SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 30, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT JEANNE JUGAN (SISTER MARY OF THE CROSS), RELIGIOUS; SAINTS FELIX, PRIEST AND ADAUTUS, MARTYRS AND SAINT FIACRE, HERMIT | AUGUST 30TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saints Felix and Adauctus, and Saint Fiacre | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-30th/)
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | August 30, 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-175/
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, Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time, we thank the good Lord for the gift of this day! 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. 🙏🏽
As we gradually come to the end of this month of August, we entrust our lives, our plans, our fears, and our dreams into God’s loving hands. We pray that this month will be filled with divine blessings, new opportunities, and the strength to overcome every challenge that may come our way. We pray and celebrate with those marking birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, weddings, and other joyful milestones this August. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for all those experiencing challenges in their marriages, may God grant them healing, strength, peace and love. May this be a month of peace for the anxious, healing for the sick, comfort for the brokenhearted, and provision for the needy. As we walk through the days ahead, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ go before us, the love of God surround us, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit guide every decision we make. May this month bring us closer to holiness, deeper in faith, and stronger in hope. In all things, may God’s name be praised. Amen🙏🏽
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, workers and all those who labour 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 the Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of August.🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of August | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-august/
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, Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time | August 30, 2025
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:9–11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:1, 7–8, 9
Gospel: Matthew 25:14–30
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 25:14–30
“Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.”
“Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares with us the Parable of the Talents, a story that challenges us to reflect on how we use the gifts and responsibilities entrusted to us by God. Each servant received talents “according to his ability.” Two servants invested their talents and doubled what they had received, while one servant, paralyzed by fear, buried his and returned only what he was given. The master praised the first two for their faithfulness and courage, but condemned the third as lazy and unworthy. In today’s Gospel the focus is on the third character, the servant who took the one talent his master had given him and simply hid it in the ground. His reason for doing this was that he considered his master an overly demanding person and was afraid to take any risk with what he had been given. Rather than risk losing what he had been given, he hid it so as to be able to give it back. The other two servants obviously had a different view of their master; they had the freedom to invest what they had been given. They seemed to have understood that their master would not blame them for trying and failing. The master had given them a gift; he never intended to look for it back; he simply wanted them to make good use of what he had given them. We have all been gifted and graced in different ways by God. God wants us to serve one another out of what we have been given. Fear can sometimes hold us back, as it held back the third servant, fear of God, fear of others, fear of failure. It was Mother Teresa of Calcutta who said that God does not ask to be successful, just to be faithful. Jesus is suggesting through this parable that if we have enough trust in the God who loves us unconditionally we will have the freedom to give from what we have received, without worrying too much about success or failure. This parable reminds us that God has given each of us unique gifts, time, opportunities, and abilities not to be hidden or wasted, but to be used fruitfully in His service. Fear and complacency can often prevent us from stepping forward in faith, but the Lord calls us to courage, creativity, and responsible stewardship. In the Kingdom of God, it is not enough simply to preserve what we have been given; we are invited to grow, to build, and to bear fruit for His glory.
In our Gospel today, what distinguished the third servant in the parable from the other two servants was fear, ‘I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground’. Fear disabled him and prevented him from responding to the trust that his master had placed in him by giving him a significant sum of money as a gift. In the Gospels, fear is often portrayed as the opposite of faith or trust. In the storm at sea, Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ (Mt 8:26). The first letter of John declares, ‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because He first loved us’ (I John 4:19). The assurance of God’s perfect love should drive out the kind of fear that left the third servant in the parable crippled. God who has been generous with us asks us to be generous with what we have received, and then to leave the rest to God. He has revealed His perfect love for us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Because we know ourselves to be perfectly loved by God, we can entrust ourselves to God, taking risks on behalf of God, knowing that if we fail God continues to love us. The Lord’s love frees us to live fearlessly and generously. When Peter started walking towards Jesus across the water from the boat, ‘he noticed the strong wind… and became frightened and began to sink’ and Jesus asked him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ (Mt 14:30-31). When we forget how much the Lord loves us and focus instead on what seems threatening, we easily find ourselves sinking out of fear. If, however, we keep looking to Jesus, ‘the pioneer and perfecter of our faith’, then we will fearlessly ‘run the race that is set before us’ (Heb 12:1-2). The Spirit of God’s unconditional love has been poured into our hearts and, as Saint Paul says, ‘you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry out, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God’ (Rom 8:15-16). The Spirit of God’s love deep within us can empower us to use our gifts generously and courageously. Jesus wants us to recognize how generous God has been with each one of us, how much He has entrusted to us. God has given us the greatest treasure of all, His Son. God has also given us abilities that allow us to share this gift of His Son with others, in how we think, speak, act and live. God wants us to respond to His generous and trusting investment in us by living fearlessly out of all that He has given us. We are to be courageous in our witness to His Son. We are to take risks in our efforts to ensure that the riches of the Gospel are received by as many as possible. God can deal with failure, even bringing great good out of it. However, there is little God can do with fearful inactivity. The Lord doesn’t look to us to be successful but He wants us to be generous and daring with what we have been given.
