SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 4, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, DEACON, FOUNDER OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER | OCTOBER 4TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed of Saint Francis of Assisi | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-october-4th/ )
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/01/first-fridays-and-first-saturdays-devotions/
FIRST FRIDAYS DEVOTION: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | October 4, 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-4-2025/
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-sixth Week in Ordinary Time, is First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady extends her maternal protection and the promise of salvation to those who commit to five consecutive First Saturdays in honor of her Immaculate Heart.
Welcome to October! May this new month bring you 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🙏🏽
Today, we joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us into the new month of October. Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past month. As we begin this new 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. 🙏🏽
On this special feast day, through the intercession of the Saint(s) we celebrate today, Saint Francis of Assisi, 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/
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS:
The FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION is a Catholic practice that involves attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion and praying and adoring before the Blessed Sacrament on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row. The devotion originated in the 17th century after Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and spoke of His Sacred Heart. Jesus promised that those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays of nine consecutive months will receive the grace of final perseverance. The devotion is a way to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to atone for sins. The devotion is also known as the Communions of Reparation to the Sacred Heart or the Nine First Fridays Devotion. The Roman Catholic Church fully approved the devotion.
Some elements of the First Fridays Devotion include:
Sacramental Confession: A preparation for the devotion
Holy Communion: Received on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row
Holy Hour: Spent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer for the Holy Father: A prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father
The devotion is said to offer many spiritual blessings, including:
Increased Grace: The soul is strengthened and intimacy with Christ is deepened through the frequent reception of the Eucharist
Inner Peace: Trusting in Jesus’ promises can bring comfort in times of trial
Forgiveness and Healing: Reparation for sins can bring peace to the heart and renewal in Christ
Final Perseverance: Those who complete the devotion with love and faith are assured of Christ’s presence at the moment of death
The FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION originated from the 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. During these apparitions, Our Lady asked for acts of reparation to be made on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, with the intention of atoning for the sins committed against her Immaculate Heart. While the Sacred Heart of Jesus promises abundant blessings, including peace, consolation, and assistance at the hour of death, to those who faithfully observe nine consecutive First Fridays. Similarly, Our Lady extends her maternal protection and the promise of salvation to those who commit to five consecutive First Saturdays in honor of her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promises her assistance and graces especially at the hour of death, as well as peace and consolation in families and eventual salvation for those who faithfully practice the First Five Saturdays devotion. It involves attending Mass, receiving communion, praying the Rosary, and meditating on its mysteries on 5 consecutive first Saturdays with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The promises of Mary for the First Five Saturdays devotion:
On each First Saturday, after receiving communion, reciting the Rosary, and meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary, Our Lady promised to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all those who make this devotion in reparation to Her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promised to grant peace to families who fulfill this devotion.
Those who fulfill the devotion will be consoled by Our Lady and will see Her eventually in heaven.
Our Lady promised to assist in the salvation of those who practice this devotion by the graces of Her Immaculate Heart.
These First Saturday Prayers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are recommended for those participating in the Five First Saturdays devotion.
Please see links below for both First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions:
First Fridays Devotion: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-fridays-first-saturdays-devotions/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi | Saturday, October 4, 2025
Reading 1: Baruch 4:5–12, 27–29
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:33–35, 36–37
Gospel: Luke 10:17–24
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 10:17–24
“Rejoice because your names are written in heaven”
“The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
In today’s Gospel, the seventy-two disciples return to Jesus with joy, amazed that even demons obeyed them in His name. Their mission had been fruitful, yet Jesus quickly redirects their focus: their deepest joy should not be in power or success, but in the eternal assurance that their names are written in heaven. This moment highlights a profound truth, the greatest gift we have is not authority or recognition, but the promise of eternal life with God. Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit and praises the Father for revealing the mysteries of the Kingdom to the humble and childlike rather than the proud and learned. True wisdom in God’s Kingdom comes through simplicity, humility, and openness to His grace. The disciples are reminded as we are that being instruments of God’s work is a privilege rooted not in human strength but in His gracious will. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see,” He emphasizes how precious it is to witness God’s saving plan unfolding through Him. Prophets and kings longed for such revelation, but it is given freely to those who walk with Jesus in faith. This calls us to gratitude for the gift of faith and to live joyfully as witnesses of the Gospel, not boasting in what we achieve, but rejoicing that we belong to God. The success of our work will come and go. However, our intimate relationship with God, which Jesus makes possible, endures in good times and in bad, when our efforts bear fruit and when they fail to bear fruit, and therein lies the true source of our joy and peace.
Our Gospel today, gives us an insight into Jesus’ prayer, a joyful prayer of praise inspired by the Holy Spirit. ‘Filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, He said “I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and earth”’. The prayer of praise is the most selfless form of prayer there is. It is a movement towards God without any reference to ourselves. The prayer of petition is also a movement towards God but with a view to God moving towards us in our need. Jesus Himself was no stranger to the prayer of petition; such was His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. On this occasion, however, Jesus praises God for who God is and for what God is doing. What is God doing, according to this prayer of Jesus? He is revealing something really important to those whom Jesus calls ‘mere children’. God the Father is revealing to children the intimate relationship that exists between Jesus and Himself, a relationship of love which leads to mutual knowledge, ‘no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son’. Who are these children who are receiving this revelation? The reference is probably to those who have the openness of the child to God’s message spoken through Jesus, in other words, the disciples. It is to the disciples that Jesus goes on to say, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see’. The disciples who are receptive to what God is showing them are contrasted to ‘the learned and the clever’, those who are so sure of what they know that are closed to what God is trying to reveal to them about the relationship between himself and Jesus. ‘Happy the eyes…’ There is a beatitude here that can potentially embrace us all, provided we have something of that child-like openness to what God wants to reveal to us through His Son and the Spirit.
