Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Wednesday, First Week of Lent.
May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey 🙏🏽
FIRST WEEK OF LENT
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 12, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT THEOPHANES THE CHRONICLER; SAINT SERAPHINA, VIRGIN AND SAINT LUIGI ORIONE, PRIEST | Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/11/novena-to-saint-joseph/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/12/catholic-daily-mass-daily-tv-mass-march-12-2025/
DAY 7: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/12/day-7-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/
Today, we continue our Lenten journey, embracing this season of grace as a time of conversion, renewal, and deeper union with God. Lent calls us to open our hearts to His mercy, turning away from sin and striving for holiness through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity.
As we walk this path of repentance, may we trust in God’s guidance and surrender to His will. Our sacrifices and prayers are not merely external observances but opportunities for transformation—drawing us closer to Christ and shaping us into true disciples of His love.
We thank God for the gift of this new day and seek His grace to strengthen us in faith and perseverance. May we grow in love, humility, and trust, embracing the journey with hearts open to His will. Let us pray for peace, healing, and reconciliation in our world, trusting in God’s providence. May this Lenten season bring us renewal, deeper faith, and a spirit of true repentance. Wishing us all a grace-filled and spiritually uplifting Lenten journey. ~ Amen 🙏🏽
LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer today as his health continues to improve after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.
Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.
On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Theophanes the Chronicler (a faithful monk and historian who endured persecution for defending the truth), Saint Seraphina, Virgin, a young woman who bore suffering with great faith and trust in God (Patron Saint of the physically challenged, disabled people and spinners), and Saint Luigi Orione, Priest (a devoted servant of the poor and founder of the Little Work of Divine Providence, dedicated to charity and evangelization).
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we humbly pray for the grace to embrace suffering with faith, to stand firm in truth, and to serve others with love and generosity. We pray for those who are sick, especially those who are physically challenged. We lift up our prayers for historians, writers, and all who safeguard the truth, for those enduring illness and hardship, and for missionaries and charitable workers who bring hope to the poor and marginalized. May God’s grace strengthen us in our trials, guide us in wisdom, and deepen our compassion for those in need.
Saint Theophanes, Saint Seraphina, and Saint Luigi Orione ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. ~ Amen. 🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽
God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽
LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT THEOPHANES THE CHRONICLER; SAINT SERAPHINA, VIRGIN AND SAINT LUIGI ORIONE, PRIEST: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 12TH: Today, we honor the Memorial of Saint Theophanes the Chronicler (a devoted monk and historian who endured imprisonment for defending the faith), Saint Seraphina, Virgin, a young woman who embraced suffering with unwavering faith and trust in God, (Patron Saint of the physically challenged, disabled people and spinners), and Saint Luigi Orione, Priest (a tireless servant of the poor and founder of charitable works devoted to the care of the needy and evangelization). Saint Gregory the Great was formerly celebrated on this day but now celebrated on September 3rd.
Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we offer prayers today for all who endure trials, whether through persecution, illness, or poverty. We humbly pray for those who are sick, especially those who are physically challenged. May they find strength in Christ, hope in His promises, and consolation in His love. We also pray for historians, writers, and all who preserve and defend the truth, for those who suffer from physical afflictions, and for missionaries and charitable workers who serve the most vulnerable. May the example of these saints inspire us to embrace our own crosses with faith and to live lives of service and holiness.
Saint Theophanes, Saint Seraphina, and Saint Luigi Orione ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day | March 12th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SAINT THEOPHANES THE CHRONICLER: St. Theophanes (759-818) was born in Samothrace, Greece around the year 759. He was orphaned while still a young child, but was left a large inheritance. At age twelve, Theophanes’ guardian coerced him to marry, however he and his wife vowed themselves to celibacy. They lived together for several years but eventually St. Theophanes’ wife joined a religious community with his complete accord, he left the court of Constantine V, and retired to live in solitude and he became a hermit. St. Theophanes’ wisdom and holiness were quickly noticed by others. He decided to use his great wealth to form two monasteries out of the men who sought his counsel. St. Theophanes became abbot of one of these monasteries on Mount Sigriana and gained a greater reputation for his virtues. While he lived in the monastery, St. Theophanes turned his hand to research and wrote a chronography or history of the Christian world starting at the end of the Diocletian persecution to the early ninth century. It is for this work that he gained the nickname “Chronicler.”
