DailyReflections

Tag: SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 7

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Tuesday after Epiphany of the Lord!

    TUESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 7, 2025

    OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025 [Details and links below]

    On this Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and all the Saints, we humbly pray and thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, our Savior Jesus Christ! For the safety and well-being of all our children and school children as they return to school this new year after the Christmas holiday. We pray for God’s guidance and protection upon them. We continue to pray for peace all around the world, particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine-Russia and other parts of the world. We pray for an end to the wars and conflicts, and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. For the gentle repose of 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 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🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | January 7, 2025 on EWTN” |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | January 7, 2025 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | January 7, 2025 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| January 7, 2025 | https://www.youtube.com/live/YT_zjA-2CoI?si=ArNBk7Nw71L3Mi5o

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
    Reading 1, First John 4:7-10
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
    Gospel, Mark 6:34-44

    OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS SCHEDULES | JUBILEE OF HOPE 2025

    Pope Francis opens the Holy Door Ushering in the Jubilee of Hope | ‘Hope is Alive’ | Vatican News | December 24, 2024 |

    https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/25/pope-francis-opens-the-holy-door-ushering-in-the-jubilee-of-hope-hope-is-alive-vatican-news-december-24-2024/

    These last three Holy Doors will be closed on Sunday, 28 December 2025.

    THE JUBILEE PRAYER

    The Jubilee Prayer

    Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
     
    May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
     
    May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen 🙏🏽

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 7TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Raymond of  Penafort  (Penyafort), Priest and Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr.

    SAINT RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST: St. Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275), referred to  as the “Father of : Law” was a Dominican priest who worked to aid Christian captives during the era of the Crusades and also helped organize the Church’s legal code. A contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, he inspired the theologian to write the “Summa Contra Gentiles” for the conversion of non-Catholics. At least 10,000 Muslims reportedly converted as a result of St. Raymond’s evangelistic labors. Born of a noble family in 1175, at the castle of Penafort in Catalonia, St. Raymond was allied to the King of Aragon. At the age of twenty he taught philosophy at Barcelona. Requiring no remuneration for his services, he endeavored to form the heart as well as the intellect of his students. At the age of thirty he went to Bologna to perfect himself in the study of Canon and Civil Law, and received the degree of Doctor. On his return to Barcelona in 1219, the Bishop made him canon, archdeacon, and vicar-general. A few years later, in 1222, he entered the Order of St. Dominic, eight months after the death of its holy founder. During his time in Barcelona, Raymond helped Saint Peter Nolasco and King James of Aragon to establish the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Our Lady of Ransom), whose members sought to ransom those taken captive in Muslim territory. During this same period Raymond promoted the Crusades through preaching, encouraging the faithful to defend their civilization from foreign threats.

    St. Raymond labored zealously for the conversion of the Moors and the Jews, and in the composition of a treatise for the instruction of confessors. Pope Gregory IX summoned him to Rome, appointing him auditor at the apostolic palace, penitentiary, and confessor to himself. While he was the confessor to Pope Gregory IX, the pope asked him to compile the church decrees concerning canon law of the past 80 years into a uniform collection that didn’t change until 1917. He composed his work of Canon Law known as the “Five Decretals.” On his return to his own country St. Raymond was elected general of the Dominican Order to succeed Blessed Jordan of Saxony, who had been the immediate successor of St. Dominic. After arranging and explaining the constitutions of the Order he resigned the office, and began again to apply himself to the exercises of an apostolic life. During this time he was able to focus on the fundamentals of his vocation: praising God in prayer, making him known through preaching, and making his blessings manifest in the world. St. Raymond’s later achievements included the establishment of language schools to aid in the evangelization of non-Christians. He wrote a book of moral theology for confessors, was a Bishop of the capital of Aragon (at 60), the head of the Dominican order (at 63), and his last 35 years combated heresy and prayed and converted 10,000 Muslims. He died on January 6, 1275 at Barcelona, Spain at about one hundred years of age and was canonized on April 29, 1601, Rome by Pope Clement VIII. St. Raymond is the Patron Saint of the Attorneys; barristers; canonists; canon lawyers; lawyers; medical record librarians; Barcelona, Spain; Navarre, Spain. His feast day is January 7th.

