Oct 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday 2 October 2024
The Holy Guardian Angels
Wednesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Matthew 18:1-5,10
“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven”. Today is the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. The Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims that “from infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (angels’) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (CCC, n. 336). This is a faith in the personal love of God for each person. Each one of us has a guardian angel because each one of us is protected by the personal love of God. The love of God is not a general love, a love for all. But it’s a love for each one of us. It’s a personal love. God’s love for each one is assured by the presence of our Guardian Angel. A devotion to the Guardian Angel is an acceptance of the personal love of God towards you. God is with us always. We must believe in the love of God that take care of us, protect us and guide us. Let’s reflect: Do I maintain a constant devotion to my Guardian Angel?
Don Giorgio
Sep 30, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin, Doctor
Tuesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time
Gospel Matthew 18:1-5
“I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”. Today we are celebrating the Feast of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. And in the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to change and become like little children. Thérèse of Lisieux’s “Little Way” is a spiritual path through which the process which Jesus tells us can be achieved. This “Little Way” is focused on simplicity, humility, and trust in God's love. She believed holiness could be attained not through grand actions but by performing small, everyday tasks with great love and devotion. Embracing her own limitations, Thérèse encouraged a childlike trust in God, accepting suffering as an opportunity for spiritual growth and offering small sacrifices with joy. Her approach highlights that even the simplest acts, when done with love, can lead to holiness, making this path accessible to anyone. Let’s reflect: Do I offer with joy my small discomforts and pains for my growth in God’s love?
Don Giorgio
Sep 30, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Jerome, Priest, Doctor
Monday of week 26 in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Matthew 13:47-52
“The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds”. The Kingdom of heaven, it’s present part is here and now. It contains all kinds of fishes. The Fisherman collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. The Fisherman decides. This is true with everything we see around. Around us there are lots of good and bad. But the Kingdom of God embraces everything. But Jesus Christ decides what is good and bad. The relationship with Jesus is the criteria to decide what is good and what is bad. This is also same with us. Each one of us have both good and bad in us. The Kingdom of God embraces everything in me, both good and bad. It’s my personal relationship with Jesus that helps me to sort what is good in me and what is bad in me. Let’s reflect: Does my relationship with Jesus help me to sort what is good and what is bad in me?
Don Giorgio
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 | 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
