SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT | DECEMBER 6, 2025
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: DECEMBER 6, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
MEMORIAL OF SAINT NICHOLAS, BISHOP OF MYRA 6TH | Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Nicholas | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-december-6th/
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/01/first-fridays-and-first-saturdays-devotions/
FIRST FRIDAYS DEVOTION: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | December 6, 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-december-6-2025/
POPE LEO XIV ON HIS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP AS PONTIFF TO TURKEY AND LEBANON | TRIP BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/pope-leo-xivs-on-his-first-foreign-trip-as-pontiff/
NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION | DAY 8: Novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Immaculate Conception Starts, November 29 – December 7th. Traditionally prayed in preparation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-the-blessed-virgin-mary-the-immaculate-conception/
ADVENT SEASON AND IT’S SIGNIFICANCE IN THE LITURGICAL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/advent-season-and-its-significance-in-the-liturgical-year/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
SAINT ANDREW’S CHRISTMAS NOVENA: [The Saint Andrew’s Christmas Novena prayer below is traditionally prayed 15 times a day from November 30, the Feast of Saint Andrew, through Christmas Eve] | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-dayfeast-day-november-30th/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today, Saturday of the First Week of Advent, is the First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The devotion is a way to honor the Immaculate Heart of Our Blessed Mother and to offer reparation for sins committed against her.
On this blessed Saturday of the First Week of Advent, the Church invites us into a deeper spirit of watchfulness and renewal as we celebrate First Saturday Devotions in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Today, we also joyfully commemorate the Memorial of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, a faithful shepherd whose generosity and compassion continue to inspire Christians around the world. As we enter this new day marked by Marian devotion, Advent longing, and the witness of Saint Nicholas, we open our hearts to God’s healing Word and prepare our souls for the coming of Christ. May this time of prayer lead us to greater humility, charity, and trust in the loving providence of God. 🙏🏾
We joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us safely into the month of December. 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 inspire us to live each day in holiness, humility, and love. This month of December, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invites us to grow in grace and devotion, following her example of purity, obedience, and complete trust in God’s plan. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, may God fill our hearts with hope, strengthen our faith, and guide us in holiness throughout this Advent season. May this 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 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 December. 🙏🏽
FIRST FRIDAYS AND FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTIONS:
The FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION is a Catholic practice that involves attending Mass, receiving Holy Communion and praying and adoring before the Blessed Sacrament on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row. The devotion originated in the 17th century after Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and spoke of His Sacred Heart. Jesus promised that those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays of nine consecutive months will receive the grace of final perseverance. The devotion is a way to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to atone for sins. The devotion is also known as the Communions of Reparation to the Sacred Heart or the Nine First Fridays Devotion. The Roman Catholic Church fully approved the devotion.
Some elements of the First Fridays Devotion include:
Sacramental Confession: A preparation for the devotion
Holy Communion: Received on the first Friday of each month for nine months in a row
Holy Hour: Spent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament
Prayer for the Holy Father: A prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father
The devotion is said to offer many spiritual blessings, including:
Increased Grace: The soul is strengthened and intimacy with Christ is deepened through the frequent reception of the Eucharist
Inner Peace: Trusting in Jesus’ promises can bring comfort in times of trial
Forgiveness and Healing: Reparation for sins can bring peace to the heart and renewal in Christ
Final Perseverance: Those who complete the devotion with love and faith are assured of Christ’s presence at the moment of death
The FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION originated from the 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. During these apparitions, Our Lady asked for acts of reparation to be made on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, with the intention of atoning for the sins committed against her Immaculate Heart. While the Sacred Heart of Jesus promises abundant blessings, including peace, consolation, and assistance at the hour of death, to those who faithfully observe nine consecutive First Fridays. Similarly, Our Lady extends her maternal protection and the promise of salvation to those who commit to five consecutive First Saturdays in honor of her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promises her assistance and graces especially at the hour of death, as well as peace and consolation in families and eventual salvation for those who faithfully practice the First Five Saturdays devotion. It involves attending Mass, receiving communion, praying the Rosary, and meditating on its mysteries on 5 consecutive first Saturdays with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The promises of Mary for the First Five Saturdays devotion:
On each First Saturday, after receiving communion, reciting the Rosary, and meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary, Our Lady promised to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all those who make this devotion in reparation to Her Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady promised to grant peace to families who fulfill this devotion.
Those who fulfill the devotion will be consoled by Our Lady and will see Her eventually in heaven.
Our Lady promised to assist in the salvation of those who practice this devotion by the graces of Her Immaculate Heart.
