THURSDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 17, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALEXIUS OF ROME, CONFESSOR AND THE BLESSED CARMELITE MARTYRS OF COMPIEGNE| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Alexius of Rome and The Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-17th/)
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | July 17, 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-131/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today is Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time! We give thanks to God for the gift of life and the grace to see this month. During this month of July, may the Precious Blood of Jesus cover and protect us, heal our wounds, and strengthen our faith. We pray for all those celebrating their birthdays, anniversaries, new beginnings, and special moments in this month of July. May God’s blessings overflow in their lives. 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🙏🏽
PRAYER AND APPRECIATION FOR THE CLERGY AND RELIGIOUS:
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” ~ 1 Timothy 5:17
“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
We thank God for the gift of life and especially thank Him for blessing us all with the special gift of the Clergy, who have sacrificed their lives to serve in the Lord’s Vineyard.
We pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, all religious men and women, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We thank them for their faithful, dedicated, and loving service to the people of God. Praying for God’s wisdom, knowledge, and good health of body and mind upon them. Amen 🙏🏽
With special intention for all Priests who are going through mental health challenges. May the good Lord heal them and grant them peace, and may our Blessed Mother Mary comfort them as they go through challenging times. May we, the faithful, also be instruments of God’s peace and comfort to them, offering our understanding and support in tangible ways. Amen 🙏🏽
For the repose of the gentle soul of Rev. Fr. Matteo Bolzano and souls of all the faithful departed. 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 🙏🏽
Italian priest’s suicide underscores humanity of priests https://share.google/vEgHP9SgeFYaIEXEH
‘You were, above all, a friend’: Eulogy for Italian priest who died by suicide https://share.google/RPPfYIlJcOEowuvr2
PRAYER FOR VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS: We join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world, for the victims of natural disasters which have brought destruction and disaster to so many countless lives. We particularly pray for the victims of the recent flooding in Central Texas, may God restore what was lost and console all those who are grieving, injured, or have lost loved ones. Eternal rest grant unto those who lost their lives and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen 🙏🏽
On this special feast day, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we humbly pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world today. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world. We pray for all those who are marginalized in our society, the poor and the needy. We 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. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
We continue to 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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, workers and all those who labour 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 the Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of July.🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of July | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-july/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings for Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time | July 17, 2025
Reading 1: Exodus 3:13–20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:1 and 5, 8–9, 24–25, 26–27
Gospel: Matthew 11:28–30
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 11:28–30
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus addresses Himself to those who were burdened. We can all find ourselves burdened for many reasons. We may feel overworked; some relationship in our lives may have become a burden over time; we may struggle with ill health occasionally. We can be left feeling burdened for all kinds of reasons. In the Gospel reading, Jesus addresses His words to those who felt burdened by the demands of the Jewish Law. These were demands they struggled to meet, and in failing to meet them they felt themselves to be religious outcasts. To such people, Jesus does not offer a new law. Rather, He offers them Himself; He calls them and all of us into a personal relationship with Himself. ‘Come to me’, He says, ‘learn from me’. We are to come to Him and learn from Him; He is a teacher whose teaching is visible in His person, in who He is and how He lives. To learn from someone, we need to be around them over time. In saying, ‘Come’, Jesus is really saying, ‘Come and remain’. We are called into an ongoing relationship with the Lord. It is in and through that relationship that we learn to live as He calls us to live, as He wants us to live. We live out of our relationship with Him, or more fundamentally, out of His relationship with us, because it is He who initiates that relationship, it is He who keeps on saying to us ‘Come’. He promises us that if we come to Him and remain with Him, we will discover that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Yes, his way of life is demanding, but His relationship with us and ours with Him makes it much less demanding than it would otherwise be. As Saint Paul says in one of his letters, ‘His power at work within us is able to accomplish immeasurably far more than all we can ask or imagine’. It is by remaining in Jesus, as branches in the vine that our lives will bear much fruit.
In the Gospel, the words of. Jesus offering one of the most tender invitations in all of Scripture: an open call to the weary and burdened to find rest in Him are not merely poetic they are deeply personal and profoundly healing. Life places countless demands on us, and many carry silent burdens: grief, anxiety, guilt, exhaustion, fear of the unknown. Yet Jesus sees every weight we bear and responds not with condemnation, but with a gentle invitation: Come to Me. What He offers is not just physical rest, but a rest of the soul a peace that surpasses understanding. His yoke, though still a call to discipleship, is light because it is carried with love and grace. In contrast to the harsh demands of the world or our own perfectionism, Jesus teaches with humility and patience. He walks with us and helps us shoulder the load. This passage reminds us that our strength is not in striving alone but in surrendering our burdens into the hands of the One who truly cares. When we align our lives with His way marked by love, humility, and obedience we discover a freedom that the world cannot offer. Rest is not the absence of work, but the presence of Christ. Let us listen to His voice today and come to Him not only when life is overwhelming but as a daily act of trust. He is waiting with open arms to exchange our burdens for His peace.
