HOLY WEEK OF LENT: HOLY TRIDUUM
GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION (YEAR C)
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ APRIL 18, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT GALDINUS, ARCHBISHOP OF MILAN; BLESSED MARY OF THE INCARNATION, RELIGIOUS; SAINT PETER OF SAINT JOSEPH BETANCUR, MISSIONARY AND SAINT APOLLONIUS, MARTYR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion!
Good Friday invites us to contemplate the mystery of the Cross, the heart of our faith and the gateway to salvation On this Good Friday, may God’s grace and mercy be with us all as we commemorate the crucifixion and death of our Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Amen 🙏🏽
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: THE WAY OF THE CROSS (With text from the Scriptures) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/11/stations-of-the-cross-the-way-of-the-cross-with-text-from-the-scriptures/
STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/
Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
DIVINE MERCY NOVENA: Novena in preparation for DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Good Friday is the first day of the Divine Mercy Novena. Novena begins today, Friday, April 18, 2025, to Saturday, April 26, 2025, leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday on April 27, 2025 | DAY 1: Link ~ https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/17/divine-mercy-novena/
Watch “CELEBRATION OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD | PRESIDED OVER BY CARDINAL CLAUDIO GUGEROTTI | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN | APRIL 18, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/18/celebration-of-the-passion-of-our-lord/
Watch “STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON GOOD FRIDAY FROM THE COLOSSEUM | WAY OF THE CROSS | PRESIDED OVER BY CARDINAL BALDASSARE REINA | LIVE FROM ROME | APRIL 18, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/18/stations-of-the-cross-on-good-friday-from-the-colosseum/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “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/2025/04/18/catholic-daily-mass-45/
DAY 39: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/18/day-39-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/
Friday of Holy Week is solemnly known as GOOD FRIDAY, the day the Church commemorates the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. On this most Sacred day, Christians around the world remember how Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, willingly suffered and died to redeem humanity from sin (cf. John 18–19; Isaiah 52:13–53:12). Though marked by sorrow, Good Friday is profoundly holy because it reveals the depth of God’s love—a love that embraces suffering and death to bring forth eternal life. Good Friday is the second day of the Easter or Paschal Triduum, the three-day liturgical journey beginning with Holy Thursday and culminating in the Easter Vigil. This day is unique: no Mass is celebrated, the altar remains bare, and the Church enters into deep silence and mourning. At 3:00 p.m., the Hour of Mercy, many gather for the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, which includes the reading of the Passion according to John, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion with hosts consecrated the night before. As we stand at the foot of the Cross today, we are invited to behold our crucified Savior and contemplate the mystery of divine love poured out in sacrifice. Let us keep this day with reverence and gratitude, uniting our own sufferings to His, that we may one day share in His Resurrection and glory.
PRAYER: My suffering and sacrificial Lord, You have sanctified this day and endowed it with grace. As I commemorate Your saving sacrifice, draw me into this mystical act of love. Help me to remain prayerful and recollected throughout this day and into tomorrow. Invite me to stand before Your Cross and to gaze upon Your beaten and torn body. As I do, pour forth the abundance of Your mercy flowing from Your wounded side. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen. [Direct links to the full articles: GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION | APRIL 18, 2025| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/18/good-friday-of-the-lords-passion/ ]
DAILY REFLECTIONS WITH PHILOMENA | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, as we celebrate the Holy Week and Easter Triduum on this Good Friday, the Church honors four holy witnesses whose lives reflected profound faith and sacrificial love for Christ. Saint Galdinus, Archbishop of Milan (defender of the Church against heresy), stood firm in truth during times of political and doctrinal turmoil. Blessed Mary of the Incarnation (patroness of widows and Catholic reformers), devoted her life to prayer, service, and the spiritual renewal of society in post-Reformation France. Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur (patron of the homeless and missionaries to the poor), became a beacon of charity in Guatemala, caring for the sick and abandoned with tireless compassion. Saint Apollonius, Martyr (early Christian philosopher and defender of the faith), courageously proclaimed Christ before Roman authorities, choosing death over denial. Through their witness, we are called to greater fidelity, deeper charity, and unwavering hope in God.