    “The law, scripture, the Church, and love work harmoniously together”

    PRAYER: St. Raymond, teach us to see the law of God and the law of the Church as one harmonious law meant to foster true communion among men and true communion between God and men. May God’s law be our law. And may the law never be an obstacle to true love and devotion.”…Amen

    God, You endowed Your Priest, St. Raymond, with the gift of showing mercy to sinners and prisoners. Help us by his intercession to be freed from slavery to sin and with clear consciences to practice those things that are pleasing to You. Amen🙏

    SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: Saint Lucian of Antioch (c. 240–January 7, 312) also known as Lucian the Syrian was born at Samosata in Syria. Having lost his parents in his youth, he distributed to the poor all his worldly goods, of which he had inherited an abundant share, and withdrew to Edessa, to live near a holy man named Macarius, who imbued his mind with a knowledge of Holy Scripture and led him to the practice of the Christian virtues. Having become a priest, his time was divided between the external duties of his holy state, the performance of works of charity, and the study of sacred writings.

    Saint Lucian revised the books of the Old and New Testaments, expunging the errors which had found their way into the text either through the negligence of copyists or the malice of heretics. His translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek was universally esteemed and was very useful to Saint Jerome, for whom he prepared the way. Soon afterwards the latter was to give to the world the Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate.

    Having been denounced as a Christian during the persecution of Maximin, Lucian was thrown into prison and condemned to torture, which was protracted for twelve whole days. A group of Christians visited him in prison on the feast of the Epiphany, and brought bread and wine to him; while bound and chained down on his back, he consecrated the divine mysteries upon his own breast, that the faithful who were present might receive Holy Communion. He finished his glorious career in prison, and died with the words, I am a Christian, on his lips. He died on January 7 312 AD and was buried in Drepanum, The Gulf of Nicomedia, which was later named Helenopolis. He was noted for both his scholarship and ascetic piety.

    Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

    Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass | Tuesday after Epiphany | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Mark 6:34-44

    “The feeding of the five thousand; they all ate as much as they wanted”

    “When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied.And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, there is a sharp contrast between the disciples’ reaction to the hungry crowd in a lonely place and Jesus’ reaction. The disciples wanted Jesus to send the crowds away so that they can find food for themselves. Jesus insisted that the disciples take some responsibility for feeding the crowd, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves’. When the disciples resisted this suggestion of Jesus He kept insisting, telling them to find out how much food existed among the crowd. When they found out that there was five loaves and two fish out there, Jesus proceeded to feed the crowd with those few resources. There was no need to send the crowd away after all. According to the Gospel when Jesus saw the large crowd in a deserted place He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus’ compassion for the crowd was a revelation of God’s love. As profoundly stated in our first reading today, ‘God is love’. It goes on to state that ‘God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world His only Son so that we could have life through Him’. The coming of Jesus into the world is the revelation of God’s love for us. Jesus gave expression to His compassion for the crowd in two ways, firstly by teaching them at some length, then by feeding them with bread and fish. He fed their spiritual hunger by speaking His word to them and then fed their physical hunger with the small amount of food that the disciples had gathered from the crowd. Both forms of feeding were important to Jesus. As human beings, we need bread, physical food, to live, but we do not live on bread alone. Yes, we have basic physical needs that have to be met, but we also have deeper, spiritual needs that also cry out to be satisfied. Jesus, the revelation of God’s love, always attended to both sets of needs; He came to serve the whole person, body and spirit. He encourages us to serve ourselves and each other in that same complete way that He served and continues to serve us. Reflecting on the disciples’ reaction in the Gospel reading, there are times when we can be a little like the disciples. We feel powerless before some situation and we try to walk away from it. However, Jesus in that Gospel reading shows us that, no matter how difficult the situation may seem, there is always something we can do, even if it is only a little. We can find the equivalent of the five loaves and the two fish if we look for them. The Gospel reading assures us that if we do the little we can do, the Lord will often work powerfully through our efforts, small as they may seem to us. The Lord needs our efforts, even if they seem insignificant in the face of the problem to be resolved. Those efforts, weak as they appear to us, are the raw material through which the Lord can work powerfully, with results that will often surprise us.