In the first reading, we encounter the profound moment when God reveals His divine name to Moses from the burning bush: “I AM who AM.” This moment is not just a linguistic or theological revelation it’s a declaration of God’s eternal presence and faithfulness. God is not a distant or abstract force; He is the living, active One who sees the affliction of His people and comes to rescue them. Moses, uncertain and hesitant, asks what he should say if the Israelites ask for God’s name. God’s reply emphasizes His essence: unchanging, ever-present, faithful through generations. The Lord then outlines His plan to deliver Israel from Egypt a plan that includes resistance and suffering but will culminate in liberation through divine power. This passage reveals that God not only knows our suffering but is concerned with it. His response is not passive but a decision to act, to stretch out His hand with mighty deeds. For us, this speaks to the heart of who God is: not just the Creator, but the Rescuer. Even when the journey seems delayed or the burden feels heavy, God assures us that He is at work. His name is a promise that He is with us, for us, and never failing. Like Moses, we may feel unqualified or afraid, but God’s presence is our strength. He does not call us to walk alone; He equips and empowers those He sends.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, “The Lord remembers His covenant forever.” This repeated refrain invites us to reflect on the unwavering fidelity of God. The psalm recounts how God made promises to Abraham and Isaac and upheld them through generations even when His people suffered in Egypt. It speaks of a God who remembers, who acts, who raises leaders like Moses and Aaron to fulfill His saving plan. What comfort there is in knowing that God never forgets His promises! Even in seasons of suffering, silence, or confusion, His covenant remains firm. He sees beyond the moment and is always working toward His redemptive purposes. This Psalm urges us to give thanks, to proclaim His deeds, and to remember His faithfulness. When we look back on our own lives how God has led, rescued, and restored us we too can say with confidence: the Lord remembers His covenant. Gratitude is the key to remembering, and remembering renews our hope for the future.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are called to ponder on the Scriptures. What burdens am I carrying that Jesus is inviting me to lay down today? Have I been trying to handle life on my own strength instead of coming to Him for rest? Do I truly believe He is meek and humble of heart, ready to walk with me? Like Moses, am I resisting God’s call out of fear or uncertainty, forgetting that He goes with me? Do I trust that God sees my struggles and is already working behind the scenes for my good? Have I remembered to thank God for the times He remained faithful even when I doubted? Today’s readings call us to come close to the heart of God to trust His name, His plan, and His promise. He is not only calling us to act or believe but to rest in Him. Will I respond to that invitation? Let us not carry alone what Christ longs to bear with us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and today, may He open our hearts to His rest, trust in His presence, and walk forward with renewed peace. He is faithful, He is near, and He is enough.
Lord Jesus, I come to You with the burdens I carry some known, some hidden deep within. You who are meek and humble of heart, teach me to walk in step with You. Help me to surrender what I cannot bear alone. In the moments of uncertainty, like Moses, remind me that You are I AM ever-present, faithful, and true. May I not harden my heart, but open it to Your healing rest. Let me trust that even in the silence, You remember Your covenant. Be my strength, my peace, and my refuge. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALEXIUS OF ROME, CONFESSOR AND THE BLESSED CARMELITE MARTYRS OF COMPIEGNE: ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 17TH: Today, we honor two extraordinary examples of hidden sanctity and courageous witness: Saint Alexius of Rome, Confessor (Patron of beggars, pilgrims, and the poor), a nobleman turned beggar for Christ; and the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne (Patronesses of courage, perseverance, and religious freedom), sixteen consecrated women who offered their lives for the peace of France and the triumph of the Church. Through the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on this solemn feast, we lift up in prayer the sick and dying, especially those afflicted by cancer and terminal illness; for the poor and abandoned; for all experiencing trials of faith or personal suffering. We pray for peace in families and nations, for strength and perseverance among the clergy and religious, for persecuted Christians worldwide, and for the conversion of hearts ours and others. May we, like today’s saints, be faithful in both silence and sacrifice. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | July 17th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Alexius of Rome and The Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-july-17th/)
SAINT ALEXIUS OF ROME, CONFESSOR: “Man of God” and witness of humility. Saint Alexius, also known as Alexius of Edessa, was born into Roman nobility in the fourth century. His parents, renowned for their wealth and charitable works, raised him in deep Christian faith. Though betrothed to a noble bride, Alexius discerned a higher call and, with his fiancée’s blessing, left Rome on the night of his wedding to live a hidden life of poverty and prayer in Edessa.
For seventeen years, Alexius lived anonymously at the steps of a church dedicated to Our Lady, surviving on alms and dedicating his days to silence, penance, and intercession. When his sanctity was miraculously revealed by the Blessed Virgin through a holy icon, Alexius seeking to remain hidden returned to Rome. Unrecognized, even by his own grieving parents, he was given shelter beneath the staircase of his father’s home. There, he endured hardship, mockery, and obscurity for another seventeen years, finding joy in the will of God and the sorrows of Christ.
