Sep 20, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, and their Companions, Martyrs
Friday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 9:23-26
“What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?” This is a discourse which is essential to the Christian life. How do you want to safe yourself? Often our desire is to gain the whole world. That means, we want to get the approval of others. But our life is not like that. Our Christian life starts with the desire to follow Jesus Christ. And this desire requires to make a specific space for Jesus because we started our journey with our desire to follow Jesus Christ. And from our desire to follow Jesus Christ, comes out the challenge to renounce ourselves. What does it mean to renounce ourselves? It’s about making space for others in the moments of Cross in our life. It’s about making decisions to accept others in the moments of Cross in our life. Renouncing ourselves is making space to the other in giving up our own space. This is the pain of the Cross. In our pain and in our suffering, we learn to find space for the other. Let’s reflect: Do I find space for the other in my suffering?
Don Giorgio
Sep 18, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr
Gospel – Luke 7:36-50
“For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love”. Today’s reading asks us to mediate on an important element of our spiritual life. The confession and the forgiveness we receive in that sacrament. The woman came into the house of this Pharisee, and she waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment. She is not looking anyone else there. She sees only Jesus. It’s someone’s house. Doesn’t matter. She did what she came to do. This is what happens or what must happen when we go to the sacrament of Confession. It’s going to the feet of Jesus to cry over our sins. Others will be commenting or will be looking at you. But never mind, you must go to confession. And then in the words of Jesus we can hear how much He appreciates the gesture of thanksgiving by her. Here comes the second element. We must thank enough Jesus for the forgiveness we receive in the sacrament. Let’s reflect: Do I go to confession as if I go to cry at the feet of Jesus and do I thank enough for the forgiveness I receive in the sacrament?
Don Giorgio
Sep 18, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 7:31-35
“They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the marketplace”. These children sitting in the marketplace and shout between one another about their displeasures. This is a typical scene often in our reunions. Airing out our displeasures. “We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t cry.”. When there is no place for God in our life, we make this. We do this because we see only what is possible in our eyes. But God is greater than this. God is greater than our gifts. When we give ourselves to God, then there are not any more displeasure or discontent. Because we believe that God will take care of things. Also, when we don’t believe that we normally tend to blame others for failures. That also disappears when we trust in God. We accept our responsibility. Life is more that blaming the other. Lets’ reflect: Can I see the beauty of life entrusted in the hands of the Lord?
Don Giorgio
Sep 17, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 24th ordinary week
St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop, Doctor
St. Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin, Doctor
Gospel - Luke 7:11-17
“‘Everyone was filled with awe and praised God, saying: A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ Before the signs we see in our daily lives, we must praise God. We must acknowledge God's presence in our lives. Often we do not praise enough. Every day we can recognize many of God's signs in our lives. Most of them we don't even see or recognize. But for the ones we do recognize, we must praise God. And not only that, but we must also spread the word to those around us. This is the work of evangelization. We recognize God's presence in our lives, we praise Him for it, and then we spread the news of His presence to those around us. We must have open eyes to see the signs, we must have open hearts to give thanks for the signs, and we must have open minds to proclaim this good news in our lives. Let us reflect: Do I recognize, praise and spread the presence of God in my life?
Don Giorgio
Sep 15, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
Monday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – John 17:11-19
“Consecrate them in the truth”. This is beautiful. Jesus praying to the Father for us. He is asking that “We are consecrated in the truth”. This is necessary so that we are protected from evil. “I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one”. So, what does “Consecration in the Truth” means? Jesus explains that the Word of the Father is the Truth. And the Word is Jesus Christ. So, it’s to consecrate us in Jesus Christ, in the love of God manifested in His Person. Therefore, to consecrate us in the Truth means make us immersed in the love of God manifested in Jesus Christ. The Truth of God’s love which will never change or disappear irrespective of the conditions and situations. That love will protect us from evil. That love will watch over us. That love will make us happy. That love will make us fully happy. This Truth must be our continuous refuge and pathway. Let’s reflect: Do I understand the Truth to which I am consecrated?
Don Giorgio
Sep 15, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our Lady of Sorrows
Gospel Mark 8:27-35
“Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’”. We always ask the question, why? Why God, You are giving me this Cross? But that’s a question we must not ask. Because any “why” before a cross is a question asked without understanding our vocation. Cross is fundamental to love. Any way which avoids the cross is not the way of Jesus Christ. So, if we ask why before a Cross, that means we did not understand the way. We just trying to avoid the sacrifice necessary to love. We are trying to be selfish. This was what St. Peter trying to do when he said to Jesus to avoid the Cross. So, if we want to be disciple of Jesus, we must welcome Cross in our life. “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me”. We must renounce our interests, our wishes and accept the pain accompanied with that and love. Whenever we do that, we are following Jesus Christ who humbled himself to incarnate and to embrace the Cross to love each one of us. Let’s reflect: Do I avoid cross or welcome cross to love the other?
Don Giorgio
