MONDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 1, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT GILES, ABBOT; SAINT ANNA THE PROPHETESS AND THE TWELVE HOLY BROTHERS, MARTYRS | SEPTEMBER 1ST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-1st/)
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Watch “Holy Mass Presided over by Pope Leo XIV’s Holy Mass | Inauguration of the General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine | LIVE from the Basilica of St. Augustine in Campo Marzio, in Rome | September 1, 2025 | “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | 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/catholic-daily-mass-177/
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/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Happy Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time and Happy Labor Day (USA)! Today, the United States observes this holiday on the first Monday of September as a national tribute to the contributions of workers to the nation’s prosperity.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” ~ Colossians 3:23
The Church lifts up St. Joseph the Worker as the patron of all workers. As a humble carpenter in Nazareth and the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph exemplified the dignity of ordinary labor. His life shows us that through patience, honesty, and diligence, work becomes a pathway to holiness. He reminds us that no task is too small when it is done with love and entrusted to God.
On this Labor Day, as the nation remembers the struggles and victories of the labor movement, we are invited to also reflect spiritually. May we give thanks for the gift of work, pray for justice and dignity for all laborers, and look to St. Joseph the Worker as our guide in offering our daily efforts to God with wholehearted devotion.
PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER:
O glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my sins. To work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations. To work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by labor the gifts I have received from God. To work with order, peace, patience, and moderation, never shrinking from difficulty, but dying to self with purity of intention and with selfless love. May I be mindful of death and of the accounting for time lost, talents unused, and good left undone. For the sake of Jesus and Mary, may all my work be done with my intentions unified with them.
St. Joseph, model of all workers, help me to work diligently and with integrity, finding joy in my labor. Guide my steps and intercede for me before God. Amen 🙏🏽
(Mention your intentions here — for example, a difficult work situation, seeking employment, or a desire to find greater meaning in your daily tasks.)
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 September. 🙏🏽
We thank the good Lord for the gift of life and the blessing and opportunity of work. Praying for God’s strength and grace, and may He continue to bless the work of our hands. We lift those who are unemployed and seeking work into God’s hands. Amen 🙏🏽
St. Joseph the Worker, Patron Saint of Workers ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Please find attached article on “Labor Day and the Christian Meaning of Work” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/labor-day-and-the-christian-meaning-of-work/
Today, we joyfully welcome the gift of a new month, September! Lord Almighty, we thank You for granting us the grace to see this new beginning, and we entrust every day of this month into Your loving hands. May September be a season of renewal, hope, and abundant blessings for us and our families. Bless those who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new opportunities, and milestones this month, and be near to those who carry heavy burdens in their hearts. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we ask for healing for the sick, 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 🙏🏾
On this feast day, we humbly pray for the poor and those in need, for persecuted Christians, for those who fight for truth, peace and justice, and we continue to pray for justice, peace, love, and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we continue to humbly pray for the well-being and safety of all parents, grandparents and the elderly. For the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. 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. For those who are imprisoned, especially those who are unjustly imprisoned. We pray for those who fight for truth, peace and justice. And we continue to pray for justice, peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God protect us all and keep us safe and united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died, that 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 & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏🏽
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 September | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-september/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/prayer-for-the-beginning-of-a-new-school-year/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time | September 1, 2025
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1, 3, 4–5, 11–12, 13
Gospel: Luke 4:16–30
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 4:16–30
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. No prophet is accepted in his own native place.”
“Jesus 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. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.”
Today’s Gospel reading gives an account of the liturgy of the word in the synagogue of Jesus’ home town in Nazareth. Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth and, as was His custom, enters the synagogue on the Sabbath to preach there. Handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus stands up to read and then sits down to comment on what He read from the prophet Isaiah that proclaims good news to the poor, liberty to captives, healing to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed. Rolling up the scroll, He declares, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. Jesus identifies Himself with the prophet who was sent to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, new sight to the blind, to set the downtrodden free. Jesus goes on to identify Himself with two other prophets, Elijah and Elisha, who ministered to people outside Israel, a hungry widow from Sidon and a leper from Syria. Jesus was saying to the people of Nazareth that He had come for those in greatest need, regardless of who they were or where they were from. At first, the people were amazed at His gracious words, but when He challenges their expectations and reminds them that God’s mercy extends even to outsiders as in the stories of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, and Elisha and Naaman the Syrian their admiration turns to anger. This generous vision Jesus had of His mission made the people of Nazareth very angry. They reject Him, even attempting to drive Him out, but Jesus passes through their midst and continues His mission. Jesus was one of their own and they expected special treatment. However, the good news is that Jesus has come for us all. If He has favourites it is those who are broken in body, in mind, in spirit. The Lord is constantly reaching out to us in our brokenness, in our pain and suffering. All He asks is that we receive Him as He is, on His own terms, which the people of Nazareth could not do. The Lord is always close to all of us; it is our need, our suffering, whatever form it takes, which can bring us close to Him.