May their lives and intercession inspire us to stand firm in truth, pursue holiness with zeal, and remain faithful witnesses even in adversity. Amen. 🙏🏽
We thank God for the gift of life and for the gift of this day. May this season of Lent bring renewal in faith, deepening our journey through Lent and drawing us closer to Christ. May God’s grace guide and strengthen us every day, and may His grace and mercy be with us all during this final week of our Lenten journey. 🙏🏽
Daily Saints, Holy Mass, Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Scripture Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/reflections/
LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
Watch “HOLY MASS ON THE JUBILEE OF THE SICK AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS | Presided by H.E. Most Rev. Rino Fisichella | Live from St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican | April 6, 2025” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/06/holy-mass-on-the-jubilee-of-the-sick-and-healthcare-workers/
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS
“Loving God, we thank you for the unwavering faith and leadership of Pope Francis. As he recovers from his hospitalization, we humbly ask for your healing touch upon his body, your peace upon his mind, and your comfort for his spirit. Grant him strength, renewed energy, and a continued ability to serve your flock with compassion and wisdom. We entrust him to your loving care, and we pray that he may soon be restored to good health, if it be your will. Through Christ our Lord, Amen”🙏🏽
Honoring a Legacy of Service: The 10th Memorial Anniversary of Late Noble (Sir) Gabriel Louis Ihieje Opiepe (KSJI) | https://gliopiepehe.org/2025/04/12/honoring-a-legacy-of-service-the-10th-memorial-anniversary-of-late-noble-sir-gabriel-louis-ihieje-opiepe-ksji/
On this special feast day, as we continue the Holy Week with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, particularly Saint Joseph, Patron of the sick and dying, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, and we continue to pray for the repose of the gentle 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 and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
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 🙏🏽
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL: For the use of the new technologies ~ Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.
PRAYER OF THE MONTH ~ POPE FRANCIS: Lord, Good Father, as I look at the world and see men and women working in it and beautifying it, a great “Thank You!” springs from my heart. The action of Your Spirit among us encourages us to grow in the progress of science and technology in the service of human dignity for integral and inclusive human development. Because we know You desire the good of all, from the heart of Your Church, Your Son calls us to ensure that technology does not replace “person-to-person” contact, that the virtual does not replace the real, and that social networks do not replace social settings. Help us develop the ability to live wisely, to think deeply, to love generously, without losing heart, promoting scientific and technological growth that increasingly aligns with human development in responsibility, values, and awareness.
Amen 🙏🏽
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
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/
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽
God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽
LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion | Friday, April 18, 2025
Reading 1: Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25
Reading 2: Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9
Gospel: John 18:1—19:42
Gospel Reading ~ John 18:1—19:42
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
“It is finished”
“After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to His mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” ~ John 19: 28-30
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says to Pilate that He came into the world to bear witness to the truth, in other words, to reveal God to us. The God he reveals to us is a God of love and a God of life. Jesus lived and died to make the God of love and life known to us. It is above all in the hour of His passion and death that Jesus reveals this God of love and life most fully. ‘God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him… may have eternal life’. It is God’s giving of His Son, the Son’s giving of Himself, that reveals God’s name to be ‘love’, and authentic love is always life-giving. In John’s Gospel the blood and water flowing from the side of Jesus is a symbol of the life-giving power of God’s love. At a surface level when we read the story of Jesus’ passion and death we are aware of human hatred and the human capacity to inflict death, at a deeper level we recognize God’s love and drawn to the God who is revealed by it. Indeed, Jesus says of Himself, ‘when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself’. It is above all when Jesus is lifted up on the cross and in glory that He draws people to Himself and to His Father. This Good Friday, we are invited, in the words of John’s passion, to ‘look on the one whom they have pierced’, and to allow the light of God’s life-giving love that shines through the cross to envelope us and to renew us. That light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading, today, all of heaven and earth stands still. It is the only day in the liturgical year where the Eucharist is not celebrated, and yet it is the day on which the greatest sacrifice the source of the Eucharist was made. The Passion according to John portrays Christ not as a victim of circumstance, but as a sovereign King embracing the Cross with deliberate love. Every moment of His suffering His arrest, His silence, His scourging, the crown of thorns, and finally His crucifixion is filled with divine purpose. In His words, “It is finished,” we do not hear resignation, but triumph. Christ fulfills the mission of salvation. He drinks the cup given by the Father to the dregs, and by doing so, redeems humanity from sin and death. The Cross becomes not a symbol of defeat, but of eternal victory. The Son of God, crucified between criminals, reveals His glory in suffering and humility. On Good Friday, we are called not only to mourn the cruelty inflicted upon our Lord but to recognize the depth of His love, poured out for each of us.
