WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: NOVEMBER 19, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

MEMORIAL OF SAINT MECHTILDIS  (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN AND SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR | NOVEMBER 19TH | Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn, and Saint Barlaam of Antioch | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-november-19th/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | November 19, 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-november-19-2025/

DAY 6: NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING | NOVEMBER 14-22, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-christ-the-king/

Novena to Christ the King starts November 14, 2025! The Novena is prayed any time of year, but traditionally prayed Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 23, 2025

MOTHER OF THE FAITHFUL PEOPLE OF GOD (MATER POPULI FIDELIS) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/mother-of-the-faithful-people-of-god-mater-populi-fidelis/

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/

PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

LITANY OF THE SAINTS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/litany-of-the-saints/

THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

KIND REMINDER: JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE 2025 HOLY DOOR SCHEDULE TIMELINES | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/jubilee-of-hope-2025/

DR. PHILOMENA IKOWE AND HER JOYFUL CATHOLIC WITNESS | LIGHTS, CATHOLIC, ACTION! | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/dr-philomena-ikowe-and-her-joyful-catholic-witness/

Greetings and blessings, beloved family!

Today, on this Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time, the Church invites us once again to pause, reflect, and remain attentive to the movements of God’s grace in our daily lives. We commemorate the Memorial of Saint Mechtildis (Mathilda) of Hackeborn, Virgin, and Saint Barlaam of Antioch, Martyr—two holy witnesses who manifested fidelity to Christ in profoundly different yet deeply inspiring ways. As we enter into today’s Scripture readings, we are reminded of courageous perseverance in suffering, the hope of resurrection, and the call to use the gifts God entrusts to us with wisdom and faithfulness. May this reflection open our hearts to God’s enduring love and strengthen our desire to live each day in steadfast devotion to Him. 🙏🏽

We joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us safely in this month of November. As we continue this sacred 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 who have gone before us inspire us to live each day in holiness, humility, and love. This month of November, dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, invites us to pray fervently for our departed loved ones and for all who await the fullness of heavenly joy. We especially remember those who mourn, that they may find comfort and peace in the promise of resurrection. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, may God grant eternal rest to the faithful departed, healing to the brokenhearted, and grace to all who seek His mercy. May this new month bring light to our minds, peace to our hearts, and strength to our souls. Amen🙏🏽

“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 month. We entrust the days of November 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 Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of November. 🙏🏽

DAY 6: NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING | NOVEMBER 14-22, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-christ-the-king/

Novena to Christ the King starts 14th November, 2025! The Novena is prayed any time of year, but traditionally prayed Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 23, 2025

From November 14–22, 2025, we join the universal Church in praying this novena with devotion and trust, asking Christ the King to reign in our hearts and strengthen us in faith.

PRAYER: Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.🙏🏾

Recite One Our Father, One Hail Mary and One Glory Be per day followed by the Novena Prayer:

O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray, Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment. Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against You. Jesus, You are a King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment. Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy. O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth. Amen. 🙏🏾

NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING | NOVEMBER 14-22, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-christ-the-king/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

KIND REMINDER: JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE 2025 HOLY DOOR SCHEDULE TIMELINES | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/jubilee-of-hope-2025/

The Jubilee began with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, and will conclude with the closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on January 6, 2026. The Holy Doors at the other major basilicas (St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls) will be closed on Sunday, December 28, 2025

Individuals who cannot travel to Rome can participate in the Jubilee by making a pilgrimage to a local designated site. For a complete list of local pilgrimage sites, check with your local diocese. 

OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025
Pope Francis opens the Holy Door Ushering in the Jubilee of Hope | ‘Hope is Alive’ | Vatican News | December 24, 2024 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/jubilee-of-hope-2025/

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/

PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed.🙏🏽

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time | November 19, 2025
Reading 1: 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20–31
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 17:1bcd, 5–6, 8b, 15
Gospel: Luke 19:11–28

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 19:11–28

“I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given…”

“While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So He said, ‘A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, “Engage in trade with these until I return.” His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, “We do not want this man to be our king.” But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, “Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.” He replied, “Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.” Then the second came and reported, “Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.” And to this servant too he said, “You, take charge of five cities.” Then the other servant came and said, “Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.” He said to him, “With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man… why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.” Then he said to those standing by, “Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.” … “I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”’”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells a parable about a man of noble birth who went to a far country and who would eventually return as king. However, the preoccupation for his servants was not to be the day of his return but how they could use the resources he had given them in the here and now. Jesus tells this parable as He approaches Jerusalem, correcting the expectations of the people who thought the Kingdom of God would appear immediately. The nobleman represents Christ Himself, who ascends to the Father and entrusts His servants, you and me, with gifts, responsibilities, time, abilities, opportunities, and His very mission.

Today’s Gospel invites us to reflect deeply on the meaning of faithfulness, readiness, and the responsible use of the gifts God has entrusted to us. The two servants who invest their coins reveal an active, trusting faith, one that takes risks for the sake of the Kingdom. Their faithfulness in “small matters” is rewarded abundantly. But the third servant symbolizes the believer who allows fear, mistrust, or spiritual laziness to paralyze them. Instead of using the gift, he hides it, offering excuses instead of fruit. Too great a concern about the future can distract us from the present. What matters is the generous and courageous use of the gifts and resources that the Lord has given us for the service of others here and now. This is the approach to life the Lord is encouraging. The servant who put his pound away safely out of fear is the antithesis of this approach to life. In our use of our gifts and resources we may fail and make mistakes, but the parable suggests that failure is preferable to fearful inactivity.

Jesus reminds us in today’s parable that the Christian life cannot be lived passively. Grace must be responded to. Gifts must be used. Faith must be lived with courage. The Lord entrusts each of us with something precious: a vocation, talents, relationships, a mission, and the daily opportunities to serve Him. The question is not how much we have received, but what we do with what we have been given. The Gospel challenges us: Do we act with courage and love, or do we hide our gifts out of fear? The Kingdom grows when we invest ourselves generously in God’s work.

The First Reading presents one of the most powerful and heart-piercing scenes in Scripture: a mother watching her seven sons martyred in one day. Her courage, rooted in hope, is described as “admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance.” Her words to her youngest son reveal an unshakable faith in the Creator who gives life and restores it. This mother is a radiant example of heroic discipleship. She understands that fidelity to God surpasses even the instinct to preserve life itself. Her faith is not sentimental, it is anchored in truth, eternity, and trust in God’s justice. Her sons choose death rather than compromise. Their witness teaches us that authentic faith sometimes requires sacrifice, courage, and a willingness to stand firm against every pressure to abandon God’s law.

“Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.” The psalmist cries out with confidence in God’s justice and protection. Surrounded by threats, he clings to God as the One who hears, shields, and hides him “in the shadow of Your wings.” His hope is not in power, safety, or earthly success, but in seeing the face of God. This echoes the conviction of the mother in Maccabees and the courage of the faithful servants in the Gospel. True joy and security come from living in God’s presence.

As we reflect and meditate on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited into honest self-examination. Do I use the gifts, opportunities, and graces God has entrusted to me, or do I bury them out of fear, doubt, or complacency? Am I courageous in living out my faith, even when it is uncomfortable or countercultural, as the mother and her sons so boldly were? Do I allow fear of failure, judgment, or loss to prevent me from stepping into God’s mission for my life? How am I being called today to invest more deeply in prayer, service, charity, or witness? Do I truly believe that God sees, rewards, and sustains those who are faithful? May the Holy Spirit open our hearts to respond with courage, trust, and generosity. 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 have entrusted us with gifts far more precious than gold. Grant us the courage to use them faithfully and generously for the glory of Your Kingdom. Strengthen us with the boldness of the mother and her sons, who stood firm in truth even in the face of death. Deliver us from fear, hesitation, and spiritual complacency. Make our hearts steadfast, our hands diligent, and our lives fruitful. May we serve You faithfully in great matters and in small ones, so that when You return, we may hear Your gracious words: “Well done, good servant.” Amen. 🙏🏽

