EASTER SUNDAY – SOLEMNITY OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (YEAR C)
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ APRIL 20, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARCELLINUS, BISHOP, SAINT BEUNO, ABBOT AND SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO, RELIGIOUS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
Watch “EASTER SUNDAY | HOLY MASS OF THE DAY AND “URBI ET ORBI” BLESSING’ | PRESIDED OVER BY CARDINAL ANGELO COMASTRI | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN | APRIL 20, 2025″ | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/easter-sunday-holy-mass-of-the-day-live-from-the-vatican/
Easter Sunday Mass is held at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, featuring the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message with Pope Francis’s appearance. We continue to pray for stable health and complete recovery of Pope Francis and for God’s Divine healing and intervention. Amen 🙏🏽
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/20/catholic-daily-mass-47/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection!
On this special day of Easter celebration, we thank God Almighty for the gift of life and the special gift of His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Praying for God’s grace, love, peace, and blessings upon us all as we celebrate the resurrection of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ.
“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. ” Matthew 28:6
Easter Sunday is the greatest feast of the Christian calendar—the day we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. After the silence and sorrow of Holy Saturday, the tomb is found empty, and the light of the Risen Christ dawns upon the world. “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said” (Matthew 28:6). This solemnity marks the definitive victory of life over death, grace over sin, and hope over despair. The Resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:14), confirming Jesus as the Son of God and opening the gates of eternal life to all who believe in Him. Easter Sunday is the culmination of the Paschal Triduum and the beginning of the Easter season—a 50-day celebration of joy, new life, and the power of God’s redeeming love. The liturgy is filled with alleluias, white vestments, and the glory of the Risen Lord. As we rejoice today, we are called not only to celebrate but to live as people of the Resurrection—renewed in baptismal grace, strengthened in faith, and sent forth to proclaim Christ’s triumph to the world.
This Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 proclaimed by Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the Gospel message of hope so that we can become people of hope in our world today. Easter is the great feast of hope. It is because of Easter that we are a hopeful people. There are many reasons for despair and discouragement in our world today. The problems of the world, our countries, our church, our own lives, can easily leave us disheartened. Yet the great message of that first Easter Sunday is that God is always working to bring new life out of great loss and death, God turned the awful tragedy of the killing of His own Son to the good of all humanity. In raising His Son from the dead, God was raising us all into a new hope. In raising His Son, God released a power for good into the world, a power of life, which gives us hope. We call this power the Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit of the risen Lord that makes us a hopeful people. As Saint Paul says in his letter to the Romans, ‘Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us’.
PRAYER: Risen Lord, You have conquered sin and death and filled the world with hope and joy. As I celebrate Your Resurrection, awaken in me a new heart, a living faith, and a burning love. May I live this day and every day in the light of Your victory. Alleluia! Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.🙏🏽
Alleluia! He is Risen! Let us rejoice and be glad for the Lord is risen! May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this Easter season and always 🙏🏽
[Direct link to the full article: EASTER SUNDAY | APRIL 20, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/easter-sunday-of-the-resurrection-of-the-lord/ ]
DAILY REFLECTIONS WITH PHILOMENA | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
DIVINE MERCY NOVENA: Novena in preparation for DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Good Friday is the first day of the Divine Mercy Novena. Novena begins, Friday, April 18, 2025, to Saturday, April 26, 2025, leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday on April 27, 2025 | DAY 3: Link ~ https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/17/divine-mercy-novena/
Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, as we celebrate Easter, we the Church joyfully commemorates three holy witnesses of the faith: Saint Marcellinus (patron of Embrun, missionaries, and bishops), the first Bishop of Embrun, a missionary bishop from Africa who sowed the seeds of Christianity in Gaul; Saint Beuno (patron of sick children and sick animals), a Welsh abbot and miracle worker remembered for his compassion toward the sick and his role in the life of Saint Winifred; and Saint Agnes of Montepulciano (patron of those with illnesses and the poor), a mystic and Dominican prioress known for her charity, deep Eucharistic devotion, and miraculous gifts. Through their intercession and under the maternal mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we lift our hearts in prayer today for those who are ill—especially children, the terminally ill, and even animals who suffer. May God, in His mercy, bring comfort, healing, and peace. Amen. 🙏🏽
Daily Saints, Holy Mass, Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Scripture Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/reflections/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
Watch “HOLY MASS ON THE JUBILEE OF THE SICK AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS | Presided by H.E. Most Rev. Rino Fisichella | Live from St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican | April 6, 2025” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/04/06/holy-mass-on-the-jubilee-of-the-sick-and-healthcare-workers/
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS
“Loving God, we thank you for the unwavering faith and leadership of Pope Francis. As he recovers from his hospitalization, we humbly ask for your healing touch upon his body, your peace upon his mind, and your comfort for his spirit. Grant him strength, renewed energy, and a continued ability to serve your flock with compassion and wisdom. We entrust him to your loving care, and we pray that he may soon be restored to good health, if it be your will. Through Christ our Lord, Amen”🙏🏽
Honoring a Legacy of Service: The 10th Memorial Anniversary of Late Noble (Sir) Gabriel Louis Ihieje Opiepe (KSJI) | https://gliopiepehe.org/2025/04/12/honoring-a-legacy-of-service-the-10th-memorial-anniversary-of-late-noble-sir-gabriel-louis-ihieje-opiepe-ksji/
On this special feast day, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, particularly Saint Joseph, Patron of the sick and dying, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, especially those victims of the recent mass shooting in Florida. We continue to pray for the repose of the gentle souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 🙏🏽
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL: For the use of the new technologies ~ Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.
PRAYER OF THE MONTH ~ POPE FRANCIS: Lord, Good Father, as I look at the world and see men and women working in it and beautifying it, a great “Thank You!” springs from my heart. The action of Your Spirit among us encourages us to grow in the progress of science and technology in the service of human dignity for integral and inclusive human development. Because we know You desire the good of all, from the heart of Your Church, Your Son calls us to ensure that technology does not replace “person-to-person” contact, that the virtual does not replace the real, and that social networks do not replace social settings. Help us develop the ability to live wisely, to think deeply, to love generously, without losing heart, promoting scientific and technological growth that increasingly aligns with human development in responsibility, values, and awareness.
Amen 🙏🏽
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
*Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, the Resurrection of the Lord | Easter Sunday, Year C | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: The Resurrection of the Lord | Sunday, April 20, 2025
Reading 1: Acts 10:34a, 37–43
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23
Reading 2: Colossians 3:1–4 (or 1 Corinthians 5:6b–8)
Gospel: John 20:1–9
Gospel Reading ~ John 20:1–9
“He had to rise from the dead”
“On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”
In today’s Gospel reading, when Mary Magdalene approached the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter morning, she was preoccupied with death. Jesus, whose healing love she had experienced, had been cruelly put to death by the Romans in his prime. She had stood by the cross and watched Him die. Now she was approaching the tomb to complete the rituals associated with death, by anointing Jesus’ body with oils and perfumes. To her amazement she discovered the tomb was empty. This discovery only added to her darkness of spirit, her grief. Not only had Jesus been put to death, but His body had been stolen. It was only when the risen Jesus appeared to her and called her by name that she understood why the tomb was empty. The tomb was empty because Jesus had been raised from the dead and was now alive. Filled with new joy, new hope, new energy, she went to the disciples and excitedly declared, ‘I have seen the Lord’. Jesus who was crucified has been raised by the Father and has been given the name ‘Lord’ which is above all names. Easter declares that the one we worship is a living Lord. The good news of Easter is that the tomb of death has been transformed by God into the womb of new life. This took everyone by surprise. The Gospel reading suggests that even Peter did not immediately understand the true meaning of the empty tomb. It is only of the beloved disciple that the evangelist says: ‘he saw and believed’. He alone understood why the tomb was empty; he alone saw that life had triumphed over death. Even before the risen Lord appeared to him, he understood that Jesus was risen. There will always be some who seen more deeply than others. The feast of Easter is the feast of life. In a culture where death can be so dominant, we need to savour this feast of life. At Easter we renew our faith in a living God who brings new life out of death. If the death of Jesus reveals a God of love, the resurrection of Jesus reveals a God of life. We know from our own experience that genuine human love is always life-giving, and divine love is profoundly life-giving. At Easter we celebrate not only what the God of life has done for Jesus, but what God can do for us all. Because of Easter, we can face our own personal death with hope. Easter teaches us that the journey to the tomb is not ultimately a journey to death but, rather, as Mary Magdalene discovered, a journey to a wonderful and surprising new life. In the face of death, we too, like her, will discover that ‘no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading, the dawn of Easter reveals not only an empty tomb but the fullness of our hope. The Gospel begins in darkness—literally and spiritually. Mary Magdalene, still mourning, approaches the tomb expecting death and decay, but instead finds that the stone has been rolled away. What begins as confusion and concern unfolds into the most profound revelation: Christ is risen. The disciple whom Jesus loved, upon seeing the burial cloths, “saw and believed.” Faith blossoms in that sacred emptiness. The resurrection of Jesus is not only a historical event; it is a divine proclamation that death does not have the final word. This passage reminds us that the Resurrection is not just something we celebrate—it’s something we live. The empty tomb is not a sign of absence but of divine presence that now fills all creation. Jesus did not simply rise for His own sake but to lift all of us into new life with Him. Easter invites us to enter the tombs of our despair, fear, and sin, and emerge with faith, hope, and love renewed. This Easter Sunday, like Mary and the disciples, we are called to run—not away in fear, but toward the promise of life, to encounter the Risen Lord who calls each of us by name.
