may be filled with peace and the light of the Gospel. Amen.” 🙏🏽

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

THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this blessed day, as we honor the Divine Maternity of Our Lady and celebrate the faith of Saint John XXIII and the holy martyrs Tarachus and his companions, we lift our hearts in gratitude and supplication. We pray that, like Mary, we may joyfully receive and live by the Word of God. May the Lord pour out His Spirit upon the Church, granting wisdom, compassion, and courage to our Holy Father, bishops, priests, and all who serve His people. We pray for mothers everywhere that they may find strength and tenderness in Mary’s maternal example and for peace, unity, and love within families and communities. May the light of Christ heal the sick, comfort the sorrowful, and bring mercy to the poor and forgotten. We remember the souls in Purgatory and the faithful departed, entrusting them to the maternal care of Our Lady, the Mother of Mercy. Amen. 🙏🏾

LET US PRAY:

My blessed Lord, You are glorious beyond all things, and You invite me and all Your creatures to share in Your very life. Give me the grace I need to turn from the confusion and deceptions of life so that I will hear only You and respond only to Your voice. I commit myself to Your holy will, dear Lord. As I do, please bestow upon me every blessing You desire to give. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽

O God, who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of Your Son and the Mother of all the living, grant that through her intercession we may welcome Your Word with faith, bear fruit in good works, and live always in Your presence. Strengthen us by the example of Saint John XXIII’s humility and pastoral charity, and by the steadfast courage of Saint Tarachus and his companions. May their prayers draw us ever closer to Your heart, until we share in the joy of Your eternal kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed, ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

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

Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and during this gentle rhythm of Ordinary Time, may our hearts remain open to the quiet working of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide, renew, and strengthen us each day. As we begin this new month of October, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the blessings of the past and entrust the days ahead into God’s loving hands. May this month be filled with hope, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled, and fruitful Saturday, a relaxing weekend and a fulfilling month of October. 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | Global Missions Now Awards |
https://youtu.be/gB31nuOFx0A?si=mSoZs-wiByhGs

North Texas Catholic Magazine | Dr. Philomena Ikowe – Life on Purpose (pages 44-45) | https://www.flipsnack.com/A9DFE877C6F/north-texas-catholic-magazine-mar-apr-issue-2025/full-view.html