THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ROSALIA, VIRGIN; SAINT ROSE OF VITERBO, RELIGIOUS; BLESSED DINA BELANGER, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED MARY STELLA AND HER TEN COMPANIONS, MARTYRS (MARTYRS OF NOWOGRÓDEK) | SEPTEMBER 4TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and Blessed Mary Stella and Her Ten Companions | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-4th/)
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | September 4, 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-180/
JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025: JUBILEE PRAYER | Link to the prayer of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/08/the-jubilee-prayer/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family!
Today, Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time, we joyfully welcome the gift of a new month, September! Lord Almighty, we thank You for granting us the grace to see this new beginning, and we entrust every day of this month into Your loving hands. May September be a season of renewal, hope, and abundant blessings for us and our families. Bless those who will celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, new opportunities, and milestones this month, and be near to those who carry heavy burdens in their hearts. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we ask for healing for the sick, 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 🙏🏾
On this feast day, we humbly pray for the poor and those in need, for persecuted Christians, for those who fight for truth, peace and justice, and we continue to pray for justice, peace, love, and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world. With special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we continue to humbly pray for the well-being and safety of all parents, grandparents and the elderly. For the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world, especially those beginning the new school year. May God grant them the courage to face new challenges and wisdom to make good choices. We pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and for God’s guidance and protection upon them during this school year and always. We pray for safe travels, to and from school. We also pray for all teachers, staff and parents, and guardians. May the good Lord provide for those in need. For all those who are marginalized in our society, the poor and the needy. We pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest. For those who are imprisoned, especially those who are unjustly imprisoned. We pray for those who fight for truth, peace and justice. And we continue to pray for justice, peace, love, and unity in our families and our world. May God protect us all and keep us safe and united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died, that the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son & the Holy Spirit forever & ever. Amen🙏🏽
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, 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 September. 🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of September | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-september/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/prayer-for-the-beginning-of-a-new-school-year/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time | September 4, 2025
Reading 1: Colossians 1:9–14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:2–3ab, 3cd–4, 5–6
Gospel: Luke 5:1–11
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 5:1–11
“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men; They left everything and followed Jesus”
“While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, He asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Him.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches by the Lake of Gennesaret, stepping into Simon Peter’s boat to address the crowd. After teaching, He commands Peter to cast His nets once more, even after a night of fruitless labor. Though hesitant, Peter obeys and the result is a miraculous catch, so abundant that their nets nearly break. Overwhelmed by the wonder of it, Peter falls at Jesus’ feet, humbled by his own unworthiness. Yet Jesus reassures him: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Leaving everything behind, Peter and his companions follow Jesus. Today’s Gospel reading suggests that just when a situation seems hopeless, without promise, there is often an abundance of life just below the surface, if only we could see it. Simon Peter and his companions had worked hard all night long, fishing on the Sea of Galilee, and had caught nothing. Night time was the best time to catch fish. There was no reason to think that it was worthwhile to go out again in full daylight. However, Jesus could see that there was life below the surface of the sea and He told them to put out into deep water and let down their nets for a catch. When they did so, they were overwhelmed by the abundance of the catch. They had to call on other boats to come and help them. Very often the Lord can see signs of life that we miss. Our past failures, the size of the task before us, our sense of our own limitations, can immobilize us and leave us feeling despondent and even hopeless. It is at such times that we need to turn to the Lord and ask Him to help us to see as He sees, with eyes that are sensitive to the promise and hope that even the most unpromising of situations can hold. We might think in our wisdom that some situation, or even some person, is a lost cause, but as Saint Paul declares in his first letter to the Corinthians, ‘the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God’. God brought new life out of the most unpromising situation imaginable. The crucifixion of His own Son turned out to be the very embodiment of God’s love for the world. The God whom Jesus revealed is a God who sees abundance in the most unpromising of situations. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can begin to see as the Lord does, with eyes that are attentive to the signs of life beneath what is often an unpromising surface.
According to the Gospel, Simon Peter and his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made. They had worked hard all night long and caught nothing; then with very little effort at all, in response to the Lord’s word, they caught a huge number of fish. When we are unexpectedly graced, we too can be overcome. It can happen in life that, in the midst of our toil and struggles which can take so much out of us and that seem to bear very little fruit, we are suddenly greatly blessed and graced. Some gift comes our way when we are least expecting it, when we are at our lowest. Out of nowhere, a light shines in the darkness. Like Peter in the Gospel we are touched by the Lord’s presence and we feel overcome. Peter was overcome by a sense of his own unworthiness, a sense of himself as a sinner, and he wanted to put space between the Lord and himself. However, Jesus would have none of it. The Lord comes to us as we are; He does not ask us to reach a certain standard first. He graces us in our weakness. In doing so, He also calls us, as He called Peter, to share in His work in the world. Today’s Gospel is a powerful reminder that God’s call often comes in the midst of our ordinary struggles and daily work. Peter’s obedience, even when tired and doubtful, opened the way for a miracle that changed his life forever. Jesus not only fills the nets but also fills their hearts with a new mission: to leave behind the familiar and follow Him into the unknown. It shows us that discipleship requires trust, surrender, and courage. God often asks us to “put out into the deep” to go beyond our comfort zones, where His grace can work most abundantly.