If Easter enables us to face our own death with hope, it also encourages us to look at all our other experiences of death with new eyes. There is a sense in which we have to deal with death throughout our lives, long before the moment of our own personal death arrives. Whenever someone close to us dies, some part of us dies with them. The experience of aging is itself a kind of dying, a letting go of our physical energy, perhaps even of our mental capacities. At any stage in life we can find ourselves dealing with very significant losses, such as the loss of a relationship that has been very significant for us, the loss of a job, the loss of our good name. In such losses, Easter, the feast of life, can speak powerfully to us. Because the Lord is risen, we do not face these losses alone. With St. Paul, we can say, ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’. The risen Lord can work powerfully in all our experiences of loss and weakness. All those to whom the risen Lord appeared were sent out as messengers of Easter hope and joy, as agents of new life. Easter, the feast of life, sends all of us forth to create a culture of life. We are faithful to that Easter calling whenever we help others to make new beginnings, whenever we help those who are struggling to live life to the full, whenever we are present to people in ways that enable their gifts to come alive and be placed at the service of others. Easter reminds us of our calling to be agents of God’s life-giving work in our world. This is our baptismal calling. Easter is a day to renew our response to our baptismal calling.
In our first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles, we heard of the great testimony of faith from St. Peter the Apostle, the Lord’s chief disciple who spoke courageously and full of the Holy Spirit after he and the other disciples had received the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, fifty days after the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. He spoke bravely and courageously on behalf of the Lord because he himself had seen and witnessed everything that happened, and as recorded in the Scriptures, he and many others had seen the Risen Lord Himself in the flesh, in the glory of His Resurrected Body, which has transcended death. Initially, he and the other disciples were afraid because of the intense pressures, intimidations and efforts by the Jewish elders and chief priests who sought to keep the news about the Resurrection from spreading, even to the point of spreading false stories about how the disciples had stolen the Lord’s Body from His tomb.
But there St. Peter stood courageously before the many people assembled in Jerusalem for the Festival of the Pentecost, proclaiming all the good things that the Lord had done and accomplished through the same One Whom the people had persecuted and crucified just weeks earlier, and Who had died and yet rose again gloriously from the dead despite the lies and the falsehoods that the Temple authorities and the members of the Sanhedrin attempted against the Lord. He proclaimed the salvation which the Lord had won for all of us, the people beloved by God because of His triumphant Resurrection from the dead. And because they themselves have all experienced it, St. Peter and the other Apostles and disciples, all the witnesses of the Resurrection that our Gospel passage today had presented to us and all the great deeds that the Lord had done would not remain silent, and they proclaimed them all in great joy.
Reflecting on the first reading, Peter’s powerful proclamation in the house of Cornelius captures the heart of the Easter message: Jesus, who went about doing good and healing, was crucified, but God raised Him on the third day. He appeared to witnesses and commissioned them to spread this good news. Today, we stand in that apostolic tradition, bearing witness to the Resurrection not only by word but by the way we live. The forgiveness of sins through His name is not a theory—it’s a truth we carry into every relationship, every hardship, and every moment that cries out for redemption.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” This psalm is a joyful anthem of triumph. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone—Jesus, once crucified, is now exalted. His mercy endures forever, and His victory is our hope. The words of the psalm echo throughout Easter Sunday, reminding us that every new day, especially this one, is a gift crafted by God to be embraced with joy and gratitude.
