Mar 28, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Good Friday
Gospel – John 18:1-19:42
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
“It is accomplished”. What is accomplished in the cross? The perfect manifestation of the love of God which embraces the human suffering in all its forms. God, in the person of Jesus Christ embraced the humanity. Jesus identified Himself with us in everything except sin. He is sinless. The whole scene of the trial of Jesus in the reading is the way to understand that Jesus is blameless. Jesus is condemned to death for our sins. He took upon himself our sins. He became our redemption by accepting our sins and suffering the consequences of our sins. The greatest consequence of our sin is the death. He embraced that too so that He can give us His life out of His love for us. His love which even death was unable to conquer. Jesus giving His Mother over to John and giving John over to Mother Mary as son shows the beginning of a new family born out of the Cross. New family of God which stands under the cross of Christ to embrace each other in suffering and in pain. Let’s reflect: How much I realize what is accomplished in the Cross!
Mar 27, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Maundy Thursday
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Gospel - John 13:1-15
“Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, and he got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing”. St. John in these words explains the whole mystery of incarnation. We can see the whole mystery of incarnation in the act of getting up from the table, removing his outer garment and taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist. He humbled himself to become a man, to serve each one of us, precisely to clean each one of us. He wanted to clean each one of us from our sins. He washed the feet of the disciples one by one. He not only washed but also wipe them with the towel he was wearing. In this immense love for us He also taught us what is Christian love is about. The Christian love is about washing each other’s feet. “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you”. Each time during the Holy Mass when we hear, “Do this in memory of me”, this is to be remembered. I am called to wash the feet of the other person who is next to me. Let’s reflect: Christian love calls us to serve the other person – to wash each other’s feet.
Mar 26, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of Holy Week
Gospel – Matthew 26:14-25
In this passage, we can see the Judas Iscariot preparing to betray Jesus. We can also see the disciples preparing for the Passover. The discipleship turning into two different ways. The one of betrayal and other of following. Two different questions are there. The first question is ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’. The second question is ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ The first one is centered around him, Judas Iscariot, What are going to give me. The second question is around Jesus, Where do You want us to make the preparations. When we put ourselves the center of our life, we will have to betray Jesus. But when we put Jesus in the center of our life, we will be able to prepare the Passover as He wills. Let’s reflect: Am I able to put Jesus Christ in the center of all my questions?
Mar 25, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of Holy Week
Gospel – John 13:21-33,36-38
“As soon as Judas had taken the piece of bread he went out. Night had fallen. When he had gone Jesus said: ‘Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified. If God has been glorified in him, God will in turn glorify him in himself, and will glorify him very soon”. This is a very profound passage in the Gospel. Judas after receiving the piece of bread he went out to betray Jesus. The gospel reads, “Night had fallen”. The night of betray had fallen. The night of pain and suffering of Jesus has begun. But read what Jesus is saying. “Now has the Son of Man been glorified, and in him God has been glorified”. Jesus has seen the redemptive side of the cross and suffering which He was going to endure. The cross he was going to take is the way to the ultimate victory over all betrayal of the entire humanity. The betrayal of humanity who rebelling against the God who is the Father of each one of us. Jesus can see through the cross the victory of the plan of God the Father. He saw how the love wins over the hearts. Let’s reflect: The Holy Week is to see the power of the cross over all betrayals.
Mar 24, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of Holy Week
Gospel - John 12:1-11
“Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me”. This is an important teaching of Jesus. Pastoral theology cannot substitute Christology. Our social action or our care for the needy cannot substitute our personal relationship with Jesus. Our charitable activities cannot take place of our personal time with Jesus Christ. Our altruistic undertakings cannot replace our sacramental life. It’s always a challenge to see the big picture as we see only small picture suggested by the needs of the situation. Mary anointed Jesus and wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair. Then the house was full of the scent of ointment. Our personal relationship with Jesus brings beautiful odor to whole our house. Our relationship with Jesus brings peace and joy to everyone in the house. The Holy Week is a week to strengthen our personal relationship with Jesus, understanding and acknowledging what Jesus did for us. Let’s reflect: Nothing must substitute our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Mar 23, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Palm Sunday
Gospel Mark 11:1-10
The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is very symbolic. “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it”. Going to the village opposite and find the colt on which no one has ever sat. On this colt Jesus enters Jerusalem. The people threw their garments on the colt and spread leafy branches on the road. The people are sharing what they have, to welcome Jesus. They are making the road beautiful by spreading leafy branches. Then they are calling Hosanna. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!’” All this gives us the real picture that the people are welcoming Jesus into their place with joy and hope. The joy of God’s presence and hope of God’s intervention in their life. The Feast of Palm Sunday assures God’s presence in our life and guarantees God’s definitive intervention in our lives. Let’s reflect: Am I participating in the Liturgy of Palm Sunday with the joy of God’s presence in my being and with the hope of God’s intervention in my life?