In our Gospel today, we see the tension between familiarity and faith. The people of Nazareth could not see beyond Jesus’ ordinary background “Is this not Joseph’s son?”and so they closed their hearts to the extraordinary truth before them. Their failure to recognize Him reminds us of the danger of reducing God’s work to our own narrow expectations. Jesus proclaims that the Good News is for all, especially the poor, the forgotten, and the excluded. The Kingdom of God breaks boundaries, and those willing to receive Him with humility and openness find healing and freedom.
In the first reading, St. Paul comforts the Christian community of Thessalonica, who were grieving the death of loved ones. He reminds them that Christian grief is different from the grief of the world because it is rooted in hope. Just as Jesus died and rose again, so too will all who fall asleep in Him be raised. At the Lord’s coming, the dead will rise first, and those still alive will be caught up with them in glory. The promise is clear: “Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.” This reading offers us a message of hope, comfort, and eternal perspective. Death is not the end but a doorway to life in Christ. In moments of loss and sorrow, we are consoled by the certainty of resurrection. Our mourning is filled with hope because we know we will be reunited with our loved ones in the presence of the Lord.
Reflecting on the responsorial psalm, “The Lord comes to judge the earth.” The psalm is a joyful hymn of praise, inviting all creation to rejoice at the coming of the Lord, who rules with justice and truth. The heavens, the seas, the plains, and even the trees join in a cosmic symphony of worship. Unlike human rulers who judge with partiality, the Lord judges with perfect fairness and constancy. This psalm reminds us that God’s reign is one of righteousness and mercy. It calls us to live in joy and anticipation, for the coming of the Lord brings renewal, healing, and justice for all.
Today’s liturgy weaves together a message of hope and mission. St. Paul assures us that the dead in Christ will rise to eternal life, filling our hearts with comfort. The psalm calls all creation to rejoice at God’s just reign. And the Gospel challenges us to embrace Jesus not with doubt or prejudice, but with faith and openness to His radical mission of liberation. Like the people of Nazareth, we too can sometimes resist God’s work when it challenges our comfort or extends mercy to those we overlook. But Jesus reminds us that God’s Spirit is not confined it reaches the poor, the marginalized, and the outsider. We are invited to recognize His presence in unexpected places, to rejoice in His justice, and to console one another with the hope of eternal life.
Reflecting on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to ask ourselves: Do I live with the hope of the resurrection, especially in moments of grief or loss? How do I respond when God’s Word challenges my comfort zones or stretches my vision of who belongs? Am I willing to be an instrument of Christ’s mission to bring good news to the poor, healing to the broken, and freedom to the oppressed? May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace as we remain faithful and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You are the fulfillment of the Father’s promise, the One anointed by the Spirit to bring glad tidings to the poor and liberty to the captives. Open my heart to receive You with faith and not with doubt or pride. Teach me to console others with the hope of Your resurrection, to rejoice in Your justice, and to serve as a bearer of Your Good News. May I always recognize Your presence, even in unexpected ways, and remain faithful to the mission You entrust to me. Amen. 🙏🏾
MEMORIAL OF SAINT GILES, ABBOT; SAINT ANNA THE PROPHETESS AND THE TWELVE HOLY BROTHERS, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 1ST: Today, the Church honors three powerful witnesses of faith: Saint Giles, Abbot (Patron of the poor, the disabled, and those suffering from illness), Saint Anna the Prophetess (who recognized and proclaimed Christ in the Temple), and the Twelve Holy Brothers, Martyrs (who gave their lives rather than deny Christ during Roman persecutions). Today is also observed as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints celebrated on this day, we pray for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and for all who mourn. We lift up the sick and the dying, especially those suffering from cancer, disabilities, and terminal illnesses. We pray for married couples longing for the gift of children, for the poor and needy, and for peace, love, and unity in our families and in the world. We remember our Holy Father, bishops, priests, and religious, asking for more vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We pray also for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and for courage and steadfast faith among all the baptized. 🙏🏾
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | September 1st | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
( Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-1st/)
SAINT GILES, ABBOT (640–c. 710): Born in Athens to a noble family, Giles left behind wealth and prestige to follow Christ in humility and solitude. Seeking a hidden life, he gave away his inheritance to the poor and fled to Gaul (modern-day France), where he lived as a hermit in the wilderness. God sustained him through a deer that nourished him with its milk.
