Aug 9, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 18 in Ordinary Time
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Virgin, Martyr
Gospel – Matthew 16:24-28
“What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? These words of Jesus mean you can gain the whole world, but you can lose your life. How is that possible? That means, what you are gaining or achieving does not have the space for your life. It has space for everything else but not space for your soul, for your heart, for your life. We are occupying many things in our life in the way that we don’t find space for our life. It’s a contradiction but that it’s the truth. Sometimes, we experience this as an emptiness even if our day is full of activities and engagements. This happens because, amidst of all our activities, our soul or our heart was not taken care of. We go behind the desires of our egoism but not behind Jesus. Only by belonging to Jesus, our soul feels fulfilled. Because only in Jesus we have space for our life. Whenever we try to find space for ourselves elsewhere, we end up having empty feeling. Because it takes our time, energy and everything. But in Jesus, we find life because Jesus is life. And He gives us everything. In the life of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, we can see that. Let’s reflect: Do I go behind the desires of my egoism or behind Jesus?
Don Giorgio
Aug 7, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Dominic, Priest
Thursday of week 18 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 9:57-62
This is the teaching of Jesus about following Him. In His conversation between the three persons, there are certain things very clear. The first is that there is no comfort in following Jesus. The second is that everything else become secondary when you are following Jesus. The third is that one cannot follow Jesus with doubts. The true discipleship is a personal relationship with Jesus. Only by that we can attain the three qualities which are illustrated in these three encounters. Only a personal relationship with Jesus can liberate you from the thoughts of material security and comforts. Only a personal relationship with Jesus will make everything else secondary. Only a personal relationship with Jesus will eliminate our doubts. This personal relationship with Jesus can be achieved only when you relate your life with the life of Jesus. Whether it’s a pain or it’s a joy in your life, your primary attempt must be to relate that to Jesus Christ. There the journey starts. Let’s reflect: How much I relate my daily experiences to Jesus Christ?
Don Giorgio
Aug 6, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 18 in Ordinary Time
Saints Sixtus II, Pope, and his Companions, Martyrs
Saint Cajetan, Priest
Gospel - Matthew 15:21-28
“She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table”. This courage to retort to the unfavorable circumstances and this perseverance to insist on the action of God based on confidence is exemplary. This courage to retort is not of anger or despise but it a courage to retort to the negativity in our life focusing on the small, good things in our life. She is happy to get even the scraps that fall from their masters’ table. This is the courage to embrace the small graces in life without complaining. This is the courage to resist negativity in life. Then there is also the perseverance which gives the energy to keep going. This perseverance comes from the total trust in the love of God. A trust which says that, “God will answer”. Whatever happens, I need the answer from God. So, I keep calling Him. And you will get an answer. To call God you need faith, but to keep calling him though no answer, you need great faith. “Woman, you have great faith”. Let’s reflect: Do I have just faith or great faith?
Don Giorgio
Aug 5, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Transfiguration of the Lord
Gospel – Mark 9:2-10
“Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them anymore but only Jesus”. We are the celebrating the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This is a moment in which Jesus was transfigured. His clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him”. Then this happened. They looked round and saw no one with them except Jesus. This is the feast of Transfiguration. Everything else disappears and only Jesus remains. And this happens when you listen to the voice of God. When we listen to Jesus, He remains, and everything else disappears. Also, with the presence of Jesus, the law and prophets of the Old Testament are fulfilled. In the new covenant, only Jesus remains. In our personal life also, the transfiguration of Jesus happens when everything else disappears, and only He remains in our life. The voice of God makes disappear everything else and only Jesus remains in our life. Jesus shines in our life. Only Jesus shines in our life. This is our transformation resulting from His transfiguration which we welcome by listening to the voice of God. Let’s reflect: Did I ever imagine a situation in my life in which everything disappears and only Jesus stays?
Don Giorgio
Aug 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 18 in Ordinary Time
Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Gospel – Matthew 14:13-21
“When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves”. This is touching moment in the life of Jesus. The martyrdom of John the Baptist is a prefiguration for what is expecting in the calvary. And it is profound to meditate how Jesus is handling this moment. St. Matthew says that he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. Three points to note: withdrawing, to a lonely place, to be by themselves. The first is the withdrawing from the noise, from the surroundings, and from the distractions. Then is the lonely place. Withdrawing becomes real when it is a withdrawal to a lonely place where you can listen to the voice of God, the voice of your mission, the voice of your vocation. The third is to be by themselves. This is the moment of unity between Jesus and disciples. The sad news of the beheading of John is a moment of trial. In the moments of trial, we must stand united among ourselves. It should not be a moment of blaming one another but a moment of being by ourselves united. This moment of Jesus gives us light, how to deal sad moments in our life. Let’s reflect: Do I handle sad moments in my life as Jesus handled it when He received the news of John the Baptist’s death?
Don Giorgio
Aug 3, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, Curé of Ars
Gospel John 6:24-35
“I tell you most solemnly, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread; for the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world”. Jesus is teaching about Eucharist. In these words, we can understand a lot about Eucharist. Jesus is referring to manna given in the desert. The context of manna is the context of Eucharist. We also are in a journey towards our heavenly Jerusalem. We also need the sustenance in our journey. And often we are in desert where there is no other nothing else other than the manna which comes from heaven. Here comes the context of Eucharist. Jesus says very clearly that it was His Father in heaven who gave the bread from heaven. Manna in the Old Testament was a sign of the love of God the Father. A love that touches the daily life and sustained their life. And in the New Testament, God the Father is also giving the bread, but this bread is not just sustaining the life. This is the bread that gives life. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst”. We must go to Him. We must believe in Him. Going is encountering and believing is entrusting. Every Eucharist is encountering Jesus and entrusting to Him. Jesus is life. Let’s reflect: Do I participate in the Eucharist as an encounter with Jesus and an act of entrusting myself to Him?
Don Giorgio
