THURSDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: AUGUST 7, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT SIXTUS II, POPE AND MARTYR, AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS AND SAINT CAJETAN, PRIEST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-7th/)
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | August 7, 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-152/
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION: The 2025 Novena for the Assumption of Mary into Heaven is scheduled to begin Wednesday, August 6 and end on August 14th. The novena is a prayer that commemorates the death of Mary and her assumption into Heaven, which is celebrated on August 15. Novena link below: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-our-lady-of-the-assumption/
NOVENA TO SAINT PHILOMENA | AUGUST 2ND-10TH | The 2025 Novena to Saint Philomena is scheduled to begin Saturday, August 2nd and end on August 10th. This novena honors Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, a powerful intercessor and Wonder-Worker, asking her help for purity, courage, and trust in God. Feast of St. Philomena is celebrated on August 11th. She’s the Patron Saint of Children, youth, babies, infants, priests, lost causes, sterility, virgins, Children of Mary, The Universal Living Rosary Association and places.
Novena to Saint Philomena link: https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/novena-to-saint-philomena/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
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 is Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time! We thank the Lord for the gift of this day! During this month of August, we entrust our lives, our plans, our fears, and our dreams into God’s loving hands. We pray that this month will be filled with divine blessings, new opportunities, and the strength to overcome every challenge that may come our way.
We pray and celebrate with those marking birthdays, anniversaries, new jobs, weddings, and other joyful milestones this August. May this be a month of peace for the anxious, healing for the sick, comfort for the brokenhearted, and provision for the needy. As we walk through the days ahead, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ go before us, the love of God surround us, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit guide every decision we make. May this month bring us closer to holiness, deeper in faith, and stronger in hope. In all things, may God’s name be paised. Amen🙏🏽
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ~ Matthew 5:4
We remember in prayer all who began this journey of life with us but are no longer here, may their souls rest in perfect peace. Amen🙏🏽
We pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints” ~ Psalm 116:15
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🙏🏽
On this special feast day, 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. We pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our divided and conflicted world today. We continue to pray for all families and for the safety and well-being of our children and children all over the world. We pray 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. May God protect us all and keep united in peace, love and faith. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, workers and all those who labour 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 the Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of July.🙏🏽
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of August | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-august/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time | August 7, 2025
Reading 1: Numbers 20:1–13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1–2, 6–7, 8–9
Gospel: Matthew 16:13–23
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God… Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.”
“Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus, in Caesarea Philippi, asks His disciples a question that still echoes in every believer’s heart: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, inspired by divine revelation, responds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In that moment, Peter receives a special blessing and his new identity: the rock upon which Jesus will build His Church. But just moments later, when Peter resists the idea of Jesus suffering and dying, he receives a sharp rebuke “Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus addresses Peter in two very contrasting ways. He initially addresses Peter as the Rock, ‘You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church’. However, within the space of a few verses, Jesus then addresses Peter as Satan, ‘Get behind me Satan! You are an obstacle in my path’. Having addressed Peter as the rock on which He can build, Jesus then identifies Him as a stumbling stone, an obstacle on Jesus’ path, because he was not thinking in God’s way. The fact that Peter could be a stumbling stone did not mean that he ceased to be the rock. Peter, like every human being, was complex. He was a mixture of wheat and weeds, to use an image from one of Jesus’ parables. In spite of his failings, Jesus appointed Peter as the rock, the focal point, of the new community He came to form. The Lord keeps faith in us even after we have failed Him. The Lord can work powerfully in and through flawed human beings. What He does ask of us is that we keep striving for God’s way, as against a merely human way. The contrasting way in which Jesus addresses Peter reminds us how quickly human understanding can waver, even when our hearts are devoted. Like Peter we can all have our bad moments when it comes to our relationship with Jesus and the living out of that relationship. Yet, the Lord continues to invest in us, as he continued to invest in Peter. We are not defined by our failures. They do not block the Lord from continuing His good work in our lives of bringing us to an ever deeper relationship with Himself.
In our Gospel today, we encounter a deeply human Peter, bold in faith one moment, misguided in emotion the next. He represents each of us: capable of deep insight and yet prone to resistance when God’s plan doesn’t align with our expectations. Jesus isn’t being harsh; He’s helping Peter (and us) realign with God’s way of thinking, which is often at odds with human comfort or logic. Sometimes, following Christ means letting go of the life we envisioned in order to embrace the greater mystery of His will.
The first reading offers another lesson in trust. The Israelites, thirsty and frustrated, quarrel against Moses and Aaron. God, in His mercy, instructs Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. But Moses, exasperated and perhaps weary, strikes the rock twice instead. Though water gushes forth, God reprimands Moses and Aaron for not honoring Him in obedience. Because of this act, they are denied entry into the Promised Land. It’s a sobering moment a reminder that even beloved leaders are accountable to God’s commands. Today’s readings highlight the consequences of acting on human impulse rather than divine direction. When we lean too much on our own reasoning, we risk missing the deeper purpose behind God’s plans.
Reflecting on the Responsorial Psalm, the Psalm’s refrain “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” becomes a loving invitation. Even when we’re tired, afraid, or confused, God calls us I to trust Him, to listen carefully, and to respond in faith.