The First Reading from 1 Thessalonians emphasizes the same theme in a practical way. Saint Paul encourages the Christian community to love one another, to grow even more in charity, and to live quietly, minding their own affairs and working with their hands. Holiness is not only in extraordinary acts but also in faithful, everyday living being diligent, peaceful, and charitable. The faithful servant is one who lives each day in trust and integrity, using ordinary circumstances to glorify God.
The Responsorial Psalm echoes with joy and hope: “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.” God’s judgment is not something to fear but to anticipate with joy if we are faithful stewards. He will come to reward those who have lived with justice, generosity, and love.
Reflecting on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to ask ourselves: Am I using my gifts and talents to serve God and others, or am I hiding them out of fear or selfishness? Do I live my daily life with faithfulness, simplicity, and love as Saint Paul encourages? Am I preparing myself to hear the Lord say at the end of my journey: “Well done, my good and faithful servant… Come, share your Master’s joy”? The Gospel today challenges us not to bury our potential or faith out of fear, but to live courageously and generously, trusting that God will multiply our efforts and welcome us into His eternal joy. 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 God, You have entrusted us with many gifts and responsibilities. Teach us to be faithful stewards of Your blessings, using our talents and opportunities to serve You and to bring joy, justice, and love to the world. Free us from fear and selfishness, and give us the courage to invest ourselves fully in the mission of the Gospel. May we live quietly, work faithfully, and grow in love, so that one day we may hear Your words of welcome: “Well done, my good and faithful servant… Come, share your Master’s joy.” Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
MEMORIAL OF SAINT JEANNE JUGAN (SISTER MARY OF THE CROSS), RELIGIOUS; SAINTS FELIX, PRIEST AND ADAUTUS, MARTYRS AND SAINT FIACRE, HERMIT ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 30TH: Today, the Church honors four holy witnesses of faith: Saint Jeanne Jugan (Patroness of the destitute elderly and the poor), also known as Sister Mary of the Cross, the humble foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor and a beacon of love for the elderly destitute; Saints Felix and Adauctus (Patrons of persecuted Christians and those facing trials of faith), martyrs who shed their blood for Christ during the great persecution of Diocletian; and Saint Fiacre (Patron of gardeners, cabdrivers, and those suffering from venereal diseases and hemorrhoids), an Irish hermit known for his holiness, healing, and simplicity. Each of these saints reminds us that holiness is possible in every vocation, whether in religious life, priesthood, martyrdom, or the solitude of a hermit when one surrenders completely to God’s will. Through their intercession, we pray today for the souls of the faithful departed and for all who mourn. We lift up the elderly, the sick, and those suffering from terminal illness, especially cancer patients and those abandoned by family. We pray for gardeners, farmers, cabdrivers, and all who work with their hands to provide for others. We ask for peace and unity in marriages, families, and our world, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and for the guidance and protection of our Holy Father, bishops, clergy, and all who shepherd the Church. May the witness of Saints Jeanne Jugan, Felix, Adauctus, and Fiacre inspire us to live with courage, humility, and steadfast faith.
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | August 30th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saints Felix and Adauctus, and Saint Fiacre | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-30th/)
SAINT JEANNE JUGAN (SISTER MARY OF THE CROSS), RELIGIOUS (1792–1879): Born in Brittany, France, during the upheaval of the French Revolution, Jeanne Jugan grew up in poverty after her father was lost at sea. Refusing marriage proposals, she discerned a deeper call from God to serve the poor. In 1839, she welcomed into her small home a blind, paralyzed woman who had no one to care for her. Giving up her own bed, Jeanne began what would become a lifelong mission of mercy. Others soon joined her, and from her humble charity grew the Little Sisters of the Poor, a congregation dedicated to serving the abandoned elderly with dignity and love. Though later removed unjustly from leadership and hidden in obscurity for decades, Jeanne bore her suffering with humility and prayer, uniting herself to the Cross of Christ. At her death in 1879, her congregation had spread across the world, serving thousands of elderly poor. She was canonized in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, who hailed her as “a beacon to guide our societies” toward renewed love for the elderly. Today, she is venerated as Patroness of the destitute elderly.
PRAYER: Lord, through Saint Jeanne Jugan’s humble service, You revealed the beauty of charity toward the forgotten and abandoned. May her example inspire us to love generously, especially the poor and elderly. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINTS FELIX, PRIEST, AND ADAUCTUS, MARTYRS (d. 303 AD): During the fierce persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian, Saint Felix, a Roman priest, was arrested and condemned to death for his unwavering faith. As he was led to execution, an unknown Christian in the crowd was so moved by his courage that he cried out his own faith in Christ. He was immediately seized and executed alongside Felix. Because his name was unknown, he was called Adauctus (“the one added on”). Their joint martyrdom one a priest, the other a layman shows the unity of the Church in suffering and glory. Their relics were venerated in Rome and later spread to various churches across Europe. Their courage reminds us that the faith is worth more than life itself.
PRAYER: Almighty God, by the witness of Saints Felix and Adauctus, You strengthened the Church in times of persecution. Grant us courage to confess Your Name without fear. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT FIACRE, HERMIT (d. 670 AD): Saint Fiacre was born in Ireland and raised in a monastery, where he grew in prayer, knowledge, and holiness. Seeking solitude, he became a hermit, later moving to France where Saint Faro, Bishop of Meaux, gave him land. Through prayer and hard labor, Fiacre miraculously cleared the land and cultivated a garden that provided food and healing herbs. Known for his miracles of healing, he founded a hospice for travelers and a monastery for disciples who followed him. He lived a life of deep penance, prayer, and service, drawing many to Christ through his humility and compassion. After his death around 670, devotion to him spread widely. In later centuries, pilgrims visited his shrine for healing. Because of his love of gardening, he became patron saint of gardeners, florists, herbalists, and cabdrivers.
PRAYER: Lord God, You granted Saint Fiacre the gift of healing and the grace of holy solitude. Through his intercession, bless those who work the land and all who seek healing of body and soul. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saints Felix and Adauctus, and Saint Fiacre ~ 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 AUGUST: For mutual coexistence. Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST | MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, inviting us to reflect on her pure love, deep sorrow, and unwavering obedience to God. Her heart, aflame with charity and pierced by suffering, mirrors the life of Christ and calls us to follow Him more closely through her example. This month, the Church encourages us to console her sorrowful heart and grow in holiness through prayers like the Rosary, the Litany of the Immaculate Heart, and the First Saturday Devotion. Through Mary’s heart, we are led ever closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“O Immaculate Heart of Mary, be our refuge and the way that leads us to God.”
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us and draw us into deeper love and trust in your Son. Amen🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Heavenly Father, You call us to use the gifts You have entrusted to us with love and responsibility, building up Your Kingdom in humility and service. Help us, like the faithful servants in the Gospel, to invest our lives in love, mercy, and good works, so that when our time comes, we may hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Today, inspired by the example of Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saints Felix and Adauctus, and Saint Fiacre, we bring before You the needs of the Church and the world. We pray for the elderly, the sick, and all those abandoned or forgotten, that they may find comfort in Your mercy. We lift up those who work with their hands, the farmers, gardeners, and laborers, that their efforts may bear fruit for the good of others. We ask for strength and protection for persecuted Christians and for peace and unity within marriages, families, and nations. May each of us, like the faithful servants in the Gospel, be found diligent in using the talents You have given us to glorify Your name and serve our brothers and sisters.
LET US PRAY:
Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear of the Lord, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Heavenly Father, grant justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord, we lift up to You our lives, our families, and our work. Make us wise and faithful stewards of the treasures You have placed in our hands, time, talents, and relationships so that all may be directed toward Your glory. Teach us to love one another deeply, to serve without seeking reward, and to remain steadfast in faith, even when the world tempts us to bury the gifts You have given. May the example of the saints we honor today remind us that holiness is possible in every vocation, whether through service, sacrifice, or solitude. Strengthen us, Lord, to be fruitful disciples, bringing Your light to the world until the day we are called into Your eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Jeanne Jugan, Saints Felix and Adauctus, and Saint Fiacre ~ 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 Saturday and a relaxing weekend 🙏🏽
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