Dec 7, 2022 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Ambrose, Bishop, Doctor
on Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Gospel – Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus is putting before us a big offer. “Come to me… Shoulder my yoke…. learn from me……” and “you will find rest for your souls”. It is about the personal relationship we could have with Jesus Christ. Personal relationship which begins with going to Him, Being with Him and Learning from Him. Then we will have rest for our souls. Then we will have peace. Our intimate relationship begins with going to him in all situations and at times, not as the last resort but as the first resort. We have His welcome. Just go to Him. Then the second step is not just going but being with Him. Shoulder His yoke means being under His guidance. His guidance is easy and light because He takes all the responsibilities. While He guides us comes the third element of learning from Him. What we learn? That He will be there always and at times. So going, shouldering, and learning give us peace. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time for going to the love of God, shouldering the love of God, and learning from the love of God.
Dec 6, 2022 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Saint Nicholas, Bishop
“it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’” This love of our Father in heaven is to be understood and lived well in our life. Our Father in heaven wants that each one is saved. When one is missing, He goes in search of the lost one. He searches until He finds it. No judgements and no conclusions, He just brings the lost one and rejoice over it. The attitude of Our Father invites also to be the same attitude to the lost ones, to the ones who failed in the life. Without judgements and conclusions, we should bring them back to life and light. For this we must experience the love of Our Father which does this. Advent is the time of discover the love of the Father which searches for the lost ones and bring them back with joy.
Dec 5, 2022 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of the 2nd week of Advent
Gospel – Luke 5:17-26
“Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.” These some men are the protagonist of this passage. Seeing their faith Jesus forgave the sins of the paralysed. Their faith is superb. Imagine all the challenges they had to face. Trying to enter through the main door, impossible. Trying to find another door, failing. The gospel itself speaks about the impossibility of finding a way. Then these men come up with a wonderful idea of climbing the roof, lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. This faith does not stop with the challenges and difficulties, it keeps going and finding solutions. This faith brings people to Jesus. This faith does not be bothered by the comments of others. This faith becomes the reason for the salvation of others. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to have the faith which finds solutions before challenges and not stuck up in difficulties.
Dec 4, 2022 | DAILY BREAD
2nd Sunday of Advent
Gospel – Matthew 3:1-12
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’” John the Baptist feels the presence of God nearby. And that is why he said, “Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.” First, what we need is to feel the presence of God nearby us. Then we think about preparing the way of the Lord. Secondly, we see the lifestyle of John the Baptist who calls for the preparation of the way for the Lord. “This man, John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.” The preparation for the Lord begins in ourselves, when we leave the superficial and when we underline the essentials. We don’t run to conform ourselves to the standards of the world around us but we become what attracts the world to repent. And thirdly, humility makes the final step in the preparation. “but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” With humility we can become the instruments of the Holy Spirit. We purify ourselves the Holy Spirit. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to feel the nearness of the Lord and to prepare His way with our lifestyle and with our humility.
Dec 3, 2022 | POSITIVE IMPULSES
We can build our relationships based on our rights or duties. But it’s better to build it over our duties than our rights. Unfortunately often our rights try to dictate the conditions of our relationship. And our relationships become disparity relationships where we may feel superiority. Becomes more a practical adjustment rather than a relationship. Whereas if we build a relationship based upon our duties to relate, to communicate, to share, something totally different comes out. A relationship of parity and equality.
Don Giorgio
