WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME | OCTOBER 15, 2025

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 15, 2025

MEMORIAL OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS (SAINT TERESA OF AVILA), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH | OCTOBER 15TH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Teresa of Avila | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-october-15th/)

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | October 15, 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” |

GENERAL PRAYERS AND INTENTIONS | PRAYERS FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/general-prayers-and-intentions/

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.

Today, Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time, we joyfully thank God for the gift of life and for leading us into the month of October. May this month bring us God’s blessings, peace, and joy in abundance. We pray for eternal repose of our loved ones who recently passed. 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🙏🏽

Lord Almighty, we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your unfailing love, protection, and mercy that carried us through the past 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🙏🏽

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 pray for charitable organizations, asking God’s blessing upon their mission and we lift our prayers for peace, love, justice and unity in our families, marriages 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 day, we lift our prayers for the protection, 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-eighth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church | Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time | October 15, 2025
Reading 1: Romans 2:1–11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 62:2–3, 6–7, 9
Gospel: Luke 11:42–46

Gospel Reading ~ Luke 11:42–46

“Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others.”

The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces.   Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus delivers strong words to the Pharisees and scholars of the law, exposing the emptiness of their external religiosity. They meticulously observed ritual laws and offered tithes of even the smallest herbs but neglected the weightier matters of God’s kingdom, justice, mercy, and love. Their devotion was precise but hollow, driven by pride and self-importance rather than a sincere love for God and neighbor. The Lord reminds them and us that true holiness flows from the heart. Religious acts without compassion are like barren trees with beautiful leaves but no fruit. Jesus’ rebuke calls us to examine whether our faith practices spring from genuine love or from a desire for approval and recognition. When one of the scholars of the law felt insulted and spoke up, Jesus extended His warning to them as well: “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.” These words reveal the danger of spiritual hypocrisy, when leaders preach virtue but fail to live it, when they judge others harshly while excusing their own faults. True discipleship requires integrity, a heart aligned with God’s mercy and a life that lightens, not increases, the burdens of others.

This Gospel invites us to humility and self-examination. Jesus does not condemn religious discipline; He calls us to balance it with compassion and interior conversion. Fasting, prayer, and giving are pleasing to God only when they flow from a heart filled with love. The “seat of honor” that the Pharisees sought in the synagogue is not the place of true greatness. In God’s eyes, the greatest are those who serve others with humility, who love without counting the cost, and who live with mercy as the measure of their faith.

In the First Reading, St. Paul warns against passing judgment on others, reminding us that “by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself.” He speaks of God’s impartial justice, one that rewards perseverance in good and condemns stubbornness and hypocrisy. His message echoes that of Jesus: our outward religiosity means nothing without inner repentance and love. The kindness of God, Paul says, is meant to lead us to repentance, not complacency. Each of us will be repaid according to our works, not the works performed for show, but those done in sincerity and truth.

The Responsorial Psalm reinforces this same truth: “Lord, You give back to everyone according to his works.” The psalmist reminds us that God alone is our rock and salvation, our refuge and peace. When we place our trust in Him, our hearts find rest from the restless striving for human approval. In His presence, all pretense falls away, and only truth remains.

Today, let us ask ourselves: Do I live my faith outwardly while neglecting love and mercy within? Do I judge others more readily than I examine my own heart? And does my prayer life inspire me to act with compassion toward those in need? Today’s readings challenge us to practice a faith that is genuine, merciful, and consistent, a faith that reflects the heart of Christ. It is easy to focus on the faults of others while overlooking our own, to carry out external devotions yet fail to love deeply. But God sees beyond appearances; He looks upon the heart. Let us then live as true disciples, humble, honest, and compassionate, seeking not to impress but to serve.

As we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus (St. Teresa of Ávila), the great Carmelite reformer and Doctor of the Church, we are reminded of her profound teaching that prayer and love are inseparable. “The surest sign that we are keeping the two greatest commandments,” she wrote, “is that we have love for one another.” Like her, may we cultivate a life of deep interior prayer that bears the fruit of charity in action.