Reflecting on the first reading, Isaiah’s prophecy reveals the figure of the Suffering Servant, whose pain, rejection, and death are not in vain but are the means by which many are justified. “By his stripes we are healed.” The servant’s appearance is disfigured, and yet his endurance and silence in the face of oppression speak volumes. This prophetic poem finds its full realization in Jesus Christ, whose Passion fulfills each line. In a world that often flees from suffering, Isaiah reminds us that true glory is found in redemptive love a love willing to bear the guilt of many.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, the words of Psalm 31 capture the anguish and surrender of Christ on the cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” These words, which Jesus himself uttered in his final moments, reflect absolute trust in the Father’s will, even amid suffering and abandonment. As we echo this psalm today, we too are called to surrender all our fears, sins, and burdens into the hands of our faithful God.
Reflecting on the second reading, the Letter to the Hebrews offers a profound insight into the priesthood of Christ. He is not a distant mediator, but one who fully entered into our human frailty. Tested and tempted, yet without sin, Jesus understands our pain. Through his tears and cries in Gethsemane, we see the full humanity of the Son of God. He did not merely teach obedience — he learned it through suffering, showing us how to endure trials with faith. As our great High Priest, he offers more than intercession; he offers himself as the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. In these verses, we are reminded that we can now approach the throne of grace with confidence, not because of our righteousness, but because Jesus has gone before us, opening the way by his Passion. His suffering was not in vain. It became the very path to our healing and hope.
Do I truly understand the depth of Christ’s sacrifice for me? When faced with trials, do I cling to the Cross or flee from it? How can I learn to surrender like Jesus did trusting the Father even in pain? What parts of my life still resist God’s plan for redemptive love? Today, let the Cross be more than a symbol—let it become the lens through which we see the world, our suffering, and our salvation. In the silence of Good Friday, may we gaze upon Christ crucified and find our peace. His death is not the end, but the gateway to eternal life.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, as we look upon the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, let us all spend the precious time to look deep within ourselves, and see in what way our actions and way of life had caused hurt and pain towards the Lord. Let us all not forget that all of the wounds and pain suffered by the Lord, are all of our sins, our evils, wickedness and unworthy actions, words and deeds. Each and every one of our iniquities are what causing the Lord all the wounds and hurts He experienced. As we recall the reading of Our Lord’s Passion, everything that He had done for our sake, let us be abashed and humbled, and reminded of just how wicked and sinful we had been. Let us commit ourselves to follow the Lord faithfully once again, and reject the wickedness of the world. Let us all seek the Lord with all of our might and focus our attention on Him, remembering His Passion and His love for us, which He has given us most generously from His Cross. And as we behold the Holy Cross of Christ, let us all remember that through the Cross, all of us have been brought into triumph in the great struggle against sin, evil and death. Now, let us all continue our faithful observance of the Easter Triduum, by keeping our focus on the Lord, our Crucified Christ, Who has died for us. Let us always remember that He did not remain in death, but rose gloriously in His Resurrection, conquering and defeating death in His wake. Through Christ, let us all therefore come ever closer to God and His salvation, and may all of us continue to grow ever stronger in faith and commitment, in our desire to love God and to follow Him wholeheartedly at all times. May our Lord Jesus, Who was crucified and died for us all out of His boundless love for each one of us, continue to watch over us as we journey in this world. May all of us remain strong in our faith, commitment and dedication to Our Lord, even as we encounter many challenges and trials in our path. May all of us persevere in faith in the same way that Our Lord has persevered through even the worst of sufferings, pain and humiliation that through Him we may have the hope and joy of eternal life, free forever from the bondage and tyranny of sin and evil, from death and damnation in hell. May all of us be exemplary Christians, as good and faithful disciples of Our Lord at all times. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to allow the love we have received from the cross to flow through us and embrace the wider human family, especially all those who are travelling the way of the cross today and may God bless us all in the remaining Easter Triduum celebrations and henceforth, that we will always grow ever closer to Him, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, today we kneel before your cross in awe and silence. You bore the weight of our sins, not with resentment, but with love. You were wounded for our healing, rejected so that we might be welcomed, crucified so that we might live. Teach us the way of the cross — the way of humility, surrender, and sacrificial love. May your Passion never be in vain in our lives. May we live each day under the shadow of your mercy, and may your resurrection hope light our darkest nights. Amen 🙏🏽
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT GALDINUS, ARCHBISHOP OF MILAN; BLESSED MARY OF THE INCARNATION, RELIGIOUS; SAINT PETER OF SAINT JOSEPH BETANCUR, MISSIONARY AND SAINT APOLLONIUS, MARTYR – FEAST DAY: APRIL 18TH: Today, the Church honors four holy witnesses whose lives reflected profound faith and sacrificial love for Christ. Saint Galdinus, Archbishop of Milan (defender of the Church against heresy), stood firm in truth during times of political and doctrinal turmoil. Blessed Mary of the Incarnation (patroness of widows and Catholic reformers), devoted her life to prayer, service, and the spiritual renewal of society in post-Reformation France. Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur (patron of the homeless and missionaries to the poor), became a beacon of charity in Guatemala, caring for the sick and abandoned with tireless compassion. Saint Apollonius, Martyr (early Christian philosopher and defender of the faith), courageously proclaimed Christ before Roman authorities, choosing death over denial. Through their witness, we are called to greater fidelity, deeper charity, and unwavering hope in God.
