WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 1, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS (SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AND SAINT REMIGIUS, BISHOP | OCTOBER 1ST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus & Saint Remigius | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-october-1st/)
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | October 1, 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-october-1-2025/
OCTOBER IS MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY | 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/
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/
Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family.
Welcome to October! May this new month bring you God’s blessings, peace, and joy in abundance. We pray for eternal repose of our loved ones who recently passed, particularly those who died today. May this month bring peace to troubled hearts, direction to the lost, comfort to the grieving, and strength to the weary. In all things, may His will be done and His name be glorified. Amen🙏🏽
Happy Independence Day to Nigeria! 🇳🇬 Today, October 1st, as Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, we lift up prayers for peace, unity, and justice. May the Lord bless her leaders with wisdom, integrity, and the fear of God, so they may govern with truth and fairness. May the dreams of her people be fulfilled, may righteousness flourish in the land, and may God’s will prevail over Nigeria now and always. Amen. 🙏🏽
Today, Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time, we joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us into the new month of October. Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past month. As we begin this new month, we entrust every day into Your hands, asking for Your blessings, guidance, and peace in our lives and families. May October be for us a season 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 October with heavy hearts or struggles. Lord, go before us, walk beside us, and remain with us always, now and forever. Amen. 🙏🏽
On this special feast day, through the intercession of the Saint(s) we celebrate 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 lift charitable organizations, asking God’s blessing upon their mission. We pray for those who fight for truth, peace, justice, 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 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary on this special Feast of Saint Thérèse, and Saint Remigius, we lift our prayers for the safety and well-being of missionaries, pilots, and all travelers. We ask for healing for the sick and dying, especially those who are suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, strength for the weary, peace in troubled homes, and provision for all in need. Guide our steps in righteousness, protect us from harm, and fill our hearts with faith, joy, and gratitude. May this month draw us closer to Your will, and may every day be a testimony of Your goodness and mercy in our lives. We begin this month with trust in Your unfailing love, Lord, and we surrender all that lies ahead into Your hands. Amen 🙏🏾
We continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the Cardinals, Bishops, all Priests, that they be sanctified in their ministry to God’s people. We pray for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world suffering from political and religious unrest.
Through the intercession of St. Joseph, we pray for all fathers, mothers, workers, and all those who labor in this world. May the Lord bless the work of their hands, and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of Ordinary Time. Wishing us all and our loved ones a joyful, peaceful, and grace-filled month of October. 🙏🏽
We 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.
“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 and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏🏽
“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 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
LIST OF ALL NOVENAS | Month of October | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/list-of-all-novenas-october/
COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church | October 1, 2025
Reading 1: Nehemiah 2:1–8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 137:1–2, 3, 4–5, 6
Gospel: Luke 9:57–62
Gospel Reading ~ Luke 9:57–62
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
“As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges three potential disciples with the radical demands of following Him. These three people showed their willingness to become followers of Jesus, physically walking with Him wherever He led. However, the first one seems to lack an awareness of what in involved. The other two claim they have some important duties to attend to first at home. Jesus makes it clear that discipleship requires sacrifice, detachment, and total commitment. To follow Jesus means embracing a life that may not offer security or comfort, but instead calls for a readiness to trust God completely. When one man hesitates because of family obligations, Jesus responds firmly: “Let the dead bury their dead.” One would have thought that burying one’s father was indeed an important duty. However, Jesus’s response isn’t a dismissal of family love, but a reminder that God’s Kingdom must come first. Another man wants to say farewell to his family before following, but Jesus warns that looking back shows divided loyalty. The Kingdom requires a wholehearted response, without hesitation or regret. Jesus does not prevent the other person from saying goodbye to his family but warns him that following Him requires a clear focus, without constantly looking back over one’s shoulder to what has been left behind. This is one of probably several Gospel texts that can seem very challenging to our ears. Jesus seems to be so demanding. Yet, following Him, becoming and remaining His disciple, whatever form it takes, in whatever age, is demanding. It is never going to be an easy or a soft option. Jesus does demand a level of allegiance to Himself that is greater than the allegiance owed to family, even though it is not in any sense incompatible with our family allegiances. There may come a time when our fidelity to the values of the Gospel will put us at odds with those closest to us.
Today’s Gospel reading brings home to us that walking in the way of the Lord is a serious business. The Gospel invites deep reflection. What holds us back from following Christ fully? Do we cling to comfort, fear of sacrifice, or attachment to the past? Jesus asks us to place Him at the center of our lives, even above good and noble concerns. True discipleship means courageously choosing His way, no matter the cost, trusting that His grace is enough to sustain us. Jesus is calling on us to follow Him wholeheartedly rather than distractedly; He is asking us to commit to His values with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, whatever our state in life. Jesus seems to be saying that there is only one way to follow Him, and that is to give it everything we have.