These First Saturday Prayers to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are recommended for those participating in the Five First Saturdays devotion.
Please see links below for both First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions:
First Fridays Devotion: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-friday-devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
First Fridays and First Saturdays Devotions: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/03/first-fridays-first-saturdays-devotions/
ADVENT SEASON AND IT’S SIGNIFICANCE IN THE LITURGICAL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/advent-season-and-its-significance-in-the-liturgical-year/
Advent is the sacred four-week season that opens the Church’s Liturgical Year, inviting us to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus Christ and to look forward with hope to His Second Coming. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival,” reminding us that this season is marked by both joyful expectation and spiritual readiness. Traditionally, Advent is represented by the wreath and its four candles symbols of hope, peace, joy, and love, guiding us week by week as we reflect on the unfolding mystery of our salvation.
As we enter this holy season, the Church calls us to step back from the noise and hurry that often fill this time of year. Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; it is a grace-filled invitation to renew our relationship with God, deepen our prayer life, and open our hearts to the transforming light of Christ. Through Scripture, quiet reflection, and acts of charity, we are encouraged to grow in faith and to make room for the Lord who desires to dwell within us. This season also reconnects us with the longings of God’s people throughout history, those who waited in hope for the Messiah and trusted in God’s promises even in times of darkness.
As we journey through these weeks, may Advent help us rediscover what truly matters: the gift of God’s love made flesh in Jesus Christ. May it inspire us to embrace a spirit of watchfulness, simplicity, and gratitude, allowing Christ’s light to shine through our words and actions. And as we prepare to celebrate His birth, may our hearts be renewed with the hope that He who came once in humility will come again in glory.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, as we begin this season of Advent, open our hearts to Your presence and fill us with the hope, peace, joy, and love that only You can give. Teach us to wait for You with faith, to prepare for You with sincerity, and to welcome You with humility and gratitude. May Your light guide our steps and renew our spirits as we journey toward Christmas. Amen 🙏🏾
ADVENT PRAYER – FIRST WEEK: The following prayer should be repeated each day during the first week. After the prayer, the family’s youngest child lights the first purple candle. (Family members can also take turns lighting and blowing out the candles on each night.)
LEADER: O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come, That by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: Amen🙏🏽
(The candle is allowed to burn during evening meals for the first week.)
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the First Week of Advent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday of the First Week of Advent | December 6, 2025
Reading 1: Isaiah 30:19–21, 23–26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:1–2, 3–4, 5–6
Gospel: Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6–8
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6–8
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”
“Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Today’s Gospel speaks about Jesus’ compassion for the crowds. The Gospel opens with a beautiful picture of Jesus moving through towns and villages, intentionally drawing near to His people, teaching, proclaiming the Kingdom, and healing every form of suffering. The Gospels frequently tell us what Jesus did, but here we are allowed into His heart. Jesus looks upon the crowds and is “moved with pity,” a phrase that reveals divine compassion, a tenderness so deep that it aches for the wounded, the weary, and the abandoned. The people are described as “sheep without a shepherd” lost, vulnerable, directionless, and hungry for guidance. This image speaks powerfully to our own times, where many live confused, wounded, or spiritually exhausted.
In response to this need, Jesus does something remarkable: He calls His disciples and draws them into His mission. He entrusts them with His authority not to dominate, but to heal, to liberate, to restore. The instruction is clear and urgent: “Go to the lost sheep… proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, drive out demons.” This is a mission of mercy, a mission of compassion. And then Jesus gives a command that cuts to the heart: “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” The Lord wants to give to us without any charge. As we receive from the Lord, we are then sent out, like the twelve, to give without charge, to be channels of the Lord’s compassionate presence to all those we encounter in these Advent days. Every grace we have received faith, forgiveness, healing, spiritual gifts, is meant to be shared generously. Advent is a time when we are invited to prayerfully open ourselves to the daily coming of the Lord as compassionate Shepherd. We are reminded that Christ comes to heal us, but also to send us. His compassion is the source of our mission; His mercy becomes our motivation. The Gospel invites us to examine whether our hearts resemble the heart of Christ: Are we moved by the suffering we see around us? Do we respond with compassion, prayer, and service? And perhaps most importantly, are we willing to let Jesus send us—into our families, workplaces, communities, to be instruments of healing, peace, and hope in a world longing for light?
