THURSDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JANUARY 8, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
MEMORIAL OF SAINT APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS, BISHOP | JANUARY 8TH | Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-january-8th/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | January 8, 2026 | “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-january-8-2026/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
On this Thursday after the Epiphany, the Church invites us to reflect on the revelation of Christ’s love and mission in our daily lives. As we continue to celebrate the manifestation of the Lord to the nations, today’s Sacred Scriptures call us to live as children born of God, rooted in love that expresses itself through obedience and faith. Alongside the Gospel proclamation of Jesus fulfilling the promises of Scripture, we also commemorate the Memorial of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Bishop, whose courageous defense of the faith reminds us that love for God is inseparable from fidelity to truth. Today’s reflection encourages us to recognize Christ at work among us and to allow His Word to be fulfilled in our hearts and actions.
We joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for bringing us safely into the new year. As we embark on this fresh journey of faith, we give thanks for God’s boundless mercy and the hope of eternal life promised to those who believe in Him. May the witness of the Saints and the faith of our loved ones inspire us to live each day in holiness, humility, and love. This month of January, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, invites us to grow in grace and devotion, following His example of love, obedience, and trust in God’s plan. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Name of Jesus, may God fill our hearts with hope, strengthen our faith, and guide us in holiness throughout this new year. May this month bring light to our minds, peace to our hearts, and strength to our souls. Amen 🙏🏽
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
We join our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV to pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our dear beloved late Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests and Religious who have gone to be with the Lord. We also 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.
“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 🙏🏽
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🙏🏽✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past months. We entrust the days of January into Your hands, asking for Your blessings, guidance, and peace upon our lives and families. May this month be for us a time 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 it 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 healthcare professionals, educators, 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 Advent. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of January. 🙏🏽
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Thursday after Epiphany | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday after Epiphany | January 8, 2026
Reading 1: 1 John 4:19–5:4
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1–2, 14–15, 17
Gospel: Luke 4:14–22
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 4:14–22
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
In today’s Gospel reading, we witness a profound moment of revelation. Jesus does not merely explain Scripture; He identifies Himself as its fulfillment. What Isaiah foretold over centuries now takes flesh in the person of Christ. The promises of healing, liberation, and restoration are no longer distant hopes they are present realities. This moment marks the beginning of Jesus’ public mission and reveals the heart of His ministry: a mission rooted in mercy, compassion, and freedom.
The reaction of the people is mixed. At first, they speak highly of Him and marvel at His gracious words. Yet beneath their amazement lies a quiet tension. They struggle to reconcile the familiarity of Jesus—the carpenter’s son—with the authority of His claim. This Gospel gently challenges us as well. Do we truly accept Christ for who He reveals Himself to be, or do we limit Him based on our expectations and comfort? The Lord often speaks powerfully in ordinary places, calling us to listen with open and humble hearts.
In the First Reading, Saint John reminds us of the foundation of this mission: love. “We love because He first loved us.” God’s initiative comes before our response. True love of God cannot be separated from love of neighbor, for faith that is born of God expresses itself through obedience and charity. Saint John assures us that God’s commandments are not burdensome because they flow from love, not fear. Through faith in Christ, we are given the grace to conquer the world, not by power or force, but by steadfast love.
The Responsorial Psalm echoes this message by portraying the Messiah as a just and compassionate King who rescues the poor, redeems the oppressed, and brings blessing to all nations. This vision aligns perfectly with Jesus’ proclamation in the synagogue. He is the King who values every human life, whose reign restores dignity and brings peace. In Him, justice and mercy meet, and the weak are never forgotten.
As we reflect on today’s Sacred Scriptures, we are invited to examine our own response to Christ’s mission. Do we allow His Word to be fulfilled in our lives today? Are we willing to live out our faith through love, obedience, and concern for others? The readings call us to a faith that is active and visible, a faith that believes in Christ and reflects His love in concrete ways. May we recognize Jesus present among us, embrace His liberating truth, and allow His Spirit to work powerfully in our hearts and actions each day. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the fulfillment of God’s promises and the light sent to bring healing and freedom to the world. Help us to believe in You with sincere hearts and to live out our faith through love and obedience. Strengthen us to overcome fear, selfishness, and doubt, and teach us to love one another as You have loved us. May Your Word be fulfilled in our lives today, and may we joyfully proclaim Your saving presence to all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS, BISHOP – FEAST DAY: JANUARY 8: Today, the Church commemorates the Memorial of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, Bishop (Patron of Apologists and Defenders of the Faith), a faithful pastor and courageous defender of Christian truth in the second century. Living during a time of persecution and doctrinal confusion, Saint Apollinaris bore witness to the Gospel through reasoned teaching, steadfast faith, and pastoral care for his flock. His life reminds us that authentic love for God is inseparable from love for the truth and from the courage to defend the faith with both wisdom and charity.
Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | January 8th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-january-8th/)
SAINT APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS, BISHOP: Saint Apollinaris, also known as Apollinaris the Apologist, served as Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia (modern-day Turkey) and was widely respected as one of the most distinguished Christian leaders of his time. He wrote boldly against heresies that threatened the integrity of the faith, exposing their roots in pagan philosophy and reaffirming the apostolic teaching of the Church. In 177 A.D., he addressed an apology to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, appealing for justice and protection for Christians by recalling the miraculous deliverance of the Roman “Thundering Legion,” whose Christian soldiers obtained victory through prayer. Though his writings have not survived, early Church historians such as Saint Jerome and Eusebius praised him highly, attesting to his wisdom, holiness, and fearless commitment to the Gospel.
Through his life and witness, Saint Apollinaris teaches us that faith grounded in love is never passive. True belief expresses itself through obedience, courage, and the willingness to stand firm amid opposition. His legacy encourages us to trust that faith in Christ conquers the world—not by force, but through truth, perseverance, and unwavering love for God and neighbor.
PRAYER: God of truth and love, You raised Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis as a faithful shepherd and defender of the Christian faith. Through his intercession, strengthen us to persevere in faith, to love with sincerity, and to bear courageous witness to Christ in our words and actions. May we remain rooted in Your truth and share in the victory that comes through faith. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis — pray for us. 🙏🏽
GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of January | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-january-2026/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
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/
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 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY: For prayer with the Word of God. Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. After the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph told him that the Child’s name should be called Jesus, meaning “God Saves.” According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after his birth, a male child was to be circumcised, receive his name, and become a full member of God’s covenant people. According to the old Roman liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus was celebrated on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, the same day that He was given His sacred name. Currently, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Mother of God on January 1st and honor the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3rd. For Catholics, Jesus’ sacred name is the object of a special devotion symbolized by the monogram “IHS,” (sometimes called a Christogram), which is the first three letters of the Greek spelling of His name.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12538
PRAYER INTENTIONS: In today’s readings, we are reminded that we love because God first loved us, and that faith expresses itself through obedience, charity, and courageous witness. As Christ proclaims the fulfillment of God’s saving plan and Saint Apollinaris exemplifies steadfast defense of the faith, we lift our intentions to the Lord. We pray for the Church, that she may faithfully proclaim the Gospel with clarity, compassion, and courage in every age. We pray for pastors, teachers, and defenders of the faith, that they may be guided by wisdom, humility, and love as they serve God’s people. We pray for those who suffer persecution, injustice, or misunderstanding because of their faith, that they may be strengthened by God’s grace and sustained by hope. We pray for our world, that Christ’s message of liberation, healing, and peace may reach the poor, the oppressed, and all who long for freedom. Finally, we pray for our own hearts, that we may live out our faith through sincere love of God and neighbor, allowing God’s love to conquer fear and shape our daily lives.
LET US PRAY:
Lord God, You have revealed Your love to us through Your Son and called us to live as children born of faith. Strengthen us to obey Your commandments with joyful hearts, to love one another sincerely, and to bear faithful witness to Your truth. Through the intercession of Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis, grant us courage to stand firm in faith and humility to serve others in love. May Your Word be fulfilled in our lives today, and may we proclaim Your saving presence by all we do. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Apollinaris of Hierapolis ~ 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 for His faithful presence throughout the year now completed, we begin this new year in the joy of the of Christmas season, with hearts open to the wondrous mystery of Christ’s birth. As a new year dawns, we pause to reflect with gratitude on all that has been, entrusting our joys and sorrows, successes and shortcomings, into God’s merciful hands. We lift our hearts in thanksgiving for the greatest gift ever given: God Himself, born for us in humble love, bringing light, hope, and salvation to the world.
As we step forward into this new year, may this sacred season invite us to begin again with renewed faith, deeper trust, and a greater openness to God’s grace. May the peace, joy, and hope that flow from the presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us, guide our steps, shape our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in love and holiness. Alleluia! May God bless all families and loved ones as we welcome the year ahead, and may His light shine brightly in every home. May these last days of the Christmas season be grace-filled and joyful, drawing us ever deeper into the mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation and the quiet assurance of His abiding presence with us throughout the year to come. 🙏🏽
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
Dr. Philomena Ikowe and Her Joyful Catholic Witness | Lights, Catholic, Action! | Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/dr-philomena-ikowe-and-her-joyful-catholic-witness/