MEMORIAL OF SAINT MECHTILDIS (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN; AND SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR — FEAST DAY: NOVEMBER 19TH: Today, the Church commemorates two extraordinary witnesses of holiness who lived their vocations with humility, courage, and unwavering love for God: Saint Mechtildis (Mathilda) of Hackeborn, Virgin—a mystic of the famed Helfta monastery whose life illuminated the depths of divine love—and Saint Barlaam of Antioch, Martyr, a humble laborer whose steadfast faith confounded persecutors and inspired generations of believers. Through their intercession, we lift up the poor, the vulnerable, and the abandoned. We pray for victims of abuse, immigrants, orphans, widows and widowers, students, and healthcare workers. We remember the sick and dying, especially those battling cancer, strokes, heart disease, mental illness, and terminal conditions. We commend the souls in Purgatory and the faithful departed to God’s mercy. We pray for unity, peace, justice, and love in our families, marriages, Church, and world. May their example lead us to deeper faith, perseverance, and total trust in God. Amen.🙏🏾

Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | November 19th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn, and Saint Barlaam of Antioch | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-november-19th/)

SAINT MECHTILDIS (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN: Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn (1240–1298) was born into one of the noble families of Thuringia in Saxony. From childhood, she was irresistibly drawn to religious life. At just seven years old, she visited her sister—Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn—at the monastery of Rodersdorf and begged to remain there. Her remarkable intellect, humility, and spiritual sensitivity made her flourish in both learning and virtue. When the monastery later relocated to Helfta, Mechtildis continued her life of prayer and service, eventually becoming choir mistress and an essential spiritual mother in the community. Among the young girls entrusted to her care was a five-year-old who would grow into one of the greatest mystics of the Church—Saint Gertrude the Great. Saint Gertrude wrote admiringly of her teacher: “There has never been anyone like her in our monastery, and I fear there will never be again.” Mechtildis was gifted with a magnificent singing voice, and her entire spiritual life revolved around the praise of God—especially the Divine Office. Her mystical experiences, visions, and conversations with Christ were later recorded by her community in the treasured work The Book of Special Grace, which profoundly influenced medieval spirituality and even shaped imagery in Dante’s Purgatorio.

In her fifties, she learned that her revelations had been written down. Initially distressed, she was comforted by a vision in which Christ told her that her experiences were recorded “by My will, for the increase of My love in many souls.” She accepted this with humility, and her writings have brought spiritual insight to countless Christians. Saint Mechtildis died at Helfta on November 19, 1298, leaving behind a legacy of mystical theology, devotion to Jesus’ Sacred Heart, and tender trust in God. She is honored as a patron against blindness.

PRAYER: O God, who filled the heart of Saint Mechtildis with Your light and love, grant through her intercession that the darkness of our hearts may be dispelled, and that we may always rejoice in Your abiding presence. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: Saint Barlaam of Antioch (d. 304 A.D.) was a simple, elderly peasant laborer living near Antioch during the brutal persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Though uneducated and lowly in the eyes of the world, he possessed a faith of extraordinary depth. After refusing to renounce Christ, Barlaam was arrested and spent a long period in a dark, foul prison, enduring hunger and mistreatment. When finally brought before the judge, he was scourged, his bones dislocated, and tortured in various ways. Yet his face radiated joy, and his serene answers astounded his persecutors.

Humiliated by the constancy of a poor peasant, the judge devised a cruel plan: he ordered Barlaam’s hand to be placed over a burning fire and filled his palm with incense and hot coals. If Barlaam dropped the incense, it would fall onto the pagan altar, appearing as an offering to the idols—a false act of apostasy. But Barlaam’s faith was stronger than fire. He held his burning hand steady without flinching, allowing it to burn away completely rather than betray Christ. Filled with rage at this triumph of faith, the judge condemned him to death. Saint Barlaam’s witness has inspired generations as a profound example of courage, fidelity, and holy endurance.