At his death in 404 A.D., a document found in his hand revealed his true identity and holy life. His sanctity was publicly affirmed by divine revelation at a papal Mass. The house where he lived incognito became a church in his honor.
Reflection: Saint Alexius reminds us that greatness in God’s eyes is found not in status or recognition, but in the quiet fidelity of a soul wholly surrendered to Him. His life is a testament to divine intimacy in hiddenness.
PRAYER: Saint Alexius, hidden pilgrim of Christ, who gave up honor, wealth, and comfort to embrace humility and suffering for love of God, intercede for us. Teach us to let go of pride and live in holy detachment. May your example awaken in us a deeper trust in Divine Providence and a greater love for the poor. Help us to serve quietly, love generously, and surrender joyfully to God’s will. Amen.🙏🏽
THE BLESSED CARMELITE MARTYRS OF COMPIÈGNE: On July 17, 1794, during the violent days of the French Revolution, Mother Teresa of St. Augustine and fifteen Carmelite Sisters of Compiègne gave their lives in a powerful witness of faith, unity, and joyful surrender. Accused of treason for their refusal to renounce their vows and abandon religious life, they were imprisoned and ultimately condemned to death.
As they were transported to the guillotine at the Place du Trône (now Place de la Nation), the nuns chanted psalms, hymns, and prayers with calm and devotion. Upon arrival, they renewed their religious vows aloud and, one by one, ascended the scaffold singing “Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes.” The youngest, Sister Constance, made her final profession moments before her martyrdom. The last to die was their Prioress, Mother Teresa, leading her daughters to the end with peace and maternal courage. Witnesses described an eerie silence from the usual hostile crowd a silence of awe. Ten days later, the Reign of Terror collapsed, and many believe their sacrifice played a key role in ending the bloodshed. Their joyful martyrdom continues to inspire the Church worldwide.
Reflection: The Carmelites of Compiègne teach us that even in the darkest hour, the soul anchored in Christ can sing. They offered their lives with serenity and love, not for glory or revenge, but for peace and for the Church. Their voices echo a hymn of fearless love that no guillotine could silence.
Beatified: May 27, 1906, by Pope St. Pius X
PRAYER: O God, who raised up Saint Alexius in hidden holiness and the Carmelite Martyrs in radiant courage, grant that we may follow their example humble in our daily duties, brave in the face of opposition, and steadfast in prayer. May their intercession strengthen the weak, console the suffering, and inspire the Church to holiness in every age. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary Saint Alexius of Rome and The Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne ~ 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 JULY: For formation in discernment. Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JULY | MONTH OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS: July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ a profound devotion that honors the redeeming power of Christ’s Blood shed for our salvation. Flowing from His Sacred Heart, this Blood is the price of our redemption, the source of grace in the sacraments, and the seal of the New Covenant. It reminds us that salvation was not won lightly, but through the ultimate sacrifice of love. This month, the Church invites us to meditate on the infinite value of Christ’s Blood poured out during His Passion from Gethsemane to Calvary and in every celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We are called to offer acts of reparation for the sins of the world and to intercede for the conversion of souls. Devotions such as the Litany of the Precious Blood, the Chaplet of the Precious Blood, and daily consecration to the Precious Blood help deepen our union with Christ crucified.
As Saint John Chrysostom once said, “The Precious Blood is the salvation of souls; it purifies, sanctifies, and strengthens.” In our trials, let us take refuge beneath the cross, trusting in the Blood that speaks of mercy, victory, and eternal life.
“Precious Blood of Jesus, save us and the whole world.”
O Most Precious Blood of Jesus, fountain of salvation, we adore You. Wash us clean of sin, protect us from evil, and draw us into deeper love and union with You. Amen. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: With hearts made tender by Christ’s invitation “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened” we lift our prayers for the weary, the sick, and those burdened by fear, poverty, or grief. May they find rest in the mercy of Jesus and strength in His gentle heart. We pray for the poor and the abandoned, following the witness of Saint Alexius who chose obscurity for the sake of love, and for all religious and consecrated persons, inspired by the courage of the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne. May their silent sacrifices teach us to bear our daily crosses with faith. We remember those suffering persecution, especially Christians in hostile regions, and we ask for peace in our hearts, our families, and our world. May God stir up in us the courage to trust Him more deeply and to serve Him more freely.
LET US PRAY
My gentle Lord, You came to us to serve and to give Your life out of love. Give me the grace I need to accept Your act of service to me and to also imitate and participate in the service to which I am called. May I take Your yoke upon me, dear Lord, so that I can fulfill the mission that You have entrusted to me. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Loving Father, You see the burdens we carry and the rest our souls seek. In Your compassion, draw us nearer to the heart of Your Son. Through the intercession of Saint Alexius and the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs, grant us the grace to suffer with patience, serve with humility, and live with unwavering hope. May we respond to Your call each day with trust, and rest in the quiet power of Your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Alexius of Rome and The Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne ~ 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 as we now enter the 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. May this new month be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, grace-filled and safe Thursday and fruitful week ahead 🙏🏽
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 Missons Now Awards |
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
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