Sep 29, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
“If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward”. This is the way of life of each follower of Christ. The readiness to see the necessity of the other. The readiness to satisfy the necessities of other. How easy it’s to have the reward! What is needed is just “A cup of water”. But the question is, “are we making use of this opportunity?” We are not because we are worried about other things which are secondary to the Kingdom of God. What is important here is ‘how you take care of the other in front of you’? Are you recognizing the needs of the other who is with you? May be your collaborator, may be the husband, may be the wife, may be a friend… Also, the context of this whole conversation testifies that. The disciples tried to stop the one who performs miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. They did not recognize his good acts. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize the needs of the other in whom Jesus Christ is fully present?
Don Giorgio
Sep 28, 2024 | FORUM
Well, our iron broke down.
Nothing unusual, it just stopped heating.
The noon doorbell heralded a visitor. Sister Joanna ran this time.
After a while she returned with a radiant smile and a carton in her hands.
- Sister, we have an iron!
A lady, a resident of Raciborz, decided to bring an iron to the monastery because a story came to her mind about the bread once donated to the sisters.
It was like this: when the Brest monastery ran out of bread, the then Superior, Sr. Lazaria was said to have called out to the late Sr. Dulcissima: you promised to help! This was the thought that brought these ladies to the Brest monastery. When Sr.Joanna saw the carton with the iron, she immediately told the lady that we don’t have an iron, because it broke down. It really did break down! The Raciborz woman was happy, although for a moment she thought Sister Joanna was joking.
- Sr. Dulcissima is my friend and supports my whole family,” she said. Today I wanted to make the sisters happy and decided to give you an iron.
The thing is really happening.
Ah, that Dulcissima of ours!
She promised to help and she is helping!
Sister Dulcissimo, thank you.
Sr. Margaret Cur
Sep 28, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr
Saints Laurence Ruiz and his Companions, Martyrs
Gospel Luke 9:43-45
“they were afraid to ask him about what he had just said”. This is about the disciples who were afraid to ask Jesus about His discourse on His passion. Because they couldn’t understand the plan of God. They see Jesus performing miracles, raising dead, and multiplying bread. And the same Jesus is speaking about being captured and killed. They couldn’t figure it out. Also, it’s very important to see when Jesus is saying this. “At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.”’ Everyone was full of admiration. But Jesus said to His disciples to keep this in their mind that, He is going to be handed over into the power of men. So, why is this happening? Because Jesus is here to atone for the sins and not for admiration. Jesus is to heal the humanity from its sins and not for fame. Atonement is done through the sacrifice and Jesus Christ is the sacrifice. The disciples did not ask Him because they saw only one part of Jesus. The principal part of Jesus as our Savior atoning our sins, they did not see and was afraid to ask. Le’s reflect: Do I see Jesus as atonement for my sins?
Don Giorgio
Sep 26, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
Friday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Matthew 9:35-37
“The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest”. These are words of Jesus Christ regarding the flock which is following Jesus Christ. This is true even today. The people who really want to follow Jesus Christ are many. But there are very few labourers who are ready to work for that. Those who want to work, want to work for themselves. But in this passage, we can also see how much Jesus is counting in each one of us to be labourers for the Kingdom of God. And He asks us to pray to the Father to send labourers for the harvest. But that is also a call to be labourers. St. Vincent de Paul became a labourer by being close to the poor and marginalised. He harvested for the Lord by becoming His love for the poor. So, whenever someone is in need around you, you have the call to be a labourer for the Kingdom of God by being the face of God to that person. Let’s reflect: Am I becoming the labourer for the Kingdom of God by being the love of God for the one in need in front of me?
Don Giorgio
Sep 25, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs
Gospel – Luke 9:7-9
“And he was anxious to see Jesus”. From where the anxiousness of Herod does the tetrarch comes from. It comes from his guilt feeling for what he had done to John the Baptist. It comes from the news what some people were saying, “that John had risen from the dead”. So, his curiosity is not for knowing Jesus. But to see how the John is Risen, the Risen John. The reason to know Jesus can be many in our life. What we must do is to purify our intention of following Jesus. Our intention to follow Jesus must not be a curiosity but love to Him. Often, our intentions can be contaminated. Then we must purify our intentions. Let’s reflect: Do I follow Jesus?
Don Giorgio
