Overview:

Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

A Reflection for Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,
praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the Gospel
from the first day until now. (Phil 1:3-5)

Find today’s readings here.

I try to tell my loved ones that I appreciate them as often as I can. But I often feel like my words fail to adequately express the depth of my gratitude and love. 

Today’s reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians offers a more satisfying way of expressing those feelings. “I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,” he writes, “praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you.” 

What a beautiful sentence! I too am lucky enough to have people in my life whose very existence and presence urges me to give thanks to God. Even on my saddest days a mere thought of them can make me pray “with joy.” 

In Paul’s letter, he expresses these feelings towards friends who share his faith and unwavering devotion to the Gospels. Paul refers to his friends as “partners with me in grace.” His joy and gratitude comes from knowing that he is not alone in his mission and his belief, even as he faces persecution. 

Recently I found myself in a country I had never been to before, in a city full of beautiful churches. Wandering in and out of them throughout my trip, I stumbled upon history and artwork and more than one saint relic. But I also found pockets of believers celebrating daily Mass, worshipping during adoration, singing together and praying together. In one church, I watched a priest celebrate an evening weekday Mass for just two people. 

Witnessing these communities of faith brought me close to tears as I realized these strangers shared my faith and longing for God. Like St. Paul, I was filled with joy, knowing that we were engaged in a “partnership for the Gospel” that surpassed regional differences and language barriers, and the fact that we had never actually met before. 

Like St. Paul, we are not alone. We will never be alone as long as there are other people, even a few, keeping our faith. Think about the people in your life who bring you closer to God, and the people you have never met with whom you are nevertheless bonded in love for Christ. And let your prayers be filled with joy over the miracle of having each other.

Brigid McCabe is America’s assistant editor for digital strategy. She was previously a 2025-2026 O’Hare Fellow.