    In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. John the Apostle, St. John reiterated the great and most generous love which God has for all of us mankind, and this love is shown to us through the giving of His Son, and He gave us this Son so that He might be able to bring us all from the brink of destruction, and through His suffering and death, which He obeyed perfectly and carried out willingly, all of us have received the assurance of salvation and eternal life, because He offered for us all, on our behalf, the one and only perfect offering and sacrifice for the atonement of our innumerable sins, as the Lamb of God, the Sacrificial Lamb offering His own Most Precious Body and Blood, the perfect unblemished sacrifice that can heal us from all of our sins. That is why today as we continue to celebrate this joyous occasion of Christmas, at the same time we are also reminded that ultimately Christmas will not have its meaning, importance and relevance without what we will celebrate soon in Holy Week and Easter. For if Christmas is a celebration of the Lord’s coming into this world as a little Child, to be God Who dwells with His people, then it is in the Holy Week and Easter that everything He was about to do came into perfect fulfilment and completion. If Christ did not suffer and die on the Cross, and then rose in glory and triumph, conquering sin and death, then this birthday is just a celebration of the birthday of an ordinary person, not unlike any other person. But this is certainly not the case. It is precisely because Christ has become Man at Christmas and then went on to fulfil all that the Lord has planned perfectly at Holy Week and Easter, that we rejoice even all the more because we know that by becoming a Man like us all, He has united our humanity to Himself and gathered us all as one united people and flock of the Lord, and made us all to share in His death and Resurrection. He became the Mediator of the New Covenant between God and all mankind, an everlasting Covenant sealed with the Precious Blood of the Son of God, the Paschal Lamb of sacrifice. Truly, as the Lord Himself had said in the Gospel according to St. John, that ‘God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son, so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life.’ And these are the concrete proofs of this love.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, while we still continue celebrating the joyful time and season of Christmas, focusing our attention on the birth and coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, bearing the salvation for everyone, we now begin to focus more on the works and actions of Christ during His ministry as we are about to come to the end of this season and begin the first round of the Ordinary Time. Through what we have heard in our Scripture passages today, we are reminded of God’s love which He has manifested before us through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all. We are reminded that by His coming into our world, the love of God and all has become real, tangible and approachable to us, which is what we celebrate at Christmas, that is the Love of God made Man. We are called to emulate and be inspired by the life of the Holy men and women and the Saints, particularly St. Raymond of Penyafort, who we celebrate today. Let us all therefore strive to love the Lord our God with all our heart and strength, and to be truly devoted to Him above all other things, doing whatever we can to glorify Him by our lives. Each and every one of us should be good examples and inspiration in how we live our lives with faith, much as how St. Raymond of Penyafort had done for us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace and may the good Lord our loving God and Saviour continue to guide and strengthen us in our faith and path, now and always. Amen 🙏🏽

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JANUARY | MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. After the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph and told him that the Child’s name should be called Jesus, meaning “God Saves.” According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after his birth a male child was to be circumcised, receive his name, and become a full member of God’s covenant people. According to the old Roman liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus was celebrated on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, the same day that He was given His sacred name. Currently we celebrate the Solemnity of the Mother of God on January 1st and honor the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3rd. For Catholics, Jesus’ sacred name is the object of a special devotion symbolized by the monogram “IHS,” (sometimes called a Christogram), which is the first three letters of the Greek spelling of His name.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12538

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY – FOR THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION: Let us pray for migrants, refugees, and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, might always be respected.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2025

    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/

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast day, we humbly pray and thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, our Lord Christ! We pray for the safety and well-being of everyone and for all those traveling during this season of Christmas and new year. We pray for peace, love and unity in our marriages, our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and for all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world… Amen🙏

    Let us pray:

    Lord, help me to see You as You gaze at me with the most heartfelt love and compassion. I know You know my every struggle and my every need. Help me to open myself up to You and Your mercy so that You become my true Shepherd. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Raymond of Peñafort (Penyafort) and Saint Lucian of Antioch ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines:

    DAILY REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    FOUNDATION | https://gliopiepehe.org

    SIR G.L.I OPIEPE’S HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION |

    THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/

    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/

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    Thanking God for the gift of this new year and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all.  Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season and new year. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe, healthy, prosperous and grace-filled New Year! Amen🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

    [Depending upon the practice of the local diocese or territory, the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on January 6, or on the first Sunday after January 1in countries where this feast is not a Holy Day of Obligation. Roman Catholic dioceses in many countries celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th, some countries including the dioceses of the United States transfered the celebration of this feast to Sunday, January 7, 2024].