In our second reading this Easter Sunday from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians, he exhorted all of them to seek what is holy and worthy, and not in earthly and worldly things. He challenged the faithful people of God to live in the manner that they have been called and expected to do as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own beloved and holy people. Therefore, this is the same reminder to all of us that we should always be truly be active and committed in each and every moments of our lives, in carrying out our every actions, words and deeds in the manner that the Lord had taught us all through His Church. We should not merely be faithful in the manner of formality only, but we must be like the Apostles, who courageously and faithfully defended their faith in the Risen Lord.
Reflecting on the second reading,
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above.” St. Paul shifts our gaze upward, calling us to live as people already resurrected in Christ. Easter is not only about what happened to Jesus but about what must now happen in us. We are urged to think of what is above—not to escape the world but to transform it. Our identity is now hidden in Christ, and with His rising, we too are promised glory. The Resurrection compels a new way of thinking, loving, and being. Do I live each day as someone who has been raised with Christ? What tombs in my life need to be emptied by the power of the Resurrection? How can I grow in faith like the beloved disciple who believed even when he did not fully understand? Where am I being called to bear witness to the Risen Lord today with joy, courage, and truth? Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Let this Easter be more than a feast—it must be our mission. Go forth in the power of the Resurrection. Love boldly. Forgive generously. Rejoice deeply. And never forget: the tomb is empty so that your life may be full. Let this be the day the Lord has made, and may you never stop rejoicing in it.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scripture this Easter Sunday, it highlights to us all the things which the Lord had done to overcome sin and death, and reunite us all with our most loving God and Father, our Creator and Master. Christ our Risen Lord has endured the worst of sufferings and challenges, trials and pains, by Him embracing willingly our many sins and their punishments upon Himself, by making Himself the Paschal Lamb, the Lamb of God to be slain for the New and Eternal Passover and Covenant that God wanted to establish with us all. The sacrifice and offering of our Risen Lord has been accepted in His perfect obedience, as the one and only worthy offering that is good enough to redeem and heal us all from our afflictions and corruptions by sin, as our Eternal High Priest, offering His own Most Precious Body and Blood for our salvation. This Easter season and beyond, we are also reminded that as Christians, as Pope St. John Paul II once famously said, that we are all Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. This means that all of us are called to live a truly holy and worthy lives, lives that are truly active, committed to God and missionary, full of compassion for one another and righteousness, justice and virtues in all of our actions throughout life. We must have the right disposition and attitude in life in order for us to be able to follow the Lord worthily in our lives. And just as the Israelites still continue their journey after crossing the sea out of Egypt, which is a symbolism and prefigurement of our baptism, therefore, baptism is not the end of our journey towards God, but rather, marks the new beginning in this journey we have towards God. As we renew our baptismal promises, we are reminded of this commitment that we have in following God and obeying His commandments. Essentially, we are called to proclaim the Lord and His Resurrection, His Good News and salvation to the world. But in order to do this, we must first live our lives worthily as good and faithful Christians, and this is something that many of us have difficulty doing because we face so many obstacles, temptations and challenges in our daily lives. And this is why as we enter into this joyful Easter season, we have to renew our commitment and dedication to the Lord, in doing our best to live our lives worthily and to commit ourselves to a truly holy and blessed existence in God, in all of our actions, words and deeds, and in how we interact with others around us. We cannot be hypocrites who claim to believe in the Lord and yet act in the manner that is contrary to our faith and beliefs in God. That is why as we all enter into this joyous season of Easter, celebrating the Lord’s glorious Resurrection, let us all strive to commit ourselves to be ever more faithful and sincere in following our Risen Lord in everything that we say and do. Let the transformations and conversions that we have experienced during the Lenten season continue to bear their fruits through this time of Easter and beyond. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace all of us be faithful and ever more courageous witnesses of Our Lord and His Resurrection, being good role models and inspirations to our fellow brothers and sisters, helping ever more people to come closer to God and His salvation. May our Risen Lord continue to bless us all and give us His light of Hope, and strengthen us in our resolve to follow Him wholeheartedly, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽
