Oct 30, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 30 in Ordinary Time
Gospel Luke 13:31-35
We witness a poignant moment where Jesus expresses both His deep love for Jerusalem and His sorrow over its resistance to God's message. He acknowledges the city's history of rejecting prophets and messengers, and yet His compassion remains steadfast. The image of a hen gathering her brood under her wings is a powerful metaphor for Jesus' desire to protect and nurture the people, but He also respects their free will—even when it leads to their rejection of God's plan. Jesus is saying, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you”. This is a case when you are not seeing the message which God sends to you, and you are even killing the source of that message or inspiration. Because you have your personal plan and intentions to maintain. Killing the plan of God to keep alive your plan is the worse you can do to yourself. Because the plan of God is always better than our plans and calculations. When we insist on our way, we might be denying ourselves the fullness of life that God intends for us. Let’s reflect: In what areas of your life might you be holding onto personal plans or desires so tightly that you are missing out on the deeper, more fulfilling path that God may be offering?
Don Giorgio
Oct 29, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 30 in Ordinary Time
Gospel Luke 13:22-30
“Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!”” What went wrong here? They were with the Lord. But the Lord is not recognizing them. Because they did not do what the Lord asked. The Lord asked, “Try your best to enter by the narrow door”. The Lord asked to lead a life of sacrifice and sharing. But these people saw the company of the Lord as a means to eat and drink but not as a call to enter through the narrow door. Their proximity to Jesus was superficial. They treated their time with Him as an opportunity for socializing and self-indulgence (“eating and drinking”), not as a transformative encounter that required them to change their ways and follow the path of righteousness. They did not listen to the call of the Lord to do a life of sharing and sacrifice. The gospel passage underlines that the faith is not just about proximity to the sacred, Sacraments and Word of God, but about living in love in everyday life. It’s about making choices that align with the love Jesus preached, rather than seeking comfort or superficial connection without the depth of commitment. Let’s reflect: Is my proximity to the sacred just superficial or I live a life of sacrifice and sharing?
Don Gorgio
Oct 28, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 30 in Ordinary Time
Gospel Luke 13:18-21
“It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through”. Jesus is comparing the Kingdom of God to the yeast which leavens the entire flour. This is how the Kingdom of God works. It’s the work of God. Just as yeast works unseen yet powerfully within dough to cause it to rise, so too does the Kingdom of God operate within the world and in our lives—quietly, but with transformative power. Only thing is that we must let it work in us. The key to this transformation is our openness to letting this work unfold within us. We might not always perceive the immediate effects, but the Kingdom of God is continuously active, often in subtle and gradual ways, transforming individuals and communities. It’s a reminder that spiritual growth and the work of God often happen quietly, beneath the surface, and with time can lead to profound change. The message calls for faith and patience, as well as an active willingness to allow God’s presence to permeate and transform our lives, just as yeast does to the dough. The transformation may not always be visible immediately, but it’s inevitable once we allow God’s Kingdom to work within us. Let’s reflect: Do I join faith and patience in the growth of my relationship with God?
Don Giorgio
Oct 27, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles – Feast
Gospel Luke 6:12-19
“Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’”. Today we are celebrating the feast of the Apostles, Simon and Jude. Jude, also called Thaddaeus, is the apostle who at the Last Supper asked the Lord why he showed himself only to the disciples and not to the world. In the Gospel we see how Jesus selected his Apostle. He went to the hills to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer. Then he summoned his disciples and from them He picked up the twelve. From this narration we can understand our important was this act of Jesus. In the hills alone in prayer for the whole night and then picking up 12 from all His disciples. Because they are going to be the foundation of the Church where Christ is the corner stone. Being close to the Apostles is being close to Christ. To be close to the Apostles is to embrace their witness and teaching, which they received directly from Jesus. It is through the Apostolic tradition that we maintain our connection to the early Church and its foundation in Christ. Let’s reflect: How much do I recognize the Apostles as the foundation of the Church, and how can I stay closer to them?
Don Giorgio
Oct 26, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Gospel Luke 13:1-9
“leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.” There is always a possibility to repent. We must not be haste in judging ourselves or anyone else. This patience with ourselves and with others is very decisive. It’s not a passive patience but an active patience like this man who is going to dig round the tree and manure it. The gardener’s plea to give the tree more time—along with extra care—demonstrates an active patience. He does not simply wait; he intervenes with the intention of promoting growth and transformation. This can serve as a metaphor for God's patience with humanity and for how we might approach ourselves and others when growth or change seems slow. Just as the gardener nurtures the tree with hope for future fruit, we too are called to foster growth, both in ourselves and in others, through intentional actions like self-reflection, forgiveness, and encouragement. This form of patience is not passive resignation, but rather, an active commitment to creating conditions for growth, change, and ultimately, bearing fruit. It emphasizes the importance of mercy, reminding us that with time, care, and effort, people can change and bear the fruit of good deeds, even when it seems unlikely at first. Let’s reflect: How much active patience I have with myself and with others?
Don Giorgio
Oct 25, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 12:54-59
“You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?” Jesus is saying that we don’t know how to interpret these times. Jesus is emphasizing the importance of being aware of the deeper meaning of the times in which we live, not just understanding physical signs like the weather. His message is clear: while we may be adept at interpreting worldly matters, we often miss the essential truths that guide us in living rightly. Then Jesus gives us the key to interpret our times. It’s forgiveness and reconciliation that will help to deal with our times. Jesus points out that conflicts, divisions, and troubles arise when we fail to engage with these virtues. Forgiveness and reconciliation are not just moral ideals; they are practical tools for resolving tensions and healing brokenness in relationships, communities, and even nations. Without them, conflicts spiral out of control, and hearts remain hardened. In today’s context, this message encourages us to cultivate forgiveness in our personal lives and seek reconciliation in the face of disagreements. It’s a call to work towards peace and unity, both in small, personal interactions and larger societal issues, recognizing that true understanding of “the times” comes through the lens of compassion and healing. Let’s reflect: How much am I ready to engage in reconciliation to deal with the situations I face in my daily life?
Don Giorgio