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 7, 2024

    Greetings, beloved family and Happy Sunday, the Feast of the Epiphany!

    Watch “HOLY MASS ON THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD WITH POPE FRANCIS | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN, ST. PETER’S BASILICA| JANUARY 6, 2024” |

    Watch “Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord on Sunday, January 7, 2024 on EWTN” |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | January 7, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday, January 7, 2024
    Reading 1, Isaiah 60:1-6
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
    Reading 2, Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
    Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JANUARY – MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS: The month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. After the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Angel Gabriel appeared to St. Joseph and told him that the Child’s name should be called Jesus, meaning “God Saves.” According to Jewish law, on the 8th day after his birth a male child was to be circumcised, receive his name, and become a full member of God’s covenant people. According to the old Roman liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus was celebrated on January 1st, eight days after Christmas, the same day that He was given His sacred name. Currently we celebrate the Solemnity of the Mother of God on January 1st and honor the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3rd. For Catholics, Jesus’ sacred name is the object of a special devotion symbolized by the monogram “IHS,” (sometimes called a Christogram), which is the first three letters of the Greek spelling of His name.

    On this special feast day, we continue to remember our beloved late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the first memorial anniversary of his death. We pray for the repose of his gentle soul 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 the gentle soul of Pope Benedict XVI and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    Please let us continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    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/

    Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. 

    THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD: The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord is one of the oldest Christian feasts and one of the most important. The feast of the Epiphany also known as Theophany or the Feast of Manifestation which is traditionally celebrated on the 12th day after Christmas, on January 6th. However, in the Roman Catholic dioceses in many countries including the dioceses of the United States where the solemnity of the Epiphany is not observed as a holy day of obligation, this feast has been moved and assigned to a Sunday, which is then considered a proper day on the calendar, falling on the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th. This year, others may celebrate the feast of Epiphany on Sunday, January 7, 2024 (from General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar)

    The celebration of the Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian festivals on the Church’s calendar, celebrated since the end of the second century, it predates even the celebration of Christmas. It is commonly known as Twelfth Night, Twelfth Day, or the Feast of Epiphany. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphaneia – a verb that means “to shine upon,” “to manifest,” “to reveal” or “to make known.” It means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians who remember the time when God ‘Theos’ manifested Himself before His people, a term known as ‘Epiphaneia’, that has the meaning of revelation, as He came forth bringing the Light and Hope to the nations, just as He has promised through His prophets and messengers. It refers to the great manifestations of our Lord’s incarnate nature as truly God and truly man, “God in flesh made manifest. Thus, the feast of the Epiphany celebrates the many ways that Christ has made Himself known to the world. Historically, Epiphany celebrated four events that manifested the mission and divinity of Christ: Jesus’ nativity; the visit of the Magi to the Holy Family to adore Him (Matthew 2:1-12);  the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River where the Father revealed Him as His beloved Son (Mark 1:9-11); and Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). Each biblical event is a theophany, or epiphany, a special manifestation of Jesus Christ to mankind. The relationship between these events is beautifully described in this antiphon from the Divine Office: “This day the Church is joined unto the Heavenly Bridegroom, since Christ hath washed away her sins in Jordan; the wise men hasten with gifts to the marriage supper of the King; and they that sit at meat together make merry with water turned into wine. Alleluia.” At one point in Church history all of these events were celebrated on the Epiphany, but now the liturgical calendar assigns particular feasts or proper days for each. The visit of the Magi is emphasized on Epiphany Day, and Christ’s baptism is celebrated the first Sunday that follows. In our day, the great Solemnity of the Epiphany primarily celebrates the visit of the Magi representing our Lord’s manifestation to all the Gentiles (the non-Jewish people of the world) and the corresponding call of the Gentiles to faith in Jesus Christ.

