19 September 2025 (Friday) / Friday of week 24 in Ordinary Time or Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr / Ordinary Weekday/ Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr

19 September 2025 (Friday)

Friday of week 24 in Ordinary Time or Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr.

Ordinary Weekday/ Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: First Timothy 6: 2c-12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 49: 6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20
Alleluia: Matthew 11: 25
Gospel: Luke 8: 1-3

First Reading : 1 Timothy 6:2‐12

This is what you are to teach the brothers to believe and persuade them to do. Anyone who teaches anything different, and does not keep to the sound teaching which is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrine which is in accordance with true religion, is simply ignorant and must be full of self‐conceit – with a craze for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and wicked mistrust of one another; and unending disputes by people who are neither rational nor informed and imagine that religion is a way of making a profit. Religion, of course, does bring large profits, but only to those who are content with what they have. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it; but as long as we have food and clothing, let us be content with that. People who long to be rich are a prey to temptation; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction. ‘The love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds. But, as a man dedicated to God, you must avoid all that. You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 48(49):6‐10,17‐20

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Why should I fear in evil days the malice of the foes who surround me, men who trust in their wealth, and boast of the vastness of their riches?

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

For no man can buy his own ransom, or pay a price to God for his life. The ransom of his soul is beyond him. He cannot buy life without end, nor avoid coming to the grave.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Then do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house increases. He takes nothing with him when he dies, his glory does not follow him below.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Though he flattered himself while he lived: ‘Men will praise me for all my success,’ yet he will go to join his fathers, who will never see the light any more.

How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia: Matthew 11: 25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
25 Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
(25. At that time Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children.
26. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.
27. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him).
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 8:1‐3

Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.

For our reflection today:

In short, without the generous contribution of many women, the history of Christianity would have developed very differently. This is why, as my venerable and dear Predecessor John Paul II wrote in his Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem: "The Church gives thanks for each and every woman. The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine "genius' which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness". As we can see, the praise refers to women in the course of the Church's history and was expressed on behalf of the entire Ecclesial Community. Let us also join in this appreciation, thanking the Lord because he leads his Church, generation after generation, availing himself equally of men and women who are able to make their faith and Baptism fruitful for the good of the entire Ecclesial Body and for the greater glory of God. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 14 February 2007)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)