One day, while hunters pursued the deer, an arrow meant for it struck Giles, wounding him and leaving him crippled for life. This hidden wound became a mark of his sanctity and solidarity with the suffering. His holiness drew followers, and at the request of King Theodoric, he founded a Benedictine monastery at Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, where he served as abbot. His community became a center of prayer and charity, and countless miracles were attributed to his intercession.
In the Middle Ages, devotion to Saint Giles spread widely; he was revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, invoked in times of plague, illness, or trials. He is the patron saint of beggars, the disabled, lepers, cancer patients, epileptics, and all those marginalized or abandoned.
PRAYER: Lord God, You gave Saint Giles a heart of humility and compassion for the poor, the sick, and the forgotten. Through his intercession, grant us the courage to embrace our weaknesses and to serve others with love. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT ANNA THE PROPHETESS: Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, appears in Luke 2:36–38 at the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Widowed at a young age, she devoted her long life to prayer, fasting, and worship in the Temple. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to present Him to the Lord, Anna immediately recognized the Messiah. She gave thanks to God and proclaimed the Child to all who awaited the redemption of Jerusalem. Anna reminds us of the power of faithful perseverance in prayer and the joy of recognizing Christ’s presence.
PRAYER: Lord, like Saint Anna, make us faithful in prayer and open to the promptings of Your Spirit, that we may recognize and proclaim Christ in our daily lives. Amen. 🙏🏾
THE TWELVE HOLY BROTHERS, MARTYRS (3rd c.): The Twelve Holy Brothers were African Christians who suffered martyrdom during the persecutions of Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Refusing to renounce their faith or sacrifice to pagan gods, they were executed at different places in Italy: some in Potenza, others in Venosa, and others in Sentiana. Their relics were later enshrined together in Benevento in 760. Their names are: Arontius, Donatus, Felix (of Sentiana), Felix (of Venosa), Fortunatus, Honoratus, Januarius, Repositus, Sabinian, Sator, Septiminus, and Vitalis. They stand as a witness to the unity of the Church in martyrdom, reminding us that even when scattered, the faithful are bound together in Christ.
PRAYER: Almighty God, through the witness of the Twelve Holy Brothers, give us courage to remain steadfast in faith amid trials, and strengthen all who face persecution today. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers ~ 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 SEPTEMBER: For our relationship with all of creation. Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER | MONTH OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS: September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, inviting us to unite our hearts with Mary in her profound sharing of Christ’s Passion. As Simeon foretold, “a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35), and throughout her life Mary endured deep sorrows that culminated at Calvary. In her silent strength and unwavering faith, she became the compassionate Mother of all Christians, offering her suffering with Christ for the salvation of the world.
This month, the Church calls us to meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary: Simeon’s prophecy, the Flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple, meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, receiving His lifeless Body, and placing Him in the tomb. By reflecting on these sorrows, we learn patience in trials, compassion for the suffering, and a deeper love for Jesus who suffered for us.
Prayers such as the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, the Rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows help us to walk with Mary in her suffering and to discover hope and consolation in her maternal heart.
“Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us to stand with you at the Cross, sharing in Christ’s love and redemptive sacrifice.”
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏾
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this first day of September, we bring our hearts before the Lord with gratitude and trust. We pray for a spirit of hope and consolation, that we may not grieve without faith but live with the confidence of the resurrection promised in Christ. We pray for courage to bear witness to the Gospel, even when rejected or misunderstood, just as Jesus was in His hometown. We ask for the grace to sing a new song to the Lord each day, proclaiming His marvelous works among the nations. Through the intercession of Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers, we pray for strength in trials, purity of heart, and perseverance in faith. We remember all who are beginning this new month students, workers, families, and the poor that the Lord may bless their efforts and guide their steps. May peace, healing, and renewal be poured out upon the world.
LET US PRAY:
My challenging Lord, You desire that all Your children turn to You with their whole heart. Your chastisements are acts of mercy meant to move us out of indifference. Please speak to me the truths that I need to hear this day and use me to share Your holy word with others, especially those of my own family. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Loving Father, You are our refuge and our hope. As we step into this new month, guide us with Your wisdom and fill us with Your Spirit, that we may live as faithful witnesses of the Gospel. Strengthen our faith in Your promises, that we may never lose sight of the eternal joy awaiting us in Christ. Through the intercession of Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers, may we grow in courage, holiness, and trust in Your providence. Keep us steadfast in love, and may our lives always give glory to Your holy name. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Giles, Saint Anna the Prophetess, and the Twelve Holy Brothers~ 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. 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, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week and a fulfilling month of September🙏🏽
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 |
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