    Through this important event of the Epiphany, God manifested Himself to the nations, represented by the Three Magi or the Three Wise Men, who came from very far lands to visit and pay homage to the One Whose coming they had predicted, and following the great Sign in the sky, the Star of Bethlehem, that appeared above the place where the Lord Jesus was born. All the Three Magi set off on a long journey from their lands, at a time when travel was arduous, difficult, lengthy and slow, traversing long distances so that they might come to and see the Holy One of God, the One Whose coming was proclaimed by the great Star. The Star of Bethlehem is a sign of the Messiah, and is also a symbol of faith or ‘Signum Fidei’ because the Three Wise Men went on that very long journey in seeking the One Whom they believed in, as a great Figure and Master, and although they did not yet know Who He truly was, but the Spirit of God present in all the peoples, even then, moved their hearts, and brought them on the journey of faith towards the Lord. The gifts which they brought to the Lord had made people to speculate the places of their origins, with the countries of Sheba and Seba in what is now Ethiopia and Yemen respectively as possible candidates. Those gifts echoed what the prophet Isaiah spoke about in the first reading today, of the caravan of camels from Sheba and Seba coming to the Lord, glorifying Him and praising Him.

    The three gifts of the Three Magi are themselves very symbolic and a revelation of Who the Lord Jesus truly was, in the gift of the gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold represents the kingship and the glory of Christ, while the Frankincense represents both His Divinity and also His role as our Eternal High Priest, and lastly the Myrrh represents the way how the Lord would accomplish His mission, through the suffering and death that He would have to endure during His Passion, for our sake and our salvation. Through all these three gifts therefore, we all come to know the full extent of Who the Lord our God is, and what He has done for us through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This is the essence of what the Epiphany celebration is all about.

    PRAYER: We thank the Lord, for the gift of revealing Himself to all nations, and ask that He continue to be revealed in the works of His children… Amen🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 2:1-12

    Adoration by the Magi: “We saw His star at its rising and have come to do Him homage”

    “After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.’ Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.”

    Today’s Gospel reading puts before us two very contrasting responses to the news that the long-awaited Jewish Messiah had just been born. Astrologers from the East were so excited by this news that they set out on a long journey to find the child so as to pay Him homage. King Herod in Jerusalem was so perturbed by the same news that he sought to kill the child.

    On this feast of the Epiphany we are asked to identify with the response of the astrologers, the wise men, from the East. They were people who were very observant of God’s natural world, in particular that part of God’s natural world that came into view when darkness descended. They observed and studied the stars. They were fascinated by the stars. Yet, they recognized that the stars, for all their splendour, pointed beyond themselves to some more wonderful reality, to God. So, when they heard that God was visiting our world in a new way through a child who had just been born, they set out in search of that child. These exotic figures from the East show us how being attentive to God’s natural world can draw us closer to God. This can happen in different ways for different people. For the wise men it was their fascination with the stars that led them to the true light of the world. For others, the sea can have a similar impact, revealing in some mysterious way the depth and power of God. There came a point on the journey of the wise men when they needed more than the signs of nature to find the child whom they were seeking. When they came to Jerusalem they had to ask, ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ To make the last short step on their long journey, they needed more than the light of a star. They needed the light of the Scriptures. The chief priests and the scribes who knew the Scriptures were able to point them in the direction of Bethlehem. On our own journey towards the Lord, we too need the light of the Scriptures as well as the light of nature. The Scriptures are a fuller revelation of God than the natural world. It is in and through the Scriptures that we meet God and His Son in a special way. Through the Scriptures God speaks to us in a privileged way. He asks us to listen and to allow our lives to be shaped by what we hear. The wise men allowed themselves to be guided by the Scriptures, as well as by the star. They showed something of that responsiveness to God’s word to which we are all called.

    Having been moved by the presence of God in nature and in the Scriptures, the wise men came face to face with God in a child. They did not worship the star; they did not even worship the Scriptures. But they did worship the child, because they recognized that here was Emmanuel, God-with-us. We too worship Emmanuel, and we do so in a special way every time we celebrate the Eucharist. As the wise men expressed their worship by offering the child their precious gifts, we express our own worship of the Lord in the Eucharist by offering Him gifts, and our most precious gift is the gift of our lives. In the Eucharist we give ourselves to the Lord, in response to His giving of Himself to us as bread of life, saying ‘Here I am’ in response to His ‘Take and eat’. The Gospel reading tells us that, after worshipping the child, the wise men returned home by a different way. Their meeting with the infant king of the Jews somehow changed them. Our own worship of the Lord in the Eucharist will often prompt us to take a different path too. We come to the Eucharist open to being changed by our meeting with the Lord. We are sent forth from the Eucharist to follow the way of the Lord more closely.