In the first reading, St. Paul’s prayer for the Colossians beautifully echoes this theme of growth and mission. He prays that they may be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will,” walking in ways pleasing to Him and bearing fruit in every good work. This fruitfulness flows not from human strength but from God’s glorious might, which gives endurance, patience, and joy. Above all, Paul reminds them that in Christ we have redemption He has rescued us from darkness and brought us into His Kingdom of light.
The Responsorial Psalm lifts our hearts in thanksgiving: “The Lord has made known his salvation.” God’s faithfulness and kindness are not hidden but revealed for all nations to see. With harp, trumpet, and joyful song, the psalm calls us to proclaim His saving work with praise. Just as Peter witnessed the saving power of Christ in the miraculous catch, we too are invited to recognize God’s mighty works in our lives and respond with gratitude and joy.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are challenged to ask: Am I willing to trust the Lord even when my efforts seem fruitless? Do I allow His word to guide me into deeper waters where my faith is stretched and strengthened? Like Peter, do I let go of fear and unworthiness, embracing the mission Christ entrusts to me? The Gospel reminds us that true discipleship means leaving behind whatever holds us back and following Jesus wholeheartedly. It is in surrender that we find our greatest purpose, and in obedience that we discover God’s abundant blessings. May God grant us His grace as we remain steadfast in faith and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You call us to put out into the deep and to trust in Your word even when our own strength fails. Teach us to obey You with faith, to recognize the miracles You work in our lives, and to follow You without fear or hesitation. May our lives bear fruit in every good work, and may our words and actions draw others to Your Kingdom. Strengthen us with endurance, fill us with joy, and make us true disciples who live for Your glory. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ROSALIA, VIRGIN; SAINT ROSE OF VITERBO, RELIGIOUS; BLESSED DINA BELANGER, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED MARY STELLA AND HER TEN COMPANIONS, MARTYRS (MARTYRS OF NOWOGRÓDEK) ~ FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 4TH: Today, the Church honors four inspiring witnesses of holiness: Saint Rosalia, Virgin (the hermitess of Mount Pellegrino and patroness of Palermo, invoked against plagues), Saint Rose of Viterbo, Religious (a young Franciscan tertiary and fiery preacher who defended the papacy), Blessed Dina Bélanger, Religious (a Canadian musician, mystic, and patron of musicians), and Blessed Mary Stella and Her Ten Companions, Martyrs of Nowogródek (Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth who offered their lives to save Polish families during World War II). Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy witnesses, we pray today for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancer and terminal illnesses. We lift up the souls of the faithful departed and those who mourn. We pray for widows, widowers, the poor, and the neglected. We ask for peace and unity in marriages and families, for our Holy Father, bishops, priests, and vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We also pray for persecuted Christians, the conversion of sinners, and for all musicians, florists, and those who feel rejected or abandoned. 🙏🏾
Saint(s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | September 4th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and Blessed Mary Stella and Her Ten Companions | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-september-4th/)
SAINT ROSALIA, VIRGIN (1130–1166): Saint Rosalia was born into a noble Norman family in Palermo, Sicily, and was a descendant of Charlemagne. From a young age, she turned away from worldly vanities and desired only Christ. Seeking solitude, she lived as a hermitess in caves on Mount Pellegrino, practicing severe penance and deep prayer. On the cave wall, she inscribed her resolution: “I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ.”
After her death in obscurity, her relics were miraculously discovered in 1625 during a plague in Palermo. Carried in procession through the city, her relics became the instrument of healing, and the plague ceased. To this day, Palermo honors her as its patroness, with Mount Pellegrino remaining a place of pilgrimage. She is also invoked against plagues and epidemics.
PRAYER: Lord God, You inspired Saint Rosalia to seek You alone in prayer and penance. Through her intercession, grant us the grace to turn away from vanity and to find our joy in You alone. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT ROSE OF VITERBO, RELIGIOUS (1233–1251): Saint Rose was born in Viterbo, Italy, and from childhood was marked by extraordinary holiness and spiritual gifts. At just nine, she became a Third Order Franciscan and soon began preaching repentance, urging her city to remain faithful to the Pope in the face of Emperor Frederick II’s opposition to the Church. Though only a child, she drew crowds with her fiery words, miracles, and unwavering courage.
Exiled for her preaching, Rose continued her mission wherever she went. She once stood unharmed in a burning pyre for three hours, leading many to conversion. At fifteen, she sought admission to the Poor Clares but was rejected for lack of a dowry — yet she humbly accepted God’s will. She died shortly after at only eighteen, her body remaining incorrupt to this day. Canonized in 1457, she is the patron saint of florists, flower growers, those rejected by religious orders, and the city of Viterbo.