May their lives and intercession inspire us to stand firm in truth, pursue holiness with zeal, and remain faithful witnesses even in adversity. Amen. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | April 18th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Galdinus, Archbishop of Milan; Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, Religious; Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, Missionary; and Saint Apollonius, Martyr | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day/
SAINT GALDINUS, ARCHBISHOP OF MILAN: Saint Galdinus was born around the year 1100 into the noble Della Scala family of Milan. A devoted priest, he served as chancellor and archdeacon under two archbishops and gained the trust of the faithful through his dedication and pastoral care. In the political turmoil following the election of Pope Alexander III in 1159, Galdinus remained loyal to the true pope against the rival set up by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. For this allegiance, he was exiled alongside Archbishop Hubert when the emperor violently retaliated against Milan.
Upon Hubert’s death in 1165, Galdinus was appointed both Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan. In this role, he labored tirelessly to rebuild the Church and city after the emperor’s destructive campaigns. A gifted preacher, he used his voice to combat heresies like those of the Cathars and to heal the rift of schism. Known for his charity, especially to the poor and imprisoned, Galdinus was a model of compassion and moral courage. He died in 1176 while delivering a sermon against false teachings, just months before the Lombard League defeated the imperial army at the Battle of Legnano. His firmness in doctrine, gentleness in leadership, and unwavering love for the Church earned him veneration as a patron of the Archdiocese of Milan and the region of Lombardy.
PRAYER: O God, who made Saint Galdinus a faithful shepherd and defender of your Church, grant that through his prayers, we may always be blessed with pastors formed after Your own heart and strengthened to stand for truth in love. Amen. 🙏
BLESSED MARY OF THE INCARNATION, RELIGIOUS: Born Barbe Avrillot in 1566 to a noble Parisian family, Blessed Mary of the Incarnation is hailed as the “Mother of the Discalced Carmel in France.” From a young age, her heart was drawn to God. Though she longed for the religious life, obedience to her parents led her to marry Pierre Acarie de Villemor. Together, they had six children, three of whom became Carmelites.
Despite a busy household and her husband’s political misfortunes, Blessed Mary became renowned for her charity, humility, and spiritual wisdom. During a famine, the rich entrusted their almsgiving to her discretion. She was instrumental in bringing the Carmelite reform of St. Teresa of Ávila to France, helping found several monasteries. Her work also extended to supporting the Ursulines and Oratorians, aiding in France’s spiritual renewal.
After her husband’s death, she entered the Carmelite convent at Amiens where her daughter was the superior as a humble lay sister. She spent her remaining years in prayer and penance, dying on Easter Wednesday in 1618. She was beatified in 1791 by Pope Pius VI. Her legacy remains one of obedience, resilience, and fervent love for God and the poor. She is a patron of those suffering from hepatitis and the destitute.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, through the life of Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, You showed us the beauty of perseverance, humility, and zeal. May we learn to find You in the trials of life and seek always to extend Your mercy to others. Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, pray for us. Amen. 🙏
SAINT PETER OF SAINT JOSEPH BETANCUR, MISSIONARY: Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, affectionately known as “Hermano Pedro,” was born in 1626 in the Canary Islands. Born into poverty, he worked as a shepherd before traveling to Guatemala in hopes of becoming a priest. Though unable to complete his studies due to financial hardship, he joined the Third Order of Saint Francis and embraced a life of service.