    In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the prophet spoke to the people of God in Israel and Judah, telling them of the coming of the salvation in God, which would come soon through the Messiah, the Saviour which God has promised to all of them. The prophet was encouraging a people that by then had suffered a lot of hardships and difficulties, obstacles and challenges. He told them that the Lord would not forget about them, and He would send them His deliverance, which would come with a great Light coming among the people of God. Indeed, the Lord would send His salvation through His people, born of a people whom He had first called, the people of Israel, of the children of Abraham, fulfilling everything that He has promised to His faithful servants. Through this great Light, which is in Christ the Lord, all people will come to see the salvation of God, which has been unveiled and shown to us, through His Nativity and Epiphany. If His Nativity marks the moment when He was born into this world, and was announced by the Angels of God to the people of Israel through those shepherds of Bethlehem in the wilderness, then the Epiphany marks the moment when He revealed Himself as the Saviour of all, as the Almighty God and King, born into this world to gather everyone to Himself, to every nations and peoples, for He is not just God of Israel or over the land of Israel, but He is God, Ruler and King over the whole Universe, and this is what the Lord has revealed to us all, through the events of the Epiphany.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on the great Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we mark the occasion when the Lord revealed and manifested Himself to all the nations through the representation of the Three Magi or the Three Wise Men, who came all the way to Bethlehem after long and arduous journey, seeking the Star of Bethlehem marking the birthplace of the Saviour. Just like the Three Magi in the past, let us all therefore come to seek the Lord with all of our efforts and hearts, our minds and might. Let us all be faithful to the Lord and follow Him, like the Three Magi making the intense effort in walking the long journey from their distant homelands to seek the Saviour through the Star of Bethlehem. Are we all able to do the same as they had done? They were not believers at first, but saw the signs that God had sent into this world, followed those signs and came all the way to Bethlehem to pay Him homage and to worship Him. They represent all of us mankind, all of whom have been scattered all throughout the world, but through the grace and love of God, Who has sent us Christ to be our Good Shepherd, to gather us all from the ends of the world to Himself, to find our way to God. May the Lord, Who made Himself visible and Who has revealed Himself to all the nations, be with us all and continue to call upon us to follow Him. May He continue to guide us all through the path of grace and His love and truth, so that we may follow Him, with all of our hearts and minds, and be truly saved. Just as He has promised and assured us through His suffering, death on the Cross and finally through His glorious Resurrection, He has shown us the light of His hope and the grace of eternal life that will be ours if we keep strong our faith in Him, and continue to walk faithfully in His Presence and remain firmly committed to His path. May the Lord, our glorious and mighty God, Who revealed Himself to all the nations, be with us and bless our every good deeds and efforts, all of our endeavours for His greater glory. On this feast of Epiphany, may God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to be as open to the Lord’s path as the wise men were. Wishing all of us a Most Blessed and Holy Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord! Amen🙏

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: Today, on this special feast day, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Raymond of  Penafort  (Penyafort), Priest and Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr.

    SAINT RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST: St. Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275), referred to  as the “Father of : Law” was a Dominican priest who worked to aid Christian captives during the era of the Crusades and also helped organize the Church’s legal code. A contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, he inspired the theologian to write the “Summa Contra Gentiles” for the conversion of non-Catholics. At least 10,000 Muslims reportedly converted as a result of St. Raymond’s evangelistic labors. Born of a noble family in 1175, at the castle of Penafort in Catalonia, St. Raymond was allied to the King of Aragon. At the age of twenty he taught philosophy at Barcelona. Requiring no remuneration for his services, he endeavored to form the heart as well as the intellect of his students. At the age of thirty he went to Bologna to perfect himself in the study of Canon and Civil Law, and received the degree of Doctor. On his return to Barcelona in 1219, the Bishop made him canon, archdeacon, and vicar-general. A few years later, in 1222, he entered the Order of St. Dominic, eight months after the death of its holy founder. During his time in Barcelona, Raymond helped Saint Peter Nolasco and King James of Aragon to establish the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Our Lady of Ransom), whose members sought to ransom those taken captive in Muslim territory. During this same period Raymond promoted the Crusades through preaching, encouraging the faithful to defend their civilization from foreign threats.

    St. Raymond labored zealously for the conversion of the Moors and the Jews, and in the composition of a treatise for the instruction of confessors. Pope Gregory IX summoned him to Rome, appointing him auditor at the apostolic palace, penitentiary, and confessor to himself. While he was the confessor to Pope Gregory IX, the pope asked him to compile the church decrees concerning canon law of the past 80 years into a uniform collection that didn’t change until 1917. He composed his work of Canon Law known as the “Five Decretals.” On his return to his own country St. Raymond was elected general of the Dominican Order to succeed Blessed Jordan of Saxony, who had been the immediate successor of St. Dominic. After arranging and explaining the constitutions of the Order he resigned the office, and began again to apply himself to the exercises of an apostolic life. During this time he was able to focus on the fundamentals of his vocation: praising God in prayer, making him known through preaching, and making his blessings manifest in the world. St. Raymond’s later achievements included the establishment of language schools to aid in the evangelization of non-Christians. He wrote a book of moral theology for confessors, was a Bishop of the capital of Aragon (at 60), the head of the Dominican order (at 63), and his last 35 years combated heresy and prayed and converted 10,000 Muslims. He died on January 6, 1275 at Barcelona, Spain at about one hundred years of age and was canonized on April 29, 1601, Rome by Pope Clement VIII. St. Raymond is the Patron Saint of the Attorneys; barristers; canonists; canon lawyers; lawyers; medical record librarians; Barcelona, Spain; Navarre, Spain. His feast day is January 7th.

    “The law, scripture, the Church, and love work harmoniously together”

    PRAYER: St. Raymond, teach us to see the law of God and the law of the Church as one harmonious law meant to foster true communion among men and true communion between God and men. May God’s law be our law. And may the law never be an obstacle to true love and devotion.”…Amen

    God, You endowed Your Priest, St. Raymond, with the gift of showing mercy to sinners and prisoners. Help us by his intercession to be freed from slavery to sin and with clear consciences to practice those things that are pleasing to You. Amen🙏

    SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: Saint Lucian of Antioch (c. 240–January 7, 312) also known as Lucian the Syrian was born at Samosata in Syria. Having lost his parents in his youth, he distributed to the poor all his worldly goods, of which he had inherited an abundant share, and withdrew to Edessa, to live near a holy man named Macarius, who imbued his mind with a knowledge of Holy Scripture and led him to the practice of the Christian virtues. Having become a priest, his time was divided between the external duties of his holy state, the performance of works of charity, and the study of sacred writings.

    Saint Lucian revised the books of the Old and New Testaments, expunging the errors which had found their way into the text either through the negligence of copyists or the malice of heretics. His translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek was universally esteemed and was very useful to Saint Jerome, for whom he prepared the way. Soon afterwards the latter was to give to the world the Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate.

    Having been denounced as a Christian during the persecution of Maximin, Lucian was thrown into prison and condemned to torture, which was protracted for twelve whole days. A group of Christians visited him in prison on the feast of the Epiphany, and brought bread and wine to him; while bound and chained down on his back, he consecrated the divine mysteries upon his own breast, that the faithful who were present might receive Holy Communion. He finished his glorious career in prison, and died with the words, I am a Christian, on his lips. He died on January 7 312 AD and was buried in Drepanum, The Gulf of Nicomedia, which was later named Helenopolis. He was noted for both his scholarship and ascetic piety.

    Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints, on this special feast day, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we humbly pray and thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, our Lord Christ! We pray for the safety and well-being of everyone and for all those traveling during this season of Christmas and new year. We pray for peace, love and unity in our marriages, our families and our world today, as we face these incredibly challenging times. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to wars, political and religious unrest. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and for all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world… Amen🙏

    Let us pray:

    Most glorious Christ Child, the Father in Heaven honored Your birth by placing a star over the place where you lay. Through that new star, Your divine presence was made manifest to the world in the Magi who responded with faith and worship. Please manifest Yourself to me within my own soul where You wish to be born, and give me the love and zeal I need to follow the example of the Magi, offering You my own gifts in adoration and trust. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Peñafort (Penyafort) and Saint Lucian of Antioch ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this new year and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all.  Journey mercies for all those traveling during this Christmas season and new year. Wishing all of us a most blessed, safe, healthy, prosperous and grace-filled Epiphany Sunday and New Year! Amen🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