Reflecting on the first reading, in Nehemiah’s story, we see an example of courage, prayer, and God’s providence. Though afraid to speak before King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah turns first to God in prayer, and then boldly asks the king for permission to return to rebuild Jerusalem. His request is granted, not because of human power, but because “the favoring hand of God was upon him.” This is a reminder that God’s plans often unfold when we step out in faith, relying on His strength rather than our own. Like Nehemiah, we are called to pray, act courageously, and trust God’s guidance when faced with challenges.
In the Responsorial Psalm, the psalm is a cry from the heart of exiles in Babylon, mourning their lost home and identity. “How could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?” Yet in their sorrow, they cling to hope and refuse to forget Jerusalem, the city of God’s presence. This psalm reminds us of the importance of fidelity to never forget the Lord, even in exile, suffering, or spiritual dryness. Like the exiles, we may sometimes feel far from God’s promises, but we are called to remain faithful, trusting that He will restore us in His time.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are called to ask ourselves, am I willing to follow Christ without conditions, even when it means sacrifice or discomfort? Do I turn to God in prayer like Nehemiah before making important decisions? How do I remain faithful in “foreign lands” times of trial, discouragement, or spiritual struggle? Am I clinging to anything from the past that keeps me from moving forward with Christ? As we close today’s reflection, let us remember that discipleship is not about comfort but about commitment. Jesus calls us to a love that places God first, beyond security, attachments, or hesitation. Like Nehemiah, may we learn to pray boldly and act courageously, trusting in God’s providence. Like the psalmist, may we remain faithful even in difficult seasons, never forgetting the Lord who is our true home. Let us move forward with unwavering faith, setting our hands to the plow without looking back, confident that Christ walks with us and that His grace will sustain us on the journey to His Kingdom. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace as we remain steadfast in faith and continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth.🙏🏽
Lord Jesus, You call us to follow You with undivided hearts, placing Your Kingdom above all else. Teach us to let go of fear, comfort, and attachments that hold us back from true discipleship. Like Nehemiah, may we turn to You first in prayer, trusting in Your providence as we walk forward in faith. Strengthen us to remain faithful in trials, patient in exile, and steadfast in hope. May our lives always witness to Your love, so that others may be drawn to You through our words and deeds. Amen. 🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS (SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, AND SAINT REMIGIUS, BISHOP ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 1ST: Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux), Virgin and Doctor of the Church (Patroness of missionaries, florists, aviators, and the sick), together with Saint Remigius, Bishop (Patron of France, against epidemics, fever, and religious indifference). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Thérèse, and Saint Remigius, we lift our prayers for the safety and well-being of missionaries, pilots, and all travelers. We entrust the sick and dying, especially those battling cancer, tuberculosis, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, and other serious diseases, to God’s healing mercy. We remember the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed, widows and widowers, the poor and needy, and families striving for peace, love, and unity. We also pray for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the bishops, clergy, seminarians, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. May persecuted Christians be strengthened, sinners converted, and all believers remain steadfast in faith. Amen 🙏🏽
Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | October 1st | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com
(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus & Saint Remigius | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-october-1st/)
SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS (SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), known as “The Little Flower,” was a French Carmelite nun whose life of simplicity and love profoundly influenced the Church. Born Marie Françoise Thérèse Martin in Alençon, France, she grew up in a deeply devout family. Though her mother died when she was just four, Thérèse was nurtured in faith by her father, Louis, and her sisters, all of whom entered religious life. At the age of fifteen, Thérèse entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, where she embraced her “Little Way” a path of holiness rooted not in grand deeds but in small acts of love, humility, and trust in God. Despite her hidden life, her childlike confidence and profound spirituality earned her recognition as a model of sanctity for all Christians.
Thérèse’s writings, especially Story of a Soul, revealed her interior journey and became a spiritual classic read throughout the world. She reminded us that holiness is possible for everyone, not only through extraordinary works but through faithfulness in daily life. She once wrote, “Love is repaid by love alone,” a motto that guided her every action. Though she died of tuberculosis at just 24 years old, her influence spread rapidly. Canonized in 1925, she was later declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope St. John Paul II, the youngest person and only the third woman (after St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Catherine of Siena) to receive this title. She is the patron saint of missionaries, florists, aviators, and all who seek God in simplicity and trust.
QUOTES OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS:
☆ “Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you – for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart… The guest of our soul knows our misery; He comes to find an empty tent within us – that is all He asks.”