PRAYER: Almighty Father, You raised Saint Rose as a fearless witness to the truth of the Gospel. Grant that we may follow her example in courage, humility, and zeal for Your Church. Amen. 🙏🏾
BLESSED DINA BÉLANGER, RELIGIOUS (1897–1929): Blessed Dina Bélanger, also known by her religious name Marie of Saint Cecilia of Rome, was born in Quebec, Canada. A gifted pianist, she dedicated her talent to glorifying God and became a Sister of Jesus and Mary. Despite fragile health and her battle with tuberculosis, she radiated joy, serenity, and holiness.
Dina’s autobiography recounts mystical visions and her deep union with Christ, marked by simplicity and trust. She offered her life as a sacrifice of love, embracing suffering with peace. Beatified in 1993 by Pope John Paul II, she is honored as the patron of musicians and a model of youthful holiness.
PRAYER: Loving Lord, You filled Blessed Dina with a spirit of joy and devotion in the midst of suffering. Grant that, through her intercession, we may use our gifts to glorify You and live with unwavering faith. Amen. 🙏🏾
BLESSED MARY STELLA AND HER TEN COMPANIONS, MARTYRS (d. 1943): The Martyrs of Nowogródek were eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth who lived in Nowogródek (present-day Belarus). During World War II, they served faithfully by teaching, praying, and caring for their community. In July 1943, when the Gestapo arrested over 120 townspeople, the Sisters prayed that their lives might be offered in exchange for those of the prisoners. Their prayer was answered the men were spared, but on August 1, 1943, the Sisters were taken into the woods, executed, and buried in a shallow grave.
Their sacrifice became a powerful testimony of love, courage, and faith. Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000, they remind us that true discipleship sometimes calls for the ultimate gift of life itself.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You strengthened Blessed Mary Stella and her Companions to lay down their lives for others. Grant us the courage to bear witness to Your love, even in times of trial. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and Blessed Mary Stella and Her Ten Companions ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏾
GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER: For our relationship with all of creation. Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER | MONTH OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS: September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, inviting us to unite our hearts with Mary in her profound sharing of Christ’s Passion. As Simeon foretold, “a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35), and throughout her life Mary endured deep sorrows that culminated at Calvary. In her silent strength and unwavering faith, she became the compassionate Mother of all Christians, offering her suffering with Christ for the salvation of the world.
This month, the Church calls us to meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary: Simeon’s prophecy, the Flight into Egypt, the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple, meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, receiving His lifeless Body, and placing Him in the tomb. By reflecting on these sorrows, we learn patience in trials, compassion for the suffering, and a deeper love for Jesus who suffered for us.
Prayers such as the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, the Rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows help us to walk with Mary in her suffering and to discover hope and consolation in her maternal heart.
“Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us to stand with you at the Cross, sharing in Christ’s love and redemptive sacrifice.”
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏾
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Heavenly Father, today we thank You for the gift of faith and for the call to follow Your Son, just as Simon Peter left everything to become His disciple. We pray for the grace to answer Your call with courage and trust. Through the intercession of Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and Blessed Mary Stella with her Companions, we lift up all who are suffering from illness, especially cancer and terminal sickness, and those who care for them with love. We remember widows, orphans, the poor, and those who feel abandoned. We pray for peace in our world, unity within marriages and families, and for the strengthening of the Church through holy priests, bishops, and religious vocations. We also ask Your blessings upon musicians, florists, those who struggle with rejection, and persecuted Christians who bear witness to the faith in times of trial. May the sacrifice of the martyrs inspire us to remain steadfast in love, hope, and faith.
LET US PRAY:
My consoling Lord, You manifested Your almighty power to Simon Peter through his ordinary daily activity. You allowed him to see Your divine power at work. Help me to see You at work in my life also, dear Lord. And as I see You, help me to humble myself before You, acknowledging my unworthiness. As I do, I pray that I also hear You say to me “Do not be afraid,” so that I can get up and follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You called Peter to leave behind his nets and trust fully in Your word. Grant us the grace to respond generously to Your call in our lives. Through the prayers of Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and the Martyrs of Nowogródek, strengthen us in faith, courage, and perseverance. Help us to use our gifts for Your glory, endure trials with hope, and bring the light of Your love to all we meet. May our lives reflect the joy of Your Gospel and lead others to You. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Rosalia, Saint Rose of Viterbo, Blessed Dina Bélanger, and Blessed Mary Stella and Her Ten Companions ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the precious gift of this new day, and during this gentle rhythm of Ordinary Time, may our hearts remain open to the quiet working of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide, renew, and strengthen us each day. May this new month be filled with blessings, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week and a fulfilling month of September🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org
Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation | Global Missions Now Awards | https://youtu.be/gB31nuOFx0A?si=mSoZs-wiByhGs
North Texas Catholic Magazine | Dr. Philomena Ikowe – Life on Purpose (pages 44-45) | https://www.flipsnack.com/A9DFE877C6F/north-texas-catholic-magazine-mar-apr-issue-2025/full-view.html