Risen Lord Jesus, today we rejoice in the victory of Your Resurrection. You have conquered sin and death and opened the gates of eternal life. Help us to believe even in the darkness, to hope even when the stone has not yet rolled away. Let us live as Easter people, bearing witness to Your light in every place we go. Fill our hearts with the joy of Your presence and make us instruments of Your peace. Amen 🙏🏽
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARCELLINUS, BISHOP; SAINT BEUNO, ABBOT; AND SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY: APRIL 20TH: Today, the Church joyfully commemorates three holy witnesses of the faith: Saint Marcellinus (patron of Embrun, missionaries, and bishops), the first Bishop of Embrun, a missionary bishop from Africa who sowed the seeds of Christianity in Gaul; Saint Beuno (patron of sick children and sick animals), a Welsh abbot and miracle worker remembered for his compassion toward the sick and his role in the life of Saint Winifred; and Saint Agnes of Montepulciano (patron of those with illnesses and the poor), a mystic and Dominican prioress known for her charity, deep Eucharistic devotion, and miraculous gifts. Through their intercession and under the maternal mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we lift our hearts in prayer today for those who are ill—especially children, the terminally ill, and even animals who suffer. May God, in His mercy, bring comfort, healing, and peace. Amen. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | April 20th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Joseph Saint Marcellinus, Saint Beuno, Saint Agnes of Montepulciano https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day/)
SAINT MARCELLINUS, BISHOP: Saint Marcellinus of Embrun, also known as Marcellin, was born into a noble family in Roman Africa. Ordained a priest, he joined two other African bishops—Vincent and Domninus—on a mission to Gaul (modern-day France) in the 4th century to evangelize the Alpine regions. These courageous missionaries preached the Gospel in the face of pagan resistance and cultural barriers, relying on the power of the Word and the witness of holy living.
Marcellinus settled in Embrun, where he built an oratory, spending nights in prayer and days in ministry. He journeyed to Rome to participate in the Synod of 313, which addressed the Donatist heresy, a testament to his deep commitment to the unity and truth of the Church. Eventually, he was consecrated bishop and led the Church in Embrun with pastoral care, sending his companions to evangelize other cities. His life was marked by miracles and deep sanctity, drawing pagans to Christ by example and word. He died in 374 AD, leaving behind a vibrant Christian community.
PRAYER: O God, who made Saint Marcellinus a fearless shepherd and zealous missionary, grant that through his prayers we may boldly proclaim Christ and live with unwavering faith. May we, like him, be tireless in our love for the Church and in service to Your people. Amen. 🙏🏽
SAINT BEUNO, ABBOT: Saint Beuno (c. 545–640), born in Berriew, Wales, was a 7th-century abbot, confessor, and miracle worker. A member of a noble family and the son of Saint Bugi, Beuno was educated in the monastic tradition and eventually founded a monastery at Clynnog Fawr in North Wales. He is perhaps best known for being the spiritual mentor and uncle of Saint Winifred, whom he miraculously restored to life after a brutal attack.
Beuno’s life was steeped in asceticism, prayer, and healing ministry. Even after death, his tomb became a place of pilgrimage, especially for sick children and animals. To this day, people seek his intercession for healing, particularly for children with severe illnesses. He is venerated as the patron of sick children, diseased cattle, and animals suffering from illness—reminding us of God’s care for all creation, great and small.
PRAYER: Loving Father, You raised up Saint Beuno to be a channel of Your healing grace and pastoral love. May his intercession bring comfort to the sick, especially children and the voiceless creatures You have made. Heal us in body, mind, and spirit, and deepen our trust in Your mercy. Amen. 🙏🏽
SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO, RELIGIOUS: Born into a noble family in Tuscany in 1268, Saint Agnes of Montepulciano was marked for sanctity from infancy—her birth heralded by mysterious lights. At just nine years old, she received special papal permission to enter a monastery. Despite her youth, she became a model of discipline, prayer, and leadership. At age 15, she was entrusted with founding a new convent, and later, she returned to Montepulciano to establish a Dominican monastery devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Agnes lived a life of radical poverty and intense mysticism. She sustained herself on bread and water, slept on the ground, and used a stone for a pillow. Her miracles included multiplying loaves, healing the sick, and even raising a child from the dead. Above all, her love for the Eucharist and Christ Crucified defined her path to holiness.
