Bethany Hang Out

No matter what your troubles are, and if you are suffering very much, St. Philomena will intercede for you in a special way and companion you on your journey. She never gave up. She will help you never give up either and follow Christ to the end. She may bring a miracle that is more than you asked for, or she might help you accept the martyrs’ crown, even with love and joy. She knows better than most that our tears become jewels on our garments in God’s Kingdom and that every one of our trials suffered with Christ helps us grow in the knowledge and love of Him.

Let us pray this passage from Psalm 18

Antiphon: With my God I can scale any wall.

I love you, LORD, my strength,

LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,

My God, my rock of refuge,

my shield, my saving horn,^* my stronghold!

Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!

I have been delivered from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of destruction terrified me.

The cords^* of Sheol encircled me;

the snares of death lay in wait for me.

In my distress I called out: LORD!

I cried out to my God.

From his temple he heard my voice;

my cry to him reached his ears.

The earth rocked and shook;

the foundations of the mountains trembled;

they shook as his wrath flared up.

Smoke rose from his nostrils,

a devouring fire from his mouth;

it kindled coals into flame.

He parted the heavens and came down,

a dark cloud under his feet.

Mounted on a cherub^* he flew,

borne along on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his cloak around him;

his canopy, water-darkened storm clouds.

From the gleam before him, his clouds passed,

hail and coals of fire.

The LORD thundered from heaven;

the Most High made his voice resound.

He let fly his arrows^* and scattered them;

shot his lightning bolts and dispersed them.

Then the bed of the sea appeared;

the world’s foundations lay bare,

At your rebuke, O LORD,

at the storming breath of your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and seized me;

drew me out of the deep waters.

He rescued me from my mighty enemy,

from foes too powerful for me.

They attacked me on my day of distress,

but the LORD was my support.

He set me free in the open;

he rescued me because he loves me.

Antiphon: With my God I can scale any wall. 

St. Philomena, our hearts sing when we remember your determination, your patient endurance, your trust in God, through which you obtained everything. We know you call us to practice the same virtues, to love God and to let him empower us. Jesus taught us that with God all things are possible, that we can move any mountain, and that for us, He will walk on water, command any storm, if we have faith and trust in Him.

With Jesus, let us pray:

Our Father…

By your courage, open-ness to the Holy Spirit, by your purity of heart, and your faithfulness to the Gospel, you were a beautiful reflection of Mary. No wonder she visited you in your hour of darkness and gave you strength for the battle that lay before you. How beautiful she must have been to you, lighting up that terrible place where you were chained. May the Mother of Jesus give us the hope of our future glory, as we take on the battles in our lives.

Hail Mary…

Radiant girl, courageous and free of heart, our friend and guide, protect us, lead us, for the glory of God.

Glory Be…

St. Philomena, be blessed and pray for us.