In the First Reading, Isaiah’s prophecy, the Lord promises a time of healing, restoration, and divine guidance. “No more will you weep,” the Lord declares, assuring His people that He hears their cries and answers swiftly. The Teacher God Himself will no longer remain hidden; instead, His voice will guide His people with clarity: “This is the way; walk in it.” These words reveal a deeply personal God who walks beside His people, directing their steps and leading them toward life. This passage is rich with images of abundance and renewal, rain for seed, rich harvests, flowing water, and radiant light. Even the natural world becomes a sign of God’s saving action. Ultimately, Isaiah points toward a day when God “binds up the wounds of His people” and heals the bruises of their past. Advent brings this promise to the forefront; it is a season when God draws close to restore what has been scattered, to guide us when we feel lost, and to pour healing into wounds long carried in silence.
The Responsorial Psalm proclaims: “Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.” Psalm 147 beautifully complements the First Reading. It is a hymn of praise to a God who rebuilds, gathers, heals, and sustains. God is described as the One who “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” the One who calls each star by name and sustains the lowly with tenderness and strength. Advent waiting is not passive, it is a trusting posture of the heart, a confidence that the God who heals and restores will act in His perfect time. This psalm encourages us to wait with hope, knowing that God is near to the humble, attentive to the wounded, and mighty in power.
As we reflect and meditate on God’s words, the Sacred Scriptures today, we are invited to pause and reflect deeply: Are there areas in my life where I feel like sheep without a shepherd, confused, weary, or in need of direction? How is God calling me to embrace His healing and restoration this Advent? Am I attentive to the voice of the Lord saying, “This is the way; walk in it”? In a world that is wounded, am I willing to become a laborer in God’s harvest, a messenger of compassion, peace, and healing? Do I share freely the gifts I have received, or do fear and hesitation hold me back? May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to open our hearts to His healing and to respond generously to His call.
Lord Jesus, Shepherd of our souls and Healer of the wounded, look upon us with Your tender compassion. Open our hearts to Your voice and guide our steps along the path of life. Heal our hidden wounds, renew our strength, and fill us with the courage to serve as Your faithful laborers in a world longing for hope. As we walk through this holy season of Advent, help us to wait for You with trust, to respond to Your call with generosity, and to share Your mercy without reserve. Amen.🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT NICHOLAS, BISHOP OF MYRA – FEAST DAY: DECEMBER 6TH: Today, the Church joyfully celebrates the Memorial of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (Patron of Children, Sailors, Prisoners, Maidens Seeking to Marry, and the Poor), a holy bishop whose life shines as a witness of charity, humility, courage, and unwavering faith in Christ. Known for his hidden generosity, tender love for the vulnerable, bold defense of the truth, and countless miracles worked through his intercession, Saint Nicholas has stood for centuries as a symbol of Christian mercy and joyful giving. As we honor him in this blessed season of Advent when the Church invites us to renew our hope and prepare our hearts for the coming of the Savior, we turn to Saint Nicholas and Our Blessed Mother Mary, seeking their prayers for all who face difficult and impossible situations, for the sick (especially children), for those burdened with terminal illnesses, and for all families longing for healing, peace, and God’s divine intervention. May his example inspire us to give generously, love sincerely, and trust wholeheartedly in God’s providence. 🙏🏾
Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | December 6th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
( Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Nicholas | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-december-6th/)
SAINT NICHOLAS, BISHOP OF MYRA: Saint Nicholas (270–343 A.D.), known both in the East and West as a wonderworker and protector of the innocent, was born into a wealthy Christian family in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his uncle, a bishop, who formed him deeply in the life of prayer, charity, and service. Nicholas embraced a life of holiness early, was ordained a priest, and later chosen as Bishop of Myra—a role in which he became renowned for defending the faith, protecting the oppressed, and caring for the poor. His hidden acts of charity—especially the story of providing dowries for three impoverished maidens by secretly tossing bags of gold into their home—became the seed of many Christian traditions of gift-giving. Over time, these stories gave rise to various cultural expressions that eventually contributed to the modern figure of “Santa Claus,” though Saint Nicholas’ true legacy remains far holier: a shepherd who embodied the works of mercy with courage and compassion.
During the persecutions under Diocletian, Nicholas was imprisoned for his faith, yet emerged unwavering in his devotion to Christ. He later attended the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), where he opposed the Arian heresy and defended the divinity of Jesus with bold conviction. After his death on December 6, 343 A.D., his relics—now in Bari, Italy—became a source of miraculous healing, producing the fragrant “manna of Saint Nicholas,” revered for its spiritual and medicinal properties. His patronage extends across nations and professions, including children, sailors, scholars, prisoners, the falsely accused, the poor, and those seeking marriage. For centuries, Christians have turned to him as a powerful intercessor in times of danger, sickness, and need.