Lord Jesus, You see what lies within our hearts. Purify our intentions that our worship may be sincere and our actions guided by love. Deliver us from hypocrisy and pride, and teach us to walk humbly in Your truth. May Your mercy move us to repentance, Your Word to conversion, and Your Spirit to compassion for others. Through the intercession of Saint Teresa of Jesus, may we grow in true holiness, a holiness rooted in prayer, love, and faithful service. Amen. 🙏🏽

MEMORIAL OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS (SAINT TERESA OF AVILA), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH ~ FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 15TH: Today, we joyfully celebrate the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus (Saint Teresa of Avila), Virgin and Doctor of the Church, one of the greatest mystics and reformers in Christian history. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Teresa of Jesus, we lift our hearts to God in gratitude and prayer. May her example of profound prayer, humility, and perseverance inspire us to grow in holiness and divine love. We pray for the renewal of the Church, for all Carmelites and contemplatives, and for those discerning a life of prayer and service. We pray for the sick and suffering, especially those enduring physical and mental illness, heart disease, and cancer; for the poor, the needy, and the dying; and for all who long for inner peace and healing. We remember the souls in Purgatory and the faithful departed, asking God to grant them eternal rest. We pray also for widows and widowers, for the clergy, religious, and all who serve the Church, that they may be strengthened in faith, purity, and perseverance. May Saint Teresa’s example ignite in us the fire of divine love and the courage to seek God above all things. Amen. 🙏🏾

Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections | October 15th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

(Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Teresa of Avila | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saint-of-the-day-feast-day-october-15th/)

SAINT TERESA OF JESUS (SAINT TERESA OF AVILA), VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (1515–1582): Saint Teresa of Ávila, also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus, was born in 1515 in Ávila, Spain, into a large and devout family. From childhood, she displayed a deep spiritual zeal and a desire for holiness, once attempting with her brother to seek martyrdom for Christ. After her mother’s death, Teresa developed a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as her heavenly mother. At age 18, she entered the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation at Ávila. Though her early years in religious life were marked by illness and struggle, she grew in holiness through prayer, discipline, and surrender to God’s will. In 1562, guided by divine inspiration, she founded the first Discalced Carmelite convent, dedicated to poverty, simplicity, and deep contemplative prayer. Despite opposition, Teresa’s courage and faith led to the reform of the Carmelite Order. Alongside Saint John of the Cross, she helped restore the true spirit of the Carmelite vocation, a life wholly devoted to God through prayer and detachment from worldly concerns.

Her mystical writings including The Way of Perfection, The Interior Castle, and The Life of Saint Teresa — remain timeless guides to spiritual growth and union with God. She described prayer as “an intimate sharing between friends,” and her teachings earned her the title Doctor of the Church, one of the first women to receive this honor.Saint Teresa’s final words, “Lord, I am a daughter of the Church,” expressed her lifelong fidelity to God and the Church she loved deeply. She died on October 15, 1582, at the age of 67, and was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church.

Patronage: Sick people; those with headaches or heart disease; Spain; religious and contemplatives; people ridiculed for their piety; and those seeking spiritual growth.

QUOTES OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS:

☆ “Let nothing affright thee, Nothing dismay thee. All is passing, God ever remains. Patience obtains all. Whoever possesses God Cannot lack anything God alone suffices.”
☆ “Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.”
☆ “Mental prayer, in my opinion, is nothing else, than an intimate sharing between friends. It means taking time frequently, to be alone with Him, who we know loves us. The important thing is, not to think much but to love much and so do, that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.”
☆ “A beginner, must look on himself, as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord’s pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done, when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.”

PRAYER: O God, who raised up Saint Teresa by Your Spirit to show the Church the path of perfection, grant that we may be nourished by her heavenly wisdom and fired with a longing for true holiness. Through her intercession, draw us ever closer to You in love and humility, that our hearts may rest in Your divine presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

Our Blessed Mother Mary, and Saint Teresa of Avila ~ 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 Teresa of Jesus (Saint Teresa of Avila), Virgin and Doctor of the Church, we lift our hearts in prayer to God who judges all with justice and mercy. Inspired by today’s readings, we pray for the grace to examine our hearts sincerely and live with integrity, humility, and compassion. May the Spirit of wisdom guide us away from hypocrisy and pride, helping us to serve God in truth and love. We pray for all contemplatives and members of the Carmelite Order, that they may continue to draw souls closer to God through their prayers and example. We remember those burdened by sin, that they may turn to God’s mercy with a repentant heart. We pray for the sick, the lonely, the poor, and all who carry heavy crosses, that they may find consolation in God’s steadfast love. We also remember the souls in Purgatory and all the faithful departed. Through the intercession of Saint Teresa of Jesus, may we learn to rest in God’s presence, seek His will above all things, and grow daily in the perfection of divine love. Amen. 🙏🏾

LET US PRAY:

O Lord our God, who filled Saint Teresa of Jesus with the fire of Your love and the wisdom of the Spirit, grant that we may follow her example in prayer and holiness. Teach us to seek You with sincere hearts, to love You in all things, and to serve our neighbors with humility and joy. Purify our intentions, strengthen our faith, and draw us ever closer to Your divine heart. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏾

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed, Saint Callistus and Saint Teresa of Avila ~ 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, grace-filled, and fruitful Wednesday and week, and a fulfilling 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