Jan 13, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First reading – Hebrews 4:12-16 The letter speaks today about the power of the Word of God. “The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts”. This is so powerful, and we can be part of this power and can be transformed by this power. It is our “YES” that makes the difference. If we say “YES” to this Word of God to make changes in our life, it will do. We must trust this Word of God and entrust our life to this Word of God. That is why we read, “Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help”. The Word of God is the throne of grace and mercy, and we must approach it with confidence and when we are in need. Let’s reflect: are we approaching the throne of grace and mercy, the Word of God, in confidence and when we are in need?
Jan 13, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor
First reading – Hebrews 4:1-5,11
The letter is speaking about the “place of rest”. And we read, “We must therefore do everything we can to reach this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of disobedience and be lost.” What is this “place of rest”? This is our soul finds its peace in God. This is we finding peace in the plan of God. We are always restless because we don’t know many things and we don’t know what is going to happen. But when we have faith, we can arrive at this “place of rest”. “We, however, who have faith, shall reach a place of rest”. We must confide totally in His plan, and we should not make our own plans. That is the disobedience we read about. Don’t be restless with our preoccupations and worries but be in the “place of rest” with our faith in the loving plan of God. Let’s reflect: Are we restless or are we in the “place of rest” with our faith in the loving plan of God for us?
Jan 12, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 3:7-14
“we shall remain co-heirs with Christ only if we keep a grasp on our first confidence right to the end”. The confidence in the co-heir who is Christ, we must keep a grasp on it to the end. The main hindrance is the hardening of the heart by the lure of sin. The hardening happens with our pride. To be the co-heirs with Christ, we must have the same mentality of Christ. Christ who humbled himself to become man. The humility in our heart makes us co-heirs of Christ. But the pride comes in, it is gone. The lure of sin happens when you become selfish, when you want to put yourself in the center of everything. Then we turn away from the living God, we feel like God is not necessary anymore. We lose our interior life. That should not happen. We must listen constantly to the Word of God and keep humility in our heart, not to harden the heart. Let’s reflect: Are we keeping our heart humble to remain co-heirs with Christ?
Jan 11, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 2:14-18
The incarnation of the second person of Trinity, the son has changed our being. Son became man so that every man and woman can become son and daughter of God. Moreover, Jesus becoming truly human gives us all something special in everything we do, and we are. Whatever we feel and we share, Jesus shared it equally except sin which is against God. He felt everything we feel, and He went through everything we are going through. So, in whatever situation we find ourselves, Jesus is close to us as compassionate and trustworthy companion. Even death is conquered as Jesus is risen from death and we follow Him. So by incarnation, God wanted to walk with us and share everything with us. Not only that, but He also wanted to repair all our shortcomings as we walk. He atones my sins. Let’s reflect: How far we are aware about the fact that Jesus equally shares with us our life and atones for our sins?
Jan 10, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 2:5-12
Jesus experienced everything we have to experience so that we can be part of His glory. God wanted to give back the joy to which we were created and which we lost with our sin. When the humanity chooses to move away from God with the choices contrary to God, we lost our glory to be with God. When Jesus Christ with His choice to become one among us, like us, and to make our destiny His destiny, the whole thing changed. He did the reparation for our sins and our choices. Our errors were corrected through his suffering. Our sins were repaired through his suffering. Jesus Christ redeemed us. His suffering saved us. Because in His suffering, He eliminated the role of ego and selfishness. We made the wrong choices not to suffer and we erred. Jesus loved us and decided to suffer for us to make right our errors. With His love He saved us. His love which purifies our selfish love with His sacrifice sanctifies us. Jesus Christ is the center of our life. Let’s reflect: It’s important to understand the role of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our life to make our love selfless.