During the time St. Theophanes lived, the iconoclast heresy was causing problems in the Church. Here he ran into obstacles, men seemed to be constantly obstructing all the personal aspirations of St. Theophanes. His studies were interrupted by the persecution of Leo the Armenian over the Iconoclast controversy concerning icons. The emperor of Constantinople, who encouraged the destruction of icons, tried to gain St. Theophanes support through subterfuge and coercion but he remained faithful to Rome. Eventually, because of his fidelity and constancy in the Faith, the Saintly Scholar, St. Theophanes was arrested and imprisoned and sent into exile, and in 817 he ultimately died in prison from the mistreatment he incurred around the year 818. Throughout all these contradictions and trials, St. Theophanes maintained his love for God, and the Lord made everything work out for his good.
PRAYER: Lord, we devoutly recall the sufferings of St. Theophanes. Give success to our joyful prayers and grant us also constancy in our Faith. Amen🙏
SAINT SERAPHINA, VIRGIN: St. Seraphina (1238–1253) was born Fina dei Ciardi, also known as Fina (Serafina), an Italian Christian girl who is venerated in the Tuscan town of San Gimignano. She’s a great inspiration for those who suffer from poverty and illness, especially young people. She was known for her self denial and acts of penance as a young girl. A Patron Saint of the disabled and those who are physically challenged. St. Seraphina was born to a poor family in San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy in 1238. The daughter of Cambio and Imperiera Ciardi, a declined noble family, she lived in a humble house located in the historic centre of the famous “city of beautiful towers” (today the small road on which her house stands takes her name). Her father died when she was very young and her widowed mother went to work, leaving her alone at home. She was an attractive girl with a cheerful, congenial nature and a deep empathy for others — sharing half her food with those less fortunate than herself. St. Seraphina was a very helpful child around the family home. She did many of the chores and helped her mother spin and sew. She spent her time alone sewing, spinning, and praying. At the age of ten, St. Seraphina suffered from mysterious diseases that left this beautiful girl unattractive; her eyes, feet, and hands became deformed and eventually St. Seraphina was paralyzed from the neck down. She became totally dependent on her mother and had to be carried around on a wooden plank, which is where she spent her days — flat on her back. She suffered immensely and lost her good looks, developing sores on her face, arms, and legs. In spite of her sufferings, she remained peaceful and prayerful, offering up it all up to God. Whenever she had visitors, she was gentle, loving, and genuinely concerned about them. Desiring to be like our Lord on the cross, for six years she lay on a plank in one position, unable to turn or to move. Her mother had to leave her for hours while she went to work or beg, but St. Fina never complained. Although in terrible pain she always maintained serenity and with her eyes fixed upon the crucifix she kept on repeating, “It is not my wounds but thine, O Christ, that hurt me”.
When her mother died suddenly, St. Seraphina became destitute. A friend, Beldia, who had a withered hand, did her best to care for Seraphina, despite her own disability. St. Serphina was deeply devoted to St. Gregory the Great, who shared a painful condition similar to hers. When it became apparent that she did not have long to live, St. Gregory the Great appeared to her in a vision and told her that she would be joining him soon. Eight days before her death as she lay alone and untended, St. Gregory appeared to her and said, “Dear child on my festival God will give you rest”. And it came to pass when her body was removed from the board on which it had rested, the rotten wood was found to be covered with white violets. St. Serphina died on March 12, 1253, at the age of fifteen on the feast day of St. Gregory (St. Gregory the Great is now celebrated on September 3rd). At the moment of her death, the bells of the church began ringing without anyone touching them. All the city attended the funeral and many miracles were reported as having been wrought through her intercession. In particular she is said as she lay dead, to have raised her hand and to have clasped and healed the injured arm of her friend Beldia. Tradition tells us that when Belidia lifted up Seraphina from the board on which she had laid for so long, beneath her were white violets in bloom and the fragrance of the fresh flowers permeated the air. Miraculously, Beldia’s withered hand was instantly healed! The peasants of San Geminiano still give the name of Santa Fina’s flowers to the white violets which bloom about the season of her feast day of March 12th. St. Fina is celebrated in San Gimignano on both March 12, the anniversary of her death, and the first Sunday in August. Her relics are kept in a chapel in the Collegiata di San Gimignano. A hospital in San Gimignano was formerly named in her honor and several paintings of her can be found in the town. She’s the Patron Saint of the physically challenged, handicapped, disabled people and spinners.
