Apr 9, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:16-21
“but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God”. Light came to the world with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was darkness and doubts before the resurrections of Jesus Christ. Darkness of sin and punishment. Doubts of our relationship with God. But all these are over with the Risen Christ. “For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved”. God wanted to save us, and He saved us through His only Son. Because “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life”. So, in Risen Christ we see the love of God manifested and the love of God giving us eternal life. He is not for condemnation but for salvation. Our life therefore must not be in darkness but in the light of Jesus Christ. Our life and actions must be in the light of His love for us. Let’s reflect: Easter is starting to live our life in the light of God’s love for us.
Apr 8, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:7-15
“If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world, how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?” In this very interesting conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus we can find the tension between the revelation and the faith. Faith is not something static. Faith is dynamic especially when it regards to the revelation. Faith must adapt itself to the revelation. And not that faith block itself before revelation. Nicodemus is a very sincere man. He is searching for truth. He is even expressing his ignorance without fear. And through his sincere questions, we come to know very profound answers to some existential questions of our life. What we need a new life, and this new life is given by the Son of Man who is in heaven. We have His life. We live with His life. And this Son of Man is like serpent raised in the desert. Moses raised it according to the will of God and everyone looked at was save. In the New Testament, God the Father raised Jesus Christ and in Him we are all saved. His life is shared among us. We receive His life and our lives are new. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding that we live with the life of Jesus Christ given to us in Baptism.
Apr 7, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Annunciation of the Lord – Solemnity
Gospel – Luke 1:26-3
“But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” The Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord is in a different date this year. Since the original date is on the Holy Week, it’s moved to the first day after the Easter Week because the Feast must be celebrated in the right spirit. The Feast of Annunciation is the day when the heaven and earth united in the consent of the Virgin in Nazareth. Mary united heaven and earth. In her, the divinity and humanity become one. The distinction is eliminated. Mary heard the words of Angel Gabriel. When the angel Gabriel gave the news, the Virgen in Nazareth did not immediately say “yes”. Mary wanted to know her role in this plan of God. Then angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. Mary wanted to be part of the plan of God. She understood the plan of God. She said, “let what you have said be done to me”. Because Mary with her freedom and with her will, accepted to be part of the Will of God. Let’s reflect: Annunciation invites us to be part of God’s plan for humanity.
Apr 6, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter)
Gospel – John 20:19-31
Today is the Sunday of Divine Mercy. The Sunday when we acknowledge and thank the mercy of God which forgives our sins. The sense of this Sunday can be explained in these words: “Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you”. It’s the experience of the presence of Jesus standing in our midst and He is giving His peace to us. It’s the experience of seeing His pierced hands and His pierced side which are pierced as reparation for our sins. Our sins are forgiven with the divine mercy which comes from His pierced hands and side. It’s the experience of being filled with joy. The joy which comes from the gratitude of being forgiven the sins. The joy of the presence of the Lord in the midst. It’s the new hope present in the midst. It’s the experience of listening to the Words of Jesus, “Peace be with you”. It’s the assurance of the presence of His peace in my life. Let’s reflect: Easter is experiencing the Divine Mercy of the Lord in His peace given to me.
Apr 5, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Saturday
Gospel – Mark 16:9-15
“‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation”. Resurrection is not just a spectacle. It’s the beginning of the mission. It’s the beginning of the mission of the Church. Before the reality of resurrection, you can doubt, or you can believe. If you believe you have to pass to the next phase which is the mission to preach. The mission which arises from the encounter with the Risen Christ. This area of the mission is the entire world. And the object of mission is to proclaim the Good News. The subject of this mission is the entire creation. The entire world and the entire creation is before us who has encountered Jesus Risen to preach the Good News. The Good News is that the love of God is above all things. Nothing can be stronger than this love. This love is even stronger than death. That’s why this is the Good News because nothing can change it to bad news. Let’s reflect: Easter is recognizing the mission which evolves from our encounter with the Risen Christ.
Apr 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Friday
Gospel – John 21:1-14
“At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water”. The moment Simon Peter hears that “It’s the Lord”, he jumped into the water. This is the kind of relationship which comes out of the heart in faith. This is not only a faith in Jesus Christ who is Risen but also a faith in the word of his brother John. This is double trust: The trust in the Lord who is Risen. It’s also trust in John who can testify the presence of Jesus. There are no more calculations or logical thinking. There is just the wish to reach to Jesus. He jumped into the water. The faith in Jesus Christ Risen is about the relationship of trust. It’s just trust, and action based on that trust. No mor questions or answers. Act according to the trust of your heart. Trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters. Let’s reflect: Easter is the trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters.
