May 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 15:18-21
“‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you”. With these words, Jesus is preparing the disciples to face the reality of challenges in our Christian life. The life of Christ is our model. Following Him is our mission. So, if His path led Him to Cross, we who follow Him will also reach in the same destiny. We will also reach in the Cross. But the path did not end in the Cross. The Cross opened the mystery of resurrection. So, whenever we have challenges in our Christian life, it is an assurance that we are on the right path. And that path leads us to the cross and from the cross to the light of resurrection. If we are following the standards and criteria of the world, we can avoid the crosses but then we will also miss the light of the resurrection. So, let’s follow Jesus expecting challenges and difficulties. Because they are occasions to see the light of resurrection. Let’s reflect: Easter is embracing cross as the path to the light of resurrection.
May 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Philip and James, Apostles - Feast
Gospel – John 14:6-14
Today we are celebrating the Feast of Apostles Philip and James. James was one of the three Apostles whom Jesus chose to be with Him in important moments. Philip, we know from his request, “Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.” Philip understood the essence of the message of Jesus Christ. This is why there was this ardent desire to see the Father. And Jesus reveals the mystery of Trinity to Philip. “To have seen me is to have seen the Father”. Again, “The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work”. To be clearer, Jesus says, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me”. So, the clear revelation of Trinity comes from this request of Philip. That concludes that the mysteries of God will be revealed to the one who ardently desires for that. And not only desire but also have the courage to ask for that. Philip had the courage to ask for that. Often our relationship with Jesus does not advance because we fail to ask to Him. We fail to dialogue with Him. Let’s reflect: Easter is engaging in dialogue with Risen Christ.
May 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor
Thursday of the 5th week of Eastertide
Gospel - Matthew 10:22-25
“The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. It is enough for the disciple that he should grow to be like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, what will they not say of his household?”. In this passage we can find different aspects of being a disciple of Jesus like St. Athanasius. In our witness and in our Christian life, the teacher is always superior to us. Jesus is superior to us. But sometimes, our testimonies and witness become instruments for us to be superiors. But remember Jesus is the superior and we are disciples. Then the second point here is about our goal. Our goal is to be like the teacher, Jesus Christ. Whatever we are doing, wherever we are living, we have only one mission, to be like Jesus Christ. We don’t have any other goals or objectives. We are called to follow Jesus Christ and our aim is to be like Him. Then the last point is that the world around us, will try to demean us in different ways. But never mind because Jesus Christ went through that already. Let’s reflect: Easter calls us to follow Jesus Christ and to become like Him without fear of any humiliation.
May 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Joseph the Worker
Wednesday of the 5th week of Eastertide
Gospel – Matthew 13:54-58
Today is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. This is a day to remember the transcendental dimension of the work each one of us does. In the Gospel, Jesus was despised as “carpenter’s son”. And as a result, we read, “he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith”. For miracles to happen in our daily life, we should have faith in the people around us, in their capacities, in their work. Often, we approach people with prejudices and judgments. In these moments, we forget the fact that Jesus Christ is alive, and we all are part of Him. In Him, our activities and work get a transcendental dimension. We work because we want to love each other and help each other. Each worker participates in the work of God the Father through Jesus Christ. With our work we participate in the work of the Creator and as a disciple of Christ we participate as sons and daughters like Him. This is because we participate in the life of Risen Christ. Let’s reflect: Easter is working in our daily life bearing the life of Risen Christ.
Apr 29, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wtorek 5. tygodnia okresu wielkanocnego
Święty Pius V, papież
Ewangelia - Jan 14:27-31
„Pokój zostawiam wam, pokój mój własny daję wam, pokój, którego świat dać nie może, to jest dar mój dla was”. Cóż za piękny dar otrzymaliśmy od Jezusa Chrystusa, Boga, który stał się człowiekiem. Tym darem jest pokój. Ale nie jest to żaden inny rodzaj pokoju. Ten pokój jest określony przez samego Jezusa jako „mój własny pokój”. Ten pokój jest pokojem, który Jezus posiada w sobie. Zwykle, gdy myślimy o pokoju, oznacza to brak konfliktów, brak lęków itp. To nie jest rodzaj pokoju, o którym mówi Jezus. Dlatego mówi On: „pokój, którego świat dać nie może”. Ponieważ pokój, który daje Jezus, to On sam. On sam jest pokojem danym nam w darze. Obecność Jezusa Chrystusa w naszym życiu jest naszym pokojem. Nic nie może niepokoić naszych serc. Nic nie może sprawić, że będziemy się bać. Ponieważ Jezus Chrystus jest z nami. Książę tego świata nie ma władzy nad Jezusem Chrystusem. Ojciec sprawia, że Syn, Jezus Chrystus, może być darem dla ludzkości. Darem pokoju dla nas. Zastanówmy się: Wielkanoc to przyjęcie Jezusa Chrystusa, prawdziwego pokoju, w naszym życiu.
Apr 28, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin, Doctor
Monday of the 5th week of Eastertide
Gospel – Matthew 11:25-30
“I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children”. Today we are celebrating the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, who dictated books full of sound doctrine and spiritual inspiration. In 1970 Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church. In her we can see the truth of this Bible passage. God the Father, Lord of heaven and of earth revealed the mysteries of faith to children, who approach the truth with the openness of a child and the passion of a child. This is made possible through the resurrection. After resurrection, as we read in the Word of God, the Risen Christ was not visible to all but to those in faith. The same is with the truth of the Gospel. Those who have the strength of faith and the simplicity of heart can see and hear the truth of the Gospel. This strength comes from our relationship to Jesus Christ. When we understand Jesus, gentle and humble in heart, we will learn the truth of the Gospel. We find peace. We can bear the yoke of Christ which is easy. Let’s reflect: Easter is learning from Jesus, who is gentle and humble in heart.