PRAYER: Glorious Saint Seraphina, beloved daughter of Mary and Jesus, although in great pain, you served God with humility and confidence. You persevered until death and gained the crown of eternal life. Now you enjoy the beatific vision of God in Heaven. Dear Saint Seraphina, make my troubles your own. Speak a word for me to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to obtain by her powerful intercession the grace I yearn for so ardently. Please obtain for me from God the graces I hope for from the Infinite Goodness of our Blessed Lord, for the sick, especially those who are physically challenged (mention your petition). Saint Seraphina, pray for me and for all who implore your assistance… Amen🙏
SAINT LUIGI ORIONE, PRIEST: St. Luigi Giovanni Orione (1872-1940) was born in northern Italy into a poor family at Pontecurone, in the Province of Alessandria, in the Piedmont region of Italy, on the vigil of the feast day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 23, 1872). He was named after Saint Aloysius Gonzaga and Saint John the Baptist. He was baptized the next day by Fr. Michele Cattaneo, the parish priest of the town. His father, Vittorio, was a street paver of few words and his mother, Carolina, was an energetic, pious, thrifty homemaker. At thirteen years of age he entered the Franciscan Friary of Voghera (Pavia), but he left after one year owing to poor health. From 1886 to 1889 St. Luigi Orione was a student at the Valdocco Oratory in Turin operated by the Salesians of Don Bosco. There he gained the attention of St. John Bosco, the founder, who numbered him among his favorite pupils. From the age of 13, Luigi began to suffer health problems. However, three years later, in 1888, he was present at St. John Bosco’s death in Turin in 1888. At that moment his ailments were miraculously cured. St. Luigi Orione was determined to become a priest and entered the seminary of the Archdiocese of Turin. He became a member of both the San Marziano Society for Mutual Help and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1892, inspired by the education he had received from the followers of St. John Bosco, the 20-year-old seminarian opened his own oratory to educate the poor boys of the city, and the following year he started a boarding school for the poor. He was ordained a priest on April 13, 1895. Starting in 1899, St. Luigi Orione started to gather a group of priests and clerics that were to become Piccola Opera della Divina Provvidenza (Little Work of Divine Providence). In 1903 the group received the full authorization of the bishop as a religious congregation called the Sons of Divine Providence. One of the priests who was in his inner circle was Lorenzo Perosi, who later became Perpetual Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir and one of the most famous composers of sacred music. Perosi was born in the same year and the same region as Orione; they remained lifelong friends. At the end of World War I, St. Luigi Orione began to expand his work. He founded schools, farming colonies, and charity organizations and nursing homes—always with a special emphasis on helping orphans and the poor. Over the next two decades, he started foundations throughout Italy and the Americas. In 1931, he founded the Shrine of the Madonna della Guardia in Tortona, which to this day is the principal church in the world for the Orionine order. It is also a center for annual music festivals in honor of Orione’s friend, the hitherto mentioned Perosi.
In the winter of 1940, St. Luigi Orione started to suffer serious cardiac and pulmonary ailments. He went to Sanremo to recuperate, but not without a tinge of regret since he wanted to spend his finals days among the poor. On March 8, 1940, on the eve of his departure for Sanremo, Don Orione is recorded as saying, “It is not among the palm trees that I would like to die,” he said, “but among the poor who are Jesus Christ.” Four days later, surrounded by fellow priests of his Orionine order, St. Luigi Orione died on March 12, 1940 at Sanremo, Italy. His last words were, “Jesus, Jesus! Jesus! I am going…” Saint Luigi Orione’s mortal remains have rested in the crypt of the Shrine of La Madonna della Guardia in Tortona, which he himself founded, since his burial on March 19, 1940. His body was later exhumed in 1965 and found to be incorrupt. On October 26, 1980, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II. Nearly 24 years later, he was canonized on May 16, 2004, Vatican City, by that same pope, Pope John Paul II. He loved Our Lady deeply and fostered devotion to her among his seminarians. Today the charitable organizations begun by St. Luigi Orione are still operating in abundance throughout the world. His apostolate encompasses about 300 foundations, including schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and learning centers on nearly every continent. In the United States, the national shrine and headquarters of the Sons of Divine Providence is located on a well-known hill in East Boston.