Saint Catherine of Siena once wrote of her:
“The sweet Agnes stripped herself of herself and put on Christ crucified… Her example obliges you to follow it steadfastly.”
Agnes died in 1317 at the age of 49. Her body was found to be incorrupt years later and she is remembered as a shining light of contemplative prayer and charity in action.
PRAYER: O God of holiness and mercy, You adorned Saint Agnes of Montepulciano with heavenly gifts and made her a beacon of prayer and compassion. May her example of humility, purity, and charity inspire us to love You above all things. Through her prayers, may we grow in devotion and courage. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Marcellinus, Saint Beuno, and Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, we pray for healing for the sick, comfort for the dying, and protection for all creatures suffering in body or spirit. May these saints, who radiated Christ in their lives, lead us closer to the heart of Jesus through their example and prayers. Amen 🙏🏽
Saint Marcellinus, Saint Beuno, Saint Agnes of Montepulciano ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF APRIL | MONTH OF HOLY EUCHARIST: April is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist, the greatest gift of Christ to His Church. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity offering Himself as the Bread of Life. This month invites us to deepen our love and reverence for the Eucharist, especially as we approach Holy Week and Easter, celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper when He said, “Take and eat; this is My Body… Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28). In receiving the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and His Church. It is the source of our strength and the culmination of our salvation, as Christ Himself said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” As we journey through Lent, we are called to renew our reverence for the Eucharist. During Holy Week, we remember that Christ instituted this sacrament on Holy Thursday, offering us a way to remain in union with Him. Let us take this opportunity to attend Mass regularly, spend time in Eucharistic adoration, and reflect on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament.
In this season of penance and reflection, may our devotion to the Eucharist strengthen our commitment to living as true disciples of Christ, leading us to the joy of Easter and the Resurrection.
O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine! Lord Jesus, You have given Yourself to us in the Eucharist. May we receive You with reverence and love, and let Your grace transform us this Lenten season and always. Amen 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Marcellinus, Saint Beuno, and Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, we lift up our hearts in prayer. We pray for the Church, that her ministers may be filled with zeal and holiness as they proclaim the Gospel like Saint Marcellinus. We remember all missionaries and evangelists, that their efforts may bring souls into the light of Christ. We pray especially for sick children, the terminally ill, and those suffering in silence. May they experience God’s healing touch through the intercession of Saint Beuno, patron of sick children and animals. We pray for those discerning religious life, especially young women, that they may find in Saint Agnes a model of purity, humility, and deep Eucharistic love. We also entrust to God those battling spiritual doubts and darkness, that like the Apostles in today’s readings, they may come to believe and proclaim with confidence that “It is I. Do not be afraid” (John 6:20). 🙏🏽
LET US PRAY
Most holy angels of God, please come to me, speak to me and reveal to me the most glorious message of the Resurrection of Christ. Lord, I pray that my heart be freed of all fear and that my mind be opened to all that You wish to reveal to me. I do believe in the glory of Your Resurrection; help me to believe with all my heart and to proclaim that truth to others. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord God, You are the fountain of holiness and the author of all life. On this day, we give thanks for the witness of Your holy servants—Saint Marcellinus, who shepherded his people with prayer and perseverance; Saint Beuno, whose miracles and compassion brought healing and hope; and Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, whose youthful faith and mystical love for the Eucharist remind us of the beauty of a life wholly given to You. Strengthen us, Lord, to walk the path of holiness with courage and simplicity. When we face trials, sickness, or fear, let us remember that You are near, speaking peace into our storms. Help us to serve others with charity, to pray with faith, and to act with boldness in Your name. May the example of the saints stir our hearts to greater trust, and may their prayers draw us ever closer to Your Sacred Heart. Through Christ our Lord. Amen 🙏🏽
Save Us Savior of the world. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph Saint Marcellinus, Saint Beuno, Saint Agnes of Montepulciano ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the gift of this day and the special gift of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ and praying for us all during this Easter season. May our most loving Saviour, as we come to share ever more deeply in the mysteries of His Passion, His suffering, death and Resurrection… Amen. Praying for us all on Easter Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. Have a blessed, safe and grace-filled, joyous Easter celebration!
HAPPY EASTER! 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
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