As we reflect and meditate on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we ask: Who is Jesus to me not just in theory, but in my daily life and decisions? Am I willing to let go of my assumptions and allow God to shape my understanding, even when His way leads through suffering? Do I obey God fully, or do I take matters into my own hands when I’m frustrated? The invitation today is clear: to listen deeply, trust completely, and follow Christ wholeheartedly even when His path leads through unexpected tuha C frns. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Son of the living God, the rock upon which we place our hope and faith. Teach us to listen to Your voice with humble and obedient hearts, even when Your will challenges our understanding. Like Peter, we long to confess You boldly, yet we often resist the cross that comes with discipleship. Like Moses, we grow weary and sometimes act out of frustration yet Your mercy never fails. Soften our hearts, Lord, and help us surrender our ways for Yours. In our weakness, be our strength. In our doubts, be our light. May we follow You not only when the path is clear, but even through the mystery of suffering and sacrifice. Form us, shape us, and lead us ever deeper into Your truth. Amen. 🙏🏾
MEMORIAL OF SAINT SIXTUS II, POPE AND MARTYR, AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS AND SAINT CAJETAN, PRIEST~ FEAST DAY – AUGUST 7TH: Today, the Church honors two powerful witnesses of faith: Saint Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr (with his Companions, Felicissimus and Agapitus), and Saint Cajetan, Priest and founder of the Theatines (patron of job seekers and the unemployed). Through their courageous witness and steadfast love for Christ, we are reminded of the price of discipleship and the joy of trusting entirely in God’s providence. Through their intercession and that of Our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for the unemployed and all who struggle to find meaningful work. May the Lord open doors of opportunity, provide for every need, and strengthen all families facing hardship. We pray also for the sick and dying, especially those battling cancer and terminal illness; for peace and unity in our homes and world; and for our Holy Father, the clergy, and all who serve the Church under persecution or trial. 🙏🏾
Saint (s) of the Day with Daily Reflections | August 7th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan| https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-august-7th/)
SAINT SIXTUS II, POPE AND MARTYR, AND COMPANIONS: In the midst of fierce persecution under Emperor Valerian, Pope Sixtus II (d. 258 A.D.) courageously led the Church with wisdom and peace. Despite a law banning Christian worship, he continued to celebrate the Eucharist in secret. While offering Mass in the catacombs, he was captured and martyred along with his deacons, Felicissimus, Agapitus, and others. Their witness showed the early Church’s unwavering fidelity to Christ in the face of death. Saint Lawrence, his archdeacon, would be martyred just days later.
PRAYER: O God, who strengthened Saint Sixtus and his companions to give their lives in faithful witness to Your Name, grant us the courage to follow You boldly, even in trials, and to bear Your light with joyful fidelity. Amen. 🙏🏾
SAINT CAJETAN, PRIEST: Born of noble lineage in 1480, Saint Cajetan left behind worldly honors to serve the poor and renew the Church. He co-founded the Theatines, a congregation that lived like the early apostles, trusting entirely in divine providence. Known as “the hunter of souls,” he worked tirelessly for the sick, unemployed, and spiritually abandoned. His trust in God and fervent love of prayer made him a powerful reformer during the Catholic Counter-Reformation. He died in 1547 in Naples, worn out by his labors of love.
PRAYER: Lord, through the intercession of Saint Cajetan, teach us to trust in Your providence and to seek first Your Kingdom. May we find in You our true security, and work always with diligence, faith, and compassion. Amen. 🙏🏾
Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan ~ 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 AUGUST: For mutual coexistence. Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST | MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, inviting us to reflect on her pure love, deep sorrow, and unwavering obedience to God. Her heart, aflame with charity and pierced by suffering, mirrors the life of Christ and calls us to follow Him more closely through her example. This month, the Church encourages us to console her sorrowful heart and grow in holiness through prayers like the Rosary, the Litany of the Immaculate Heart, and the First Saturday Devotion. Through Mary’s heart, we are led ever closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“O Immaculate Heart of Mary, be our refuge and the way that leads us to God.”
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us and draw us into deeper love and trust in your Son. Amen🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we honor Saint Sixtus II and his companions who courageously laid down their lives for the faith, and Saint Cajetan who gave himself for the poor and the unemployed, we lift up all those facing persecution for their Christian witness and those struggling to find work or sustain their families. May their courage and trust in God inspire us to remain steadfast in trials. We pray for all leaders in the Church, especially our Holy Father, that they may be faithful stewards like Peter, recognizing Jesus as the Christ and standing firm in truth. May the Lord soften the hearts of all who doubt, complain, or rebel in fear, just as the Israelites did at Meribah. We entrust to the Lord the sick and dying, especially those suffering from terminal illnesses, and pray for peace, unity, and conversion throughout the world. May the Holy Spirit strengthen vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and may we all, like Peter, confess Christ with bold faith even when His path leads through the Cross. 🙏🏾
LET US PRAY
My suffering Lord, You faced the evil You endured with the utmost courage and love. You never gave in to fear but pressed on, fulfilling the Father’s will. Give me the grace I need to share in Your strength so as to overcome all that tempts me to fear. I love You, my Lord. May I rely upon You for all things. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Help us to confess You with unwavering faith, even when we do not understand Your ways. Like Saint Sixtus II and his companions, may we remain faithful in persecution; like Saint Cajetan, may we trust in Your providence amid hardship. When we falter like Peter, gently correct us, and when our hearts harden like the Israelites, pour out Your mercy. Strengthen us to walk in obedience, to serve with love, and to follow You wherever You lead. Amen. 🙏🏾
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan ~ 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 as we now enter the 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 Thursday and fruitful week 🙏🏽
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