Saint Luigi Orione, Priest ~ Pray for us!🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Wednesday of the First Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday of the First Week of Lent, March 12, 2025
Reading 1: Jonah 3:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 11:29-32
“No sign will be given to this generation except the sign of Jonah”
“While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
In today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel of St. Luke, the same story of Jonah and the people of Nineveh were also presented to us, in the manner how the Lord Jesus used that together with the story of the coming of the Queen of the South or the Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem, in order to highlight how many of the people to whom the Lord had been sent to, were lacking in their faith and trust in God, that they failed to believe in the One Whom God had sent into their midst, despite the obvious signs and all that the Lord Jesus Himself had done, in fulfilling everything that God had promised to His people from the very beginning of time. This was also presented as an irony and comparison, between the attitudes of the people of that time with those in Nineveh and that of the Queen of the South. Jesus addresses His contemporaries as people who fail to appreciate Him; they do not recognize the significance of His person, His presence, someone greater than Jonah, greater even than Solomon. If the people of Nineveh responded to Jonah and if the Queen of the South responded to Solomon, how much more should Jesus’ contemporaries respond to Him. The same Jesus who was present to His contemporaries is present to us as risen Lord. We too can fail to appreciate the Lord who stands among us. Like Jesus’ contemporaries, we can look for signs without recognizing the powerful signs of His presence that are all around us. The greatest sign of the Lord’s presence, a sacred sign or sacrament, is the Eucharist. In the Eucharist the Lord is present to us under the form of bread and wine, saying to us, ‘This is my body… This is my blood’. In coming to the Lord in the Eucharist we are coming to someone greater than Jonah or Solomon. The Lord is present to us in other ways also. We take His presence seriously by responding to His call and following in His way, as the people of Nineveh responded to Jonah’s call,. Having been graced by the Lord’s presence, we are to respond to His presence by living in a graced way.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading, Jesus rebukes the people for demanding signs, pointing instead to the example of the Ninevites. They repented at Jonah’s preaching, but Jesus, who is far greater than Jonah, is being ignored. His words challenge us: Do we seek signs and miracles while neglecting His clear call to repentance? Lent is our moment to respond like the Ninevites not just in words, but through actions that reflect a genuine change of heart. True repentance is not about empty rituals; it’s about transformation. Psalm 51 reminds us that what pleases God is not mere sacrifices, but “a contrite spirit and a humble heart.” When we acknowledge our faults and turn to God with sincerity, He welcomes us with mercy and love. Take time today to examine your heart. Is there an area in your life where God is calling you to deeper repentance? Offer a sincere prayer, asking for the grace to turn away from sin and embrace His mercy.
In our first reading today, from the Book of the prophet Jonah, the Lord sent His servant Jonah to the city and the people of Nineveh, then the great capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire. Contextually and historically, as the Assyrians had conquered numerous nations and peoples, they were a very proud people and nation, and their glory and power unparalleled. Yet, they had also committed great atrocities and sin before God, and the Lord sent Jonah to them to warn them of this and the retribution that they were to face. Immediately upon hearing the news of the revelation of their impending destruction, the king and the whole entire people of Nineveh believed in the Lord and in His words, and they immediately humbled themselves before the Lord, went into mourning and contrition, dressed in sackcloth and regretting all the sins which they had committed before God and men alike. And seeing the actions and the sincerity of the people of Nineveh in believing in Him and in repenting from their sinful ways, God spared Nineveh from destruction.
Reflecting on our first reading, Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, and despite their history of wickedness, the people immediately believe in God’s warning. Their response is profound—they fast, wear sackcloth, and cry out for mercy. Even the king humbles himself before God. Seeing their change of heart, God relents and does not bring destruction upon them. This passage reveals a beautiful truth: No sin is too great for God’s forgiveness if we truly repent. Lent is a season of repentance, a time when God calls us to turn away from sin and return to Him with all our hearts. Today’s readings remind us of the power of sincere repentance and God’s boundless mercy. Merciful Father, I come before You with a humble heart, seeking Your forgiveness. Like the people of Nineveh, help me to turn from my sinful ways and follow Your path. May my Lenten journey bring me closer to You. Amen 🙏🏽
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded to have faith in the Lord and to trust in Him, believing in all that He has done for us and shown us. We must be strong in faith and do not waver amidst the trials and challenges, the many temptations we may be facing in this world. And through what we have heard from the Scripture readings today, both Jonah and Jesus call on us to be open to and attentive to the workings of God’s Spirit in the lives of those whom we might be tempted to dismiss. This call is especially timely in a period of war and conflict in our world. During this season of Lent, let us all make good use of the examples shown to us by the Saints, holy men and women, especially those who we celebrate today, Saint Theophanes the Chronicler, Saint Seraphina, Virgin and Saint Luigi Orione, Priest, in all that they had done for the sake of God’s Church, and also remind ourselves of the need for us to repent and turn away from all of our many sins and wickedness. Let us all be the beacons of hope and strength for one another, doing whatever we can so that by our loving examples and inspirational actions, filled with love and grace of God, we may help many others to come ever closer towards God, and to be redeemed from their sins, like how the people of Nineveh had done in the past, in embracing God with great desire to be forgiven and to be redeemed from their sins. Let us all come towards the Lord with contrite hearts and minds, and seek Him with ever greater commitment from now on, especially as we journey through this blessed time of Lent. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to believe in the Lord and turn towards Him with heart full of love and contrition especially throughout this journey of faith and life, and throughout this Lenten season. Amen 🙏🏽
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we embrace this new day, we are grateful for God’s unwavering love and mercy. In our Lenten journey, we seek to deepen our trust, humility, and faithfulness to His divine will. We lift up those who struggle in prayer, yearning for the peace that comes from knowing God understands their needs even before they voice them. May we all learn to approach Him with simplicity and trust, following the example Jesus set for us. For those burdened by unforgiveness or past wounds, we pray for the grace to release these chains, embracing the healing that comes from extending mercy, just as our Heavenly Father forgives us. We remember those lacking daily sustenance, the hungry, the financially strained, and the abandoned, asking that they find hope and provision through God’s boundless providence. We also hold close in our hearts the sick, the elderly, and the lonely, praying that they feel the comforting presence of the Lord and receive strength in their trials. May caregivers and medical professionals be blessed for their selfless dedication. Through the intercession of Saint Theophanes the Chronicler, Saint Seraphina, and Saint Luigi Orione, may we be inspired to live lives of unwavering faith and service. We also remember the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed, praying that they find eternal rest in God’s embrace. Reflecting on today’s Gospel, may we internalize the lessons of repentance and transformation, allowing them to guide our actions and draw us closer to God’s infinite mercy.
LET US PRAY:
My crucified Lord, I gaze upon the crucifix and see in Your death the greatest act of love ever known. Give me the grace I need to follow You to the tomb so that Your death will triumph over my sins. Free me, dear Lord, during the Lenten journey so that I will be able to fully share in Your new life of the Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, Your mercy knows no bounds. Guide us to genuine repentance and transform our hearts to align with Your divine will. Lord Jesus, grant us the courage to turn away from sin and embrace the path of righteousness. Holy Spirit, during this Lenten season, inspire us to grow in prayer, fasting, and charity, leading us ever closer to the heart of the Father. May our hearts be transformed, and may we bear witness to Your love in all that we do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Jesus, we trust in You. Amen🙏🏽
Save us, Savior of the world. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Theophanes the Chronicler, Saint Seraphina, and Saint Luigi Orione ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽
May this day be filled with God’s grace and peace. Wishing us all a safe, blessed, and fruitful day. Amen. 🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