PRAYER: O Lord, through the steadfast faith of Saint Barlaam, grant us strength to remain unshaken in trials, courageous in witness, and faithful to Christ unto the end. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn, and Saint Barlaam of Antioch — pray for us. 🙏🏾

GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/

LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of November | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-november/

COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/

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 NOVEMBER: For the prevention of suicide. Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER | MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, a month of prayerful remembrance for all the faithful departed who await the joy of Heaven. The Church calls us to intercede for them through our prayers, sacrifices, and Masses, trusting in God’s mercy to purify their souls and welcome them into eternal light. These souls, known as the Church Suffering, are united with the Church Triumphant in Heaven and the Church Militant on earth, one communion of love bound together in Christ.

This devotion is beautifully expressed in the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day) on November 2, which follows the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1. As the liturgical year draws to a close, the Church invites us to reflect on eternity, on the hope of resurrection and the promise of Heaven. Each prayer offered for the departed becomes an act of mercy that brings comfort to their souls and strengthens our own journey toward holiness.

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.” 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540

PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we reflect on today’s readings and the heroic witness of Saints Mechtildis of Hackeborn and Barlaam of Antioch, we lift our hearts to God, asking for the grace to remain faithful in every circumstance, whether in the quiet sacrifices of daily life or in the trials that test our endurance. We pray for all who suffer for their faith, that they may be strengthened with courage like Saint Barlaam and comforted by God’s presence as Saint Mechtildis experienced in her mystical intimacy with Christ. We remember the poor, the vulnerable, and the forgotten; the sick and the dying; those living with cancer, heart disease, neurological conditions, chronic pain, and mental illness; and all caregivers who accompany them with love. We pray for widows and widowers, orphans, immigrants, prisoners, victims of abuse, and all enduring hidden burdens. We commend students, teachers, and healthcare workers to God’s guidance and protection. We remember the souls in Purgatory and ask for the repose of all the faithful departed. We pray for unity, forgiveness, and renewed love in our marriages and families, for peace in our communities and throughout the world, and for a deeper spirit of stewardship, so that, like the faithful servants in the Gospel, we may use the gifts God has entrusted to us for His glory. May the light of Christ guide our steps, strengthen our resolve, and renew our hope. Amen. 🙏🏽

LET US PRAY:

My demanding Lord, You have entrusted me with much, and You demand that I use all that You have given me to help build Your Kingdom of grace. What a privilege it is to be called by You and used by You for this apostolic mission. Please free me from all fear, dear Lord, so that I will never hesitate to serve You in the ways that You call me to serve. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen🙏🏽

Lord God, You strengthened the mother and her seven sons with unshakeable courage, and You rewarded the faithful servant who used his gifts wisely. As we meditate on these mysteries today, grant us the grace to remain steadfast in trials and generous in service. Through the intercession of Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn, fill our hearts with the light of Your presence, and through the martyrdom of Saint Barlaam of Antioch, teach us to hold fast to Christ with unwavering love. Pour out Your healing upon the sick, Your comfort upon the sorrowful, and Your peace upon our troubled world. Make us faithful stewards of Your blessings and witnesses of Your mercy in all we do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Mechtildis of Hackeborn, and Saint Barlaam of Antioch ~ 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 on this Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in 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. As we continue our journey through the month of November, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the blessings of the past and entrust the days ahead into God’s loving hands. May this month, dedicated to praying for the Holy Souls, be filled with hope, peace, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled, and fruitful Wednesday, a fruitful week ahead and a peaceful continuation of the month of November. 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | Global Missions Now Awards |

North Texas Catholic Magazine | Dr. Philomena Ikowe – Life on Purpose (pages 44-45) | https://www.flipsnack.com/A9DFE877C6F/north-texas-catholic-magazine-mar-apr-issue-2025/full-view.html