PRAYER TO SAINT NICHOLAS DURING ADVENT: Good St Nicholas, Help us prepare for the miracle of the coming of Jesus. Help us not to be blind to the gifts of getting ready. Help us be sincere in the greetings we send and receive, with love and prayer. Kind St. Nicholas, protect us from shoppers’ fatigue, stress, overspending, yet help us to be kind and generous of heart to all, especially those who are alone, financially poor and fearful. May our celebration of your feast lead others to see the true meaning of giving and receiving and to guide all people to the greatest of all gifts, even Jesus Christ, prince of peace and child of Mary, Our Lord and only savior. Amen 🙏🏾
PRAYER: O God, who filled Saint Nicholas with a spirit of profound charity and made him a protector of the poor, the innocent, and the vulnerable, grant that through his intercession we may grow in generosity, purity of heart, and steadfast love. Help us imitate his humble faith and joyful giving, so that we may reflect the light of Christ to all we meet. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Nicholas — Pray for us. 🙏🏾
SAINT ANDREW PRAYER: St. Andrew Christmas Novena begins on the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30th). The following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen”🙏🏾
GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/
Watch “HOLY MASS PRESIDED BY POPE LEO XIV IN TURKEY | LIVE FROM ISTANBUL VOLKSWAGEN ARENA | VIGIL OF THE 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT | November 29, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-november-30-2025/
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of December | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-december/
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 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER: For Christians in areas of conflict. Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation and hope.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER | MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a celebration of God’s most wondrous work in preparing a pure and spotless Mother for His Son. From the first moment of her existence, Mary was preserved from the stain of Original Sin by a singular grace and privilege, in view of the merits of Christ’s saving passion. She is the “all-holy,” full of grace, the radiant dawn announcing the coming of our Savior, and the perfect model of what God desires for every Christian—a life transformed by grace.
This devotion reaches its summit on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, one of the most cherished Marian feasts of the Church. Throughout this month, the Church invites us to contemplate Mary’s unique call, her purity of heart, and her total openness to God’s will. As we enter the Advent season and prepare for the birth of Christ, Mary stands before us as the first and most faithful disciple—the woman whose “yes” changed the course of salvation history.
In honoring Mary Immaculate, we are drawn into the mystery of God’s redeeming love and reminded that holiness is possible for us too through God’s grace. May this month awaken in us a deeper devotion to the Mother of God and inspire us to imitate her virtues of humility, purity, obedience, and trust.
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we journey through this First Week of Advent and honor the memory of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, we lift our hearts to God in confidence. Inspired by Isaiah’s promise that the Lord hears the cries of His people and heals their wounds, and moved by Christ’s command in the Gospel to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons,” we pray for all who long for God’s mercy today. We remember children everywhere, especially the vulnerable, the poor, the abused, and those without families. We pray for the sick, the dying, and those battling chronic or terminal illnesses. We entrust to God those facing impossible situations, the imprisoned and falsely accused, sailors and travelers, and all who feel abandoned or in despair. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Nicholas, may the Lord send healing, provision, protection, and peace to those most in need. May our world, wounded by conflict, poverty, and division, receive the gracious rain of God’s compassion, just as Isaiah foretold. Amen. 🙏🏾
LET US PRAY:
Most holy and Good Shepherd, Your human Heart burns with the perfection of divine love and longs to touch every soul in need of Your mercy. Please transform my heart into Yours so that I may have Your zeal for the salvation of all whom I encounter and become a fitting instrument of Your divine presence in the world. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
O Lord our God, You who come close to the brokenhearted and bind up every wound, pour out Your healing grace upon us this day. As we honor Saint Nicholas, a faithful shepherd who revealed Your generosity and compassion, make our hearts more attentive to the suffering around us. Strengthen us to proclaim Your Kingdom through acts of mercy, charity, and kindness. Grant that this Advent season may renew our hope, deepen our faith, and awaken our desire to serve You in our neighbor. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Nicholas, may Your light guide our steps, Your peace fill our homes, and Your love transform our lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Nicholas ~ 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 Saturday of the First Week of Advent, 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 begin the month of December, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the blessings of the past and entrust the days ahead into God’s loving hands. In this sacred season of hopeful expectation, may our Advent journey be filled with light, peace, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ, our long-awaited Savior, walks with us always. Alleluia! May God grant journey mercies to all those traveling this week. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled December, a fruitful season of Advent, a relaxing weekend and a peaceful month of December 🙏🏽
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
DR. PHILOMENA IKOWE AND HER JOYFUL CATHOLIC WITNESS | LIGHTS, CATHOLIC, ACTION! | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/dr-philomena-ikowe-and-her-joyful-catholic-witness/