Jun 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 12:13-17
“Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, ‘Why do you set this trap for me?” Jesus sees through out hypocrisy. So why are we being hypocritic? By our hypocrisy we try to put up a trap for Jesus. We need hypocrisy because we don’t want to follow what we want. The Pharisees came and spoke to Jesus, “Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty”. The Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with flattery, acknowledging His integrity and impartiality. However, their true intention is to trap Him. This hypocrisy is revealed through their actions and words that don't align with their true motives. Jesus sees through their pretense. He calls out their hypocrisy directly, showcasing His wisdom and understanding of human nature. This highlights Jesus’ ability to discern the true intentions of people, contrasting with their outward behavior. This passage challenges us to examine our own lives for any traces of hypocrisy. Are there areas where our actions do not match our discipleship? It’s an invitation to strive for congruence between our discipleship and our behaviors. It involves admitting faults, seeking to grow, and ensuring that our external actions are a true reflection of our discipleship. Let’s reflect: Are there traces of hypocrisy in our discipleship?
Jun 3, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Charles Lwanga and his Companions, Martyrs
Gospel – Matthew 5:1-12
Today we are celebrating the Feast of Great African Martyrs of Uganda who were burned alive in a group after being tortured by the Ugandan King Mwanga. Charles Lwanga and his twenty-one companions (the youngest, Kizito, was only 13) were executed for being Christians, for rebuking the king for his debauchery and his murder of an Anglican missionary, for “praying from a book,” and for refusing to allow themselves to be ritually sodomised by the king. And the reading the Church proposes is the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the model of our action and of our being. What we do must be conformed to the Beatitudes, both our action and our reaction. Moreover, our being must be modelled according to Beatitudes. This is a challenge because we are always tempted to be with persecutor than with the persecuted. When we are living Beatitudes, our ego, the standards of the society, and external pressures will persecute us to give up our testimony of Jesus. But we must not give up. St. Charles Lwanga and his companions are models for us. Let’s reflect: How much I am ready to suffer for being Beatitudes?
Jun 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Mark 2:23-3:6
“Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil”. The answer is very clear. To do good on sabbath is not against the law. With this statement, Jesus is teaching us that each law must a way to do good. The man with a withered hand is sitting among the people. Jesus is asking him to change his position, “Stand up out in the middle”. This man who has a problem must stand up out in the middle of the community because if we are not seeking a solution for his problem, but we are observing the day of the Lord, it seems meaningless. Without being sensitive to the problems of others, our pious celebrations become meaningless. When we can put the problems of others in the middle of our thoughts and try to do the good we can do, we are following Jesus. But when we are obstinate like the Pharisees, we will have to out from the presence of Jesus. “The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.”. Let’s reflect: Am I sensitive to the problems of others and try to do good to remain in the presence of the Lord?
Jun 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Justin, Martyr
Saturday of week 8 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Matthew 5:13-19
“In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven”. It’s the nature of the light to shine and to illuminate. Jesus is comparing his disciples to light. “You are the light of the world”. And this light must shine before others. And Jesus also explains how the light must shine. We must shine through our good works. Our good words are the rays of light. Good words in all circumstances. Here the comparison with the light is very important. Good works from us must be as accessories. Good works from us must be our nature. Not some good works during the day, or occasionally. Everything we do must be an extension of the good in us as disciples of Jesus Christ. His light in us. His love in us. We must continuously transmit that light through us, through our good works constantly. Then only we can fulfill our vocation as light, by being light in the life of others. Let’s us reflect: Do I recognize my vocation as light in my daily life?
May 31, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Feast
Gospel – Luke 1:39-56
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour”. Today we are celebrating the Feast that commemorates the visit of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, as described in the Gospel of Luke. The feast highlights the humility, charity, and joy of the Virgin Mary as she visits Elizabeth to assist her during her pregnancy. The feast emphasises the faith of Mother Mary in the word of the Angel at Annunciation, her joy in the encounter with Elizabeth and her humility and charity in assisting Elizabeth during her pregnancy. It also celebrates the sanctification of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb and the recognition of Jesus’ presence by John even before his birth. The encounter between Mary and Elizabeth is marked by profound joy, as evidenced by the leaping of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb and Mary’s hymn of praise. Along with the humility of Mother Mary and her spirit of service, three months with Elizabeth, we are called to meditate with the recognition of Jesus’ divine nature even in the womb, as acknowledged by John the Baptist and Elizabeth. The underlying truth is that when Jesus is present in us, we will be humble and when we are humble our encounters will become joyful. Let’s reflect: Do I succeed in transmitting the joy of the presence of Jesus in us to those whom I encounter?
May 30, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Solemnity
Gospel - Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Today we are celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi. It’s a liturgical solemnity celebrating the Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This feast invites us to reflect deeply on the gift of the Eucharist, a sacrament that nourishes our souls, strengthens our faith, and unites us as the body of Christ. “Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many”. These words remind us that the Eucharist is not just a symbol but the actual body and blood of Christ, given for us. It is through the Eucharist that we encounter Jesus in a unique and intimate way, receiving His life and love, and being transformed by that. The Eucharist is a mystery that surpasses our human understanding, yet it is a mystery in which we participate with our life. In the simple elements of bread and wine, Christ is truly present, offering Himself to us. This gift is a testament to God's immense love for us, a love that knows no bounds and seeks all means to make us closer to Him. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are not merely recalling an event from the past but participating in the eternal sacrifice of Christ, made present to us here and now. When we receive the body and blood of Christ, we are united not only with Jesus but also with one another. We become the body of Christ, called to live out His love in the world. This unity challenges us to look beyond our individual concerns and embrace our brothers and sisters with compassion and solidarity. Let’s reflect: How much I value the gift of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist?
