WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 3, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT, POPE AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH | SEPTEMBER 3RD | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Gregory the Great | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-3rd/)
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | September 3, 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-179/
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!
Today, Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, 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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
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. 🙏🏽
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, Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church | September 3, 2025
Reading 1: Colossians 1:1–8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 52:10–11
Gospel: Luke 4:38–44
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 4:38–44
“To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
“After Jesus left the synagogue, He entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with Him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to Him. He laid His hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But He rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that He was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for Him, and when they came to Him, they tried to prevent Him from leaving them. But He said to them, ‘To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.’ And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals both His compassion and His mission. Jesus brings healing to many people in Capernaum. In Simon’s house, He heals Peter’s mother-in-law with just a word of authority, and immediately she rises to serve. This healing not only restores her strength but also shows us the proper response to the Lord’s mercy: service. Later, the crowds bring their sick, and Jesus attends to each person individually, laying His hands on them. His touch conveys both power and intimacy, reminding us that God’s care is personal. Yet despite the growing demands of the people, Jesus withdraws to a deserted place to pray, grounding His ministry in communion with the Father. When the crowd tries to keep Him for themselves, He insists on moving forward to proclaim the Kingdom to others. His mission is universal; His love cannot be confined to one place or one group. It is easy to understand why the people of Capernaum wanted to hold on to Him. He had been setting people free from their illnesses and their demons. The kingdom of God, God’s loving power, was touching people powerfully through the ministry of Jesus. A touch of heaven was touching their piece of earth, and they wanted to hold on to it. Yet, Jesus knew that what the crowds wanted Him to do wasn’t what God wanted. Jesus was very clear that He had to move on, ‘I must proclaim the kingdom of God in the other towns too’. The people of Capernaum had to let Him go; Jesus was at the disposal of God’s purpose and that took priority over what the people of Capernaum wanted. The Gospel of Luke consistently portrays Jesus as someone who was totally at the service of God’s purpose. That often brought Him into conflict with human purposes that were opposed to God’s purpose. We are all called to live our lives in accordance with God’s purpose. We try to do what we think God wants of us. That will often bring us into conflict with what other people want of us and want from us. In our struggle to do what God wants, however, we have the risen Lord to help us to walk that way. He can empower us to take the path He took, through His presence to us in his word, in the Eucharist.
Reflecting on the Gospel, it was when Jesus was in prayer, in communion with the Father that He recognized that what God wanted wasn’t that He remain in Capernaum but that He move on to other towns and villages to proclaim the Gospel there. As Jesus said to the crowds who sought Him out while He was at prayer, ‘I must proclaim the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do’. On this occasion God wasn’t speaking to Jesus through the people of Capernaum who wanted to prevent Him leaving them. Sometimes, God does speak to us through others, but not always. There are times when what others want us to do is at odds with what God wants us to do. Even those who think highly of us and have our best interests at heart may be mistaken about the path we need to take if we are to be true to God’s call. We sometimes struggle to discern what it is that God is asking of us in any particular situation, especially when we sense that others are pushing us in one particular direction. We often have to step back, as Jesus does in today’s Gospel reading, and ask God to guide and direct us. If we seek the Lord in prayer at such times, we can be confident that He will give us the light we need to see the path He is asking us to take. Our prayer and communion with God the Father will always guide our service which flows from God’s strength rather than our own strength. The Gospel also emphasizes that Jesus’ authority extends over sickness and evil spirits alike. He silences demons who seek to speak about Him prematurely, showing that His identity as Messiah is revealed on God’s terms, not theirs. His words and actions demonstrate that His mission is both to heal and to proclaim, to restore broken bodies and broken hearts. For us today, this passage is an invitation to trust in the power of Christ’s healing word and to imitate His rhythm of service, prayer, and mission.
In the first reading, St. Paul’s greeting to the Colossians is filled with gratitude. He commends their faith in Christ, their love for the saints, and their hope in heaven a hope nourished by the Gospel that continues to bear fruit across the world. His words remind us that faith, love, and hope are inseparable. Faith anchors us in Christ, love flows outward to others, and hope lifts our eyes to eternity. Paul acknowledges Epaphras, a servant of Christ, as the one who planted these seeds in Colossae. This shows us the importance of faithful witnesses and teachers in passing on the Gospel. Just as the Colossians bore fruit because of Epaphras’ work, we too are called to let God’s word transform us so we may bear fruit in our families, communities, and beyond.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, the psalm echoes this message of trust: “I trust in the mercy of God forever.” Like a green olive tree flourishing in God’s house, the psalmist finds strength and life in God’s enduring mercy. Thanksgiving and proclamation flow naturally from this trust: “I will thank You always for what You have done, and proclaim the goodness of Your name before Your faithful ones.” This confidence invites us to rest in God’s mercy even when trials arise, knowing that His faithfulness sustains us.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to ask: Do I welcome Christ’s healing presence into the “fevers” of my life whether physical, emotional, or spiritual and rise to serve Him with gratitude? Do I make time, as Jesus did, for prayer and communion with the Father so that my service flows from God’s strength rather than my own? Am I willing to share the Good News with others, even beyond my comfort zone, as Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom beyond Capernaum? May we live today with a renewed trust in the mercy of God, with gratitude for the Gospel that bears fruit in us, and with courage to serve and proclaim Christ in word and deed. 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. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You are the healer of our souls and bodies. Speak Your word into the fevers of our lives and raise us to serve You with joy. Teach us to trust always in Your mercy, to root ourselves in prayer, and to carry the Good News of Your Kingdom wherever You send us. May our faith bear fruit in love and our hope remain steadfast in You. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT, POPE AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 3RD: Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great (Patron of teachers, students, musicians, singers, and the sick), Pope and Doctor of the Church. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Gregory the Great, we pray for all students, teachers, and scholars at the beginning of this school year. We remember all musicians, singers, and those who proclaim the Gospel with their voices and lives. We lift up the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancer and other terminal illnesses, as well as widows, widowers, and all who mourn the loss of loved ones. We pray for the poor and needy, and for peace, unity, and love in marriages, families, and our world. We also continue to pray for our Holy Father, bishops, clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and for all the Church throughout the world. 🙏🏾
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | September 3rd | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Gregory the Great | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-3rd/)
SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT (c. 540–604): Born into a noble Roman family, Gregory received a fine education and served as Prefect of Rome before discerning a call to religious life. He sold his wealth, converted his family home into a Benedictine monastery, and embraced the life of a monk. Though reluctant to leave the quiet of monastic life, Gregory was called to serve the Church as deacon, papal ambassador, and eventually, at age 50, as Pope (590–604)—becoming the first monk to be elected to the papacy. His papacy came during a time of great turmoil: Rome was weakened by famine, floods, and invasions, yet Gregory brought order, reform, and hope.
He is remembered as a great reformer of the Church, purifying the clergy, strengthening discipline, and shaping the liturgy. Gregorian chant, the sacred music that continues to enrich worship today, bears his name. Gregory was also a gifted writer and preacher, whose homilies and commentaries nourished Christian thought for centuries. His compassion was immense: he emptied the papal treasury to care for the poor, ransom captives, and aid plague victims, earning him the title “Father of the City”. Yet, he always described himself humbly as the “Servant of the Servants of God.”
Gregory’s missionary zeal extended far beyond Rome. Seeing English children sold as slaves, he sent missionaries—including Saint Augustine of Canterbury—to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons, earning him the title “Apostle of England.” For his deep humility, pastoral care, theological insight, and far-reaching reforms, Gregory is honored as one of the four great Doctors of the Latin Church and fittingly called “the Great.”
QUOTES OF SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT:
☆”The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”
☆”Act in such a way that your humility may not be weakness, nor your authority be severity. Justice must be accompanied by humility, that humility may render justice lovable.”
☆“The Holy Bible is like a mirror before our mind’s eye. In it we see our inner face. From the Scriptures we can learn our spiritual deformities and beauties. And there too we discover the progress we are making and how far we are from perfection.”
PRAYER: God, You look with love upon Your people and guide them with compassion. Through the intercession of Saint Gregory the Great, fill us with wisdom, humility, and zeal, so that Your Church may grow in holiness and unity, and both shepherds and flock may rejoice one day in eternal joy. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Gregory the Great ~ 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 Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church, we lift our hearts in prayer for the Church and the world. We pray for teachers, students, and scholars as a new academic year begins, that the Holy Spirit may guide them in truth and wisdom. We remember all pastors and leaders in the Church, asking for zeal and humility to serve as Saint Gregory did. We pray for musicians, singers, and all who proclaim God’s Word, that their gifts may uplift the faithful and glorify the Lord. We intercede for the sick and the suffering, especially those confined to their homes or hospital beds, that Christ the Divine Healer may bring them strength and peace. May widows, widowers, and the grieving find comfort in the embrace of God’s love. We also entrust to God’s mercy the poor and the needy. With Saint Gregory’s intercession, may our lives become living testimonies of faith, charity, and perseverance in Christ. 🙏🏽
LET US PRAY:
My miraculous Lord, I know that You desire my complete attention in life. And I know that I am often distracted by many things that compete with You. Give me the grace I need to become so amazed by You and by Your action in my life that I fervently seek You out so as to be continually nourished by Your holy Word and divine presence in my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Loving Father, You raised up Saint Gregory the Great to shepherd Your Church with wisdom and compassion. Through his intercession, grant us the grace to live as faithful disciples, serving You with humility and courage. Strengthen the sick, console the grieving, bless our families, and guide our leaders with Your light. May we, like Saint Gregory, use our talents for the good of the Church and the glory of Your name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Gregory the Great ~ 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 | 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