In the first reading from Baruch, Israel reflects on their suffering and exile as a result of their sins but is also urged not to lose hope. God, who allowed their trial, will remember them and bring them back with joy if they repent sincerely. This message resonates with the Gospel what matters is not worldly power or victories, but turning back to God with faith and humility. Just as God remembered His people, He remembers us in our struggles and invites us to trust in His mercy.
The Responsorial Psalm beautifully assures us: “The Lord listens to the poor.” God does not despise the lowly or the brokenhearted; instead, He draws near to those who seek Him with sincerity. This echoes Jesus’ praise of the Father for revealing His Kingdom to the childlike. Our strength lies not in pride or self-sufficiency but in the humility of relying on God’s love.
As we reflect and meditate on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we might ask ourselves, Do I rejoice more in earthly success or in the assurance of God’s eternal love? Am I childlike in my faith, open and trusting, or do I rely too much on my own wisdom? How do I respond when God reveals His truth in unexpected ways or through humble circumstances? Like the disciples, do I rejoice more in what I can do, or in who I am in Christ? Beloved in Christ, the call today is to rejoice not in power or possessions, but in belonging to God. To be childlike in faith, humble in spirit, and grateful for the gift of salvation. May we never lose sight of the greatest joy: that our names are written in heaven through the mercy of Christ. 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. 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of faith and the joy of being called Your children. Teach us to rejoice not in achievements or power, but in the assurance of Your eternal love. Make us childlike in trust, humble in spirit, and faithful in living as witnesses of Your Kingdom. May our eyes and hearts remain open to Your truth, and may our lives always reflect Your mercy and grace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏾
MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, DEACON, FOUNDER OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 4TH: Today, the Church joyfully celebrates the Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, Deacon and Founder of the Franciscan Order (Patron of animals, ecology, merchants, peace, families, Italy, and many more). His life reminds us of the call to simplicity, humility, and a radical love for Christ. Through his example, we are invited to embrace poverty of spirit, to see all creation as a reflection of God’s goodness, and to live the Gospel with joy. On this feast, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Francis, we lift our prayers for peace, love, and unity in our families and marriages. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those battling cancer, mental illness, and terminal diseases. We remember widows, widowers, the poor, and the vulnerable. We commend to God the souls in Purgatory and the faithful departed. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, the bishops, priests, and religious, asking for vocations and perseverance in faith. Amen. 🙏🏾
Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | October 4th| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Francis of Assisi | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-october-4th/)
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI (1181/82–1226): Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in Assisi, Italy, Saint Francis grew up in wealth as the son of a prosperous cloth merchant. Known in his youth for a carefree and worldly lifestyle, he dreamed of military glory but was taken captive in battle. His time in prison and recurring visions began to stir his heart toward God. Eventually, he experienced a radical conversion: embracing a life of poverty, humility, and service to Christ. Publicly renouncing his father’s wealth, Francis declared God alone as his Father. Three defining encounters shaped his vocation: kissing a leper, exchanging clothes with a beggar in Rome, and hearing Christ’s words, “Francis, rebuild my Church.” From then on, Francis lived as a herald of the Gospel, embracing “Lady Poverty” and preaching repentance, peace, and love. In 1209, he gained papal approval for his way of life, founding the Order of Friars Minor (the Franciscans). Soon after, alongside Saint Clare, he inspired the Poor Clares, and later, the Franciscan Third Order for lay people.
St. Francis’ spirituality was marked by simplicity, joy, love of creation, and deep devotion to Christ’s Passion. In 1224, while in prayer on Mount La Verna, he became the first recorded saint to receive the stigmata, the wounds of Christ. His final years were marked by suffering and blindness, yet he remained a man of joy, singing God’s praises until his death at the Portiuncula on October 3, 1226. Only two years later, Pope Gregory IX canonized him, attesting to his immense influence and sanctity. Saint Francis’ legacy endures as a witness to the transforming power of God’s love. He remains a universal model of peace, humility, and ecological care, inspiring countless people, and inspired the name of late Pope Francis to walk in the simplicity of the Gospel.
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI PEACE PRAYER: MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen 🙏🏽
PRAYER: O God, who through the life of Saint Francis of Assisi taught us to embrace the Gospel with humility, poverty, and joy, grant that, following his example, we may love You above all things and live as instruments of Your peace in the world. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Francis of Assisi ~ 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: As we honor Saint Francis of Assisi and listen to today’s readings, we lift our hearts in prayer to the Lord who never abandons His people. We pray for the Church, that like the disciples rejoicing in the Gospel, she may continue to bear witness with joy and humility. We ask for strength for our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, bishops, priests, deacons, and all consecrated men and women, that they may serve faithfully and guide the flock entrusted to them. We pray for families, especially those facing struggles, that through God’s mercy they may find unity, peace, and hope. We remember the poor, the oppressed, the sick, and the dying, that they may be comforted and lifted up by God’s love. Inspired by Saint Francis, we pray for a deeper spirit of humility, simplicity, and care for creation. Finally, we commend to God’s mercy the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed, that they may rejoice forever in His Kingdom.
LET US PRAY:
My indwelling Lord, I am blessed beyond belief by Your divine presence dwelling within me. Please open my eyes to see You and my ears to hear You so that I will be able to dwell with You Who have come to dwell in me. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to bring us salvation and fill our hearts with joy. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Francis of Assisi, hear our prayers today. Grant us the grace to live in humility, to embrace Your mercy, and to become instruments of peace in a world longing for hope. Strengthen us in faith, sustain us in trials, and lead us always to rejoice in Your saving love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed and Saint Francis of Assisi ~ 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, and fruitful Saturday, and a relaxing weekend and a grace-filled beginning to the 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