With deep compassion, Saint Peter ministered to the sick, the imprisoned, slaves, and the destitute. He founded hospitals, shelters, and schools, and even carried a wooden cross through the streets as an act of penance and evangelization. His simple life of holiness inspired the creation of the Bethlemite Order, the first religious order born in the Americas.
He is credited with introducing the Posadas Advent procession and is often called the “St. Francis of the Americas.” He died in 1667 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II the first Central American saint.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, through the humble and holy witness of Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, You revealed the power of loving the least of Your brethren. May we, like him, carry our crosses with joy and seek You in the poor and forgotten. Saint Peter of Saint Joseph, pray for us. Amen. 🙏
SAINT APOLLONIUS, MARTYR: Saint Apollonius of Rome was a distinguished senator in the 2nd century and a devout Christian during a time of rising persecution. Denounced by one of his own slaves, he was summoned to defend his faith before the Roman Senate. Rather than deny Christ, he delivered a powerful and eloquent apology for the Christian religion so profound that even Saint Jerome later praised it.
Though the law protected Christians from malicious accusations, it still penalized them if found guilty of the Faith. Saint Apollonius was condemned and martyred around the year 185. His courage and intellectual defense of Christianity continue to inspire theologians and apologists today.
PRAYER: O God of truth, who gave Saint Apollonius the strength to defend the Faith with wisdom and courage, grant that we too may be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us. Through his example, may we stand firm in times of trial. Saint Apollonius, pray for us. Amen. 🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF APRIL | MONTH OF HOLY EUCHARIST: April is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist, the greatest gift of Christ to His Church. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity offering Himself as the Bread of Life. This month invites us to deepen our love and reverence for the Eucharist, especially as we approach Holy Week and Easter, celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper when He said, “Take and eat; this is My Body… Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28). In receiving the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and His Church. It is the source of our strength and the culmination of our salvation, as Christ Himself said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” As we journey through Lent, we are called to renew our reverence for the Eucharist. During Holy Week, we remember that Christ instituted this sacrament on Holy Thursday, offering us a way to remain in union with Him. Let us take this opportunity to attend Mass regularly, spend time in Eucharistic adoration, and reflect on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
In this season of penance and reflection, may our devotion to the Eucharist strengthen our commitment to living as true disciples of Christ, leading us to the joy of Easter and the Resurrection.
O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine! Lord Jesus, You have given Yourself to us in the Eucharist. May we receive You with reverence and love, and let Your grace transform us this Lenten season and always. Amen 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we contemplate the Passion of Christ on this solemn Good Friday, we lift up our hearts in prayer for a world in need of healing and redemption. We pray for all who suffer—those who are sick, oppressed, abandoned, or living in poverty that they may find comfort in the wounds of Christ and be upheld by His grace. Through the intercession of Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, we pray especially for the marginalized and forgotten. We ask Saint Galdinusand Saint Apollonius to intercede for all who proclaim the Gospel in difficult circumstances, that they may be strengthened in courage and fidelity. We commend to the Lord the intentions of those who live lives of quiet devotion and service, inspired by the example of Blessed Mary of the Incarnation. May the suffering of Christ bring peace to divided hearts, and may His sacrifice inspire us to love more deeply, forgive more freely, and live more faithfully.
Let Us Pray
My dying Lord, You freely embraced human death for the salvation of the World. It was the greatest act of love ever known. As You hung upon the Cross in agony, Your own dear mother, the Immaculate Conception, stood by You, receiving Your love in its fullness and offering her love to console Your suffering soul. Please draw me into that love and help me to not only receive it but also to offer it to all in need. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus Christ, on this day when You embraced the Cross for our salvation, we stand in awe of Your boundless love and mercy. As we remember Your sacred Passion, may our hearts be opened to the mystery of Your suffering and the depth of Your sacrifice. Through the witness of Saint Galdinus, Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, and Saint Apollonius, may we be inspired to live with faith, hope, and charity, even amid trial and sorrow. Grant that, united with You in suffering, we may also share in the glory of Your Resurrection. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Save Us Savior of the world. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Galdinus, Archbishop of Milan; Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, Religious; Saint Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur, Missionary; and Saint Apollonius, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for us all during this final days of the Holy week, may God, our Crucified Christ, Our most loving Saviour, be with us all as we journey through this Holy Week, that we may come to share ever more deeply in the mysteries of His Passion, His suffering, death and Resurrection… Amen. Have a blessed, safe and grace-filled Holy Triduum 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
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