Apr 17, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
First reading – Acts 4:23-31
What we read here is the beginning of the difficult times of the early Church. What we must understand here what the apostles did when they faced the difficulties. We read this: “As they prayed, the house where they were assembled rocked; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God boldly”. They prayed. They were persecuted and they prayed. No place for revenge, no place for depression, no place for fear, and no place for blaming one another. They prayed. And they prayed all of them together. As they prayed together, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. When we resort to other means, we will be filled with another kinds of spirit. But in prayer we will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and we will proclaim the word of God boldly. Let’s reflect: When we have challenges in life, are we resorting to praying together for the Holy Spirit?
Apr 15, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Divine Mercy Sunday
First reading – Acts 2:42-47
In the first sentence we can see the essentials of being the Church: “The whole community remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers”. Being faithful as a community to the teaching of the Apostles, then to the unity, then to the Eucharist and to the prayers. When the whole community is faithful to these, miracles will happen in the community. And the biggest miracle is the unity of the Church. “The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed”. This is the miracle. “They went as a body to the Temple”. Going as a body. Church is the body of Christ. Resurrection makes it possible that we can belong to the Body of Christ when we are united in Him. Being united with Him can be achieved when we can get detached from everything we have and get attached to the needs of the other. The concrete gestures are to have everything in common, sharing gladly and generously, and praising God always. This is way we can build the Church in Christ Risen. Let’s reflect: How much I can be liberated from my own things to become the Body of Resurrected Christ?
Apr 14, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Saturday
First reading – Acts 4:13-21
“The rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen”. This is the real testimony of resