THE EIGHTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/solemnity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-the-holy-mother-of-god/
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JANUARY 1, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEPH MARY TOMASI, RELIGIOUS | JANUARY 1ST | Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-january-1st/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | January 1, 2026 | “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-january-1-2026/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy New Year!
We joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for bringing us safely into the new year. As we embark on this fresh journey of faith, we give thanks for God’s boundless mercy and the hope of eternal life promised to those who believe in Him. May the witness of the Saints and the faith of our loved ones inspire us to live each day in holiness, humility, and love. This month of January, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, invites us to grow in grace and devotion, following His example of love, obedience, and trust in God’s plan. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Name of Jesus, may God fill our hearts with hope, strengthen our faith, and guide us in holiness throughout this new year. May this month bring light to our minds, peace to our hearts, and strength to our souls. Amen 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the gift of this new day and for the grace of a new year, we joyfully celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord. As the Church begins the year by placing us before Mary, we are invited to entrust the days ahead to her maternal care and to ponder, with her, the mystery of Christ who has come to dwell among us. On this first day of the year, we give thanks for the blessings received in the year gone by and humbly ask the Lord to guide our steps in the year ahead. May the peace proclaimed by the angels at Christ’s birth rest upon our hearts, our families, and the whole world, as we begin this new chapter under the loving gaze of Mary, our Mother, and the abiding presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us. 🙏🏽
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
We join our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV to pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our dear beloved late Pope Francis, the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests and Religious who have gone to be with the Lord. We also remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We pray for the gentle repose of the souls of our loved ones who recently passed away, and we continue to pray for the souls in Purgatory; lost souls. For the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His Saints.” ~ Psalm 116:15
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽
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🙏🏽✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past months. We entrust the days of December into Your hands, asking for Your blessings, guidance, and peace upon our lives and families. May this month be for us a time of renewed faith, deeper hope, and overflowing joy. We pray especially for all families, for children, parents, and teachers, that they may be strengthened and protected. Bless those who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new opportunities, and milestones this month, and comfort those who enter it with heavy hearts or struggles. Lord, go before us, walk beside us, and remain with us always, now and forever. Amen. 🙏🏽
Today, we humbly pray for the poor, abandoned, and those in need, for all those who are marginalized in our society. For those who are imprisoned, especially those who are unjustly imprisoned. We pray for charitable organizations, asking God’s blessing upon their mission and we lift our prayers for peace, love, justice and unity in our families, marriages and our world. May God protect us all and keep us safe and united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary on this special Feast day, we lift our prayers for the protection, safety and well-being of healthcare professionals, educators, missionaries, pilots, and all travelers. We ask for healing for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, strength for the weary, peace in troubled homes, and provision for all in need. Guide our steps in righteousness, protect us from harm, and fill our hearts with faith, joy, and gratitude. May this month draw us closer to Your will, and may every day be a testimony of Your goodness and mercy in our lives. We begin this month with trust in Your unfailing love, Lord, and we surrender all that lies ahead into Your hands. Amen 🙏🏾
We continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, mothers, workers, and all those who labor in this world. May the Lord bless the work of their hands, and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of Advent. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of January. 🙏🏽
SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/solemnity-of-the-nativity-of-our-lord/
SOLEMNITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/solemnity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-the-holy-mother-of-god/
Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of God, Mary’s greatest and most exalted title. This feast, which concludes the Octave of Christmas, proclaims a profound truth about Christ Himself: that Jesus is truly God and truly man. Because the Child born in Bethlehem is the eternal Son of God made flesh, Mary, who bore Him, is rightly honored as Theotokos—the God-bearer. Declared at the Council of Ephesus in 431, this title safeguards the Church’s faith in the Incarnation and affirms Mary’s unique role in God’s saving plan. January 1 also recalls the naming of Jesus, “God saves,” underscoring that this feast speaks not only about Mary, but about the mystery of salvation revealed in her Son.
Celebrated on the first day of the year, this solemnity invites us to entrust the year ahead to the maternal intercession of the Mother of God. As Mary once welcomed Christ into the world with faith and humility, she continues to lead the Church to her Son, offering Him to us as our peace, hope, and life. At the beginning of a new year, the Church places us under Mary’s care, encouraging us to consecrate our days, struggles, and joys to God through her. In honoring Mary, we are reminded that through her “yes,” a new age of grace dawned, and through her prayers, we are guided to begin this year rooted in Christ, the Author of Life.
VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS: A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit, Creator Blest) on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new. See link below: Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit, Creator Blest) | EWTN https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/veni-creator-spiritus-come-holy-spirit-creator-blest-11897
VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God’s hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let Us Pray:
O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost: give to us, in the same Spirit, to know what is right, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who with Thee livest and reignest in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God. World without end… Amen🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, The Octave of Christmas | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God | The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord | January 1, 2026
Reading 1: Numbers 6:22–27
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2–3, 5, 6, 8
Reading 2: Galatians 4:4–7
Gospel: Luke 2:16–21
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 2:16–21
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
In today’s Gospel, we are invited into the quiet yet profound mystery of the Nativity through the eyes of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. As the shepherds arrive in haste and proclaim what they have seen and heard, the world responds with amazement. Yet Mary’s response is different. She does not speak or rush ahead; instead, she listens, treasures, and reflects. In the stillness of her heart, she gathers the unfolding mystery of God’s work and allows it to take root. On this first day of the new year, Mary teaches us that faith begins not with noise or haste, but with attentive listening and contemplative trust.
The naming of the Child, Jesus, completes the Gospel scene. His name, given by God Himself, reveals His mission: “God saves.” At the dawn of a new year, we are reminded that our salvation does not come from our plans, resolutions, or efforts alone, but from God’s loving initiative. Mary, as Mother, receives this gift fully, surrendering her life to the unfolding will of God. Her motherhood is not only biological but deeply spiritual, for she bears Christ first in her heart before offering Him to the world.
The First Reading from the Book of Numbers presents the ancient priestly blessing, words spoken over God’s people as a promise of protection, grace, and peace: “The Lord bless you and keep you.” These words resonate powerfully on this solemn day. As a new year begins, the Church places these words on our lips and in our hearts, reminding us that our journey forward is held within God’s blessing. The shining face of the Lord, fulfilled in the person of Jesus, is now revealed to the world through Mary, His Mother.
The Responsorial Psalm echoes this universal hope: “May God bless us in His mercy.” It is a prayer not only for ourselves but for all nations, that God’s saving ways may be known throughout the earth. The birth of Christ is not a private joy but a blessing meant for the whole world, and Mary, the Mother of God, is also the Mother of the Church, entrusted with presenting Christ to all peoples.
In the Second Reading, Saint Paul proclaims that in the fullness of time, God sent His Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters. Through Christ, we are no longer slaves but heirs. This truth anchors the new year in hope. Whatever lies ahead, we walk forward not in fear or uncertainty, but as beloved children who can cry out, “Abba, Father.” Mary stands at the heart of this mystery, for through her humble “yes,” God’s family was opened to all humanity.
As we reflect on these sacred readings today, we are invited to begin the year with Mary’s disposition of heart. What moments from the past year do we need to ponder rather than rush past? What blessings, struggles, or unanswered questions are we called to place quietly before God? Like the shepherds, we are called to proclaim God’s goodness with joy; like Mary, we are called to hold God’s mysteries with faith and trust. This Solemnity reminds us that the safest place to begin the year is in the care of a Mother who leads us gently to her Son.
May this new year find us walking under God’s blessing, living as beloved children, and carrying Christ into the world with hearts shaped by faith, humility, and peace. Through the intercession of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, may the Lord bless us and keep us, now and always. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEPH MARY TOMASI, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY: JANUARY 1ST: Today, as the Church joyfully celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, we also commemorate the Memorial of Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi, Religious (Patron of the Sacred Liturgy). A man of profound humility, learning, and devotion to the worship of God, Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi dedicated his life to deepening the Church’s understanding and love of her sacred liturgical heritage. His witness reminds us that authentic renewal in the Church flows from reverence, prayer, and fidelity to the mysteries we celebrate. 🙏🏾
Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | January 1st https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-january-1st/)
SAINT JOSEPH MARY TOMASI, RELIGIOUS: Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi (1649–1713) was born in Sicily into a noble and devout Christian family. From an early age, he showed a deep attraction to prayer, learning, and the things of God. Renouncing his titles and inheritance, he transferred his worldly privileges to his brother and entered religious life with the Order of the Clerics Regular Theatine, founded by Saint Cajetan. His parents, inspired by his example, later embraced religious life themselves. Renowned for his holiness and exceptional scholarship, Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi mastered several languages, including Hebrew, and was instrumental in converting his former teacher, a Jewish rabbi, to Christianity. His profound love for the Roman liturgy and tireless theological work earned him the title “Doctor of the Liturgy.” Many of the reforms he proposed were later adopted by the Church in the twentieth century. Though elevated to the rank of Cardinal, he lived with simplicity and humility, dedicating himself to teaching catechism to children and instructing congregations in Gregorian chant. He died after a brief illness in 1713, leaving behind a legacy of reverence for the sacred mysteries. Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi is venerated as the patron saint of the sacred liturgy.
PRAYER: O God, who adorned Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi with deep love for Your sacred mysteries and zeal for the beauty of divine worship, grant that, through his intercession, we may approach the Holy Liturgy with reverence, faith, and attentive hearts. May our participation in the Church’s worship draw us ever closer to Christ and shape our lives according to Your holy will. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi, Religious ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏾
GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of January | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-january-2026/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/
KIND REMINDER: JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE 2025 HOLY DOOR SCHEDULE TIMELINES | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/jubilee-of-hope-2025/
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 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY: For prayer with the Word of God. Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. After the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph told him that the Child’s name should be called Jesus, meaning “God Saves.” According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after his birth, a male child was to be circumcised, receive his name, and become a full member of God’s covenant people. According to the old Roman liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus was celebrated on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, the same day that He was given His sacred name. Currently, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Mother of God on January 1st and honor the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3rd. For Catholics, Jesus’ sacred name is the object of a special devotion symbolized by the monogram “IHS,” (sometimes called a Christogram), which is the first three letters of the Greek spelling of His name.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12538
PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, as we stand at the threshold of a new year and continue the joyful celebration of the Lord’s Nativity, we lift our hearts in gratitude and trust. We pray that the blessing spoken in today’s First Reading of God’s face shining upon His people and granting them peace may rest upon the Church and the whole world in the year ahead. Through the maternal intercession of Mary, who pondered the mysteries of her Son in her heart, may families grow in faith, unity, and love, and may all who feel burdened by fear, uncertainty, or loss find hope in Christ, born for our salvation. Inspired by the life of Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi, we pray for a renewed love for the Church’s sacred liturgy, that our worship may draw us into deeper communion with God and shape our lives according to His will. We entrust the year before us to the Lord, asking that He guide our steps, bless our labors, and lead all people to live as true sons and daughters of God, adopted through Christ and filled with the Spirit who cries out, “Abba, Father.”
LET US PRAY:
Heavenly Father, as we begin this new year under the loving gaze of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, we place our lives entirely in Your hands. You have sent Your Son, born of a woman, to make us Your beloved children and heirs of Your Kingdom. As Mary treasured these holy mysteries in her heart, grant us the grace to reflect deeply on Your word and to walk faithfully in Your ways. Through the intercession of Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi, kindle in us a profound reverence for Your sacred presence in the liturgy, that our worship may transform our hearts and renew our commitment to holiness. Bless us, O Lord, and keep us; let Your face shine upon us and grant us peace throughout this year. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Joseph Mary Tomasi ~ 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 for His faithful presence throughout the year now completed, we begin this new year in the joy of the Octave of Christmas, with hearts open to the wondrous mystery of Christ’s birth. As a new year dawns, we pause to reflect with gratitude on all that has been, entrusting our joys and sorrows, successes and shortcomings, into God’s merciful hands. We lift our hearts in thanksgiving for the greatest gift ever given: God Himself, born for us in humble love, bringing light, hope, and salvation to the world.
As we step forward into this new year, may this sacred season invite us to begin again with renewed faith, deeper trust, and a greater openness to God’s grace. May the peace, joy, and hope that flow from the presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us, guide our steps, shape our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in love and holiness. Alleluia! May God bless all families and loved ones as we welcome the year ahead, and may His light shine brightly in every home. May these last days of the Christmas Octave be grace-filled and joyful, drawing us ever deeper into the mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation and the quiet assurance of His abiding presence with us throughout the year to come. 🙏🏽
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
Dr. Philomena Ikowe and Her Joyful Catholic Witness | Lights, Catholic, Action! | Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/dr-philomena-ikowe-and-her-joyful-catholic-witness/