☆’You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”
PRAYER: O God, You filled St. Thérèse with the fire of Your love and called her to walk the little way of humility and trust. Grant that through her intercession, we too may follow this path of spiritual childhood and, by simple love and fidelity, attain the eternal glory You promise. Amen.
SAINT REMIGIUS, BISHOP: St. Remigius (437–533), known as the “Apostle of the Franks,” was born in Cerny-en-Laonnois, France. A man of learning and faith, he was appointed Bishop of Reims at just twenty-two years old. His long episcopacy of over seventy years was marked by tireless preaching, evangelization, and defense of orthodoxy.
His most famous legacy was the baptism of King Clovis of the Franks in 496, together with thousands of his soldiers, a pivotal moment that brought the Frankish kingdom into the Catholic faith. This event helped shape the history of Christianity in Western Europe. St. Remigius also worked many miracles, opposed heresies such as Arianism, and left a legacy of pastoral zeal and deep devotion to the Church. He is honored as the patron saint of France, against epidemics, fever, and religious indifference.
PRAYER: Lord God, You raised up St. Remigius as a tireless preacher of the Gospel and shepherd of Your people. Through his intercession, strengthen us in our faith, make us bold in witness, and help us to bring the light of Christ to all we meet. Amen. 🙏🏽
Our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Remigius ~ 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 OCTOBER: For collaboration between different religious traditions. Let us pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity.
(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF OCTOBER | MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary, a powerful prayer that draws us into the heart of the Gospel through the eyes of Mary. The Rosary is more than repetition, it is a meditation on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, united with the loving presence of His Blessed Mother. As Pope St. John Paul II reminded us, the Rosary is “a compendium of the Gospel,” helping us to contemplate Christ’s face with Mary.
The twenty mysteries of the Rosary, Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous, invite us to journey with Christ from His Incarnation to His Passion and His triumph over death. Each mystery opens us to God’s saving love, strengthens our faith, and leads us to imitate the virtues of Jesus and Mary in our daily lives. This month, the Church invites us to renew our devotion to the Rosary by praying it daily, whether alone, in families, or in community. Through it, we find peace in times of trial, strength against temptation, and deeper trust in God’s providence. Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, intercedes for us and leads us always to her Son.
“O Mary, our Blessed Mother and Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, teach us to pray with a pure heart and a steadfast spirit. As we meditate on the mysteries of Christ, help us to grow in faith, hope, and love. Intercede for us before your Son, that our families, our Church, and our world may be filled with peace and the light of the Gospel. Amen.” 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
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/
PRAYER INTENTIONS: On this Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and Saint Remigius, we entrust our hearts to God, asking for the grace to follow Christ without hesitation, as the Gospel calls us to. May the “Little Way” of Saint Thérèse inspire us to serve with humility, trust, and love in the smallest details of life, and may the zeal of Saint Remigius encourage us to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel in our families, workplaces, and communities. We pray for all missionaries, priests, and religious, that they may be strengthened in their vocation. We lift up to God all who are sick and suffering, especially those burdened by cancer, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, or mental illness, that they may find comfort and healing in His mercy. We remember the poor, the marginalized, widows and widowers, and all who feel abandoned, that they may experience God’s closeness. We pray for peace and unity in our homes, nations, and the world, for persecuted Christians, and for the conversion of sinners. May our lives be rooted in faith and love, so that, like Saint Thérèse and Saint Remigius, we may bring many souls closer to Christ. As we begin this new month of October, may God’s blessings, protection, and favor rest upon us, our families, and all our endeavors. Amen 🙏🏽
LET US PRAY:
My demanding Lord, You have called me to a radical commitment of my entire life to follow You. I hear Your voice and choose to say “yes” to Your invitation. Please free me from all selfish motives in life, and give me the resolve I need to follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen 🙏🏽
Loving Father, You call us daily to follow Your Son with undivided hearts. Through the intercession of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Saint Remigius, grant us the grace to live with childlike trust, steadfast courage, and unwavering love for You. Strengthen the sick and weary, console the sorrowful, protect travelers and missionaries, and unite Your Church in peace and fidelity. May we, like Saint Thérèse, walk the “Little Way” of love, and like Saint Remigius, labor zealously for the spread of the Gospel. As we step into this new month, fill us with renewed hope, joy, and strength to serve You faithfully each day. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Remigius ~ 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. As we begin this new month of October, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the blessings of the past and entrust the days ahead into God’s loving hands. May this month be filled with hope, safety, and the quiet joy that comes from knowing that Christ walks with us always. Alleluia! Have a blessed, safe, and fruitful Wednesday, and a grace-filled beginning to the month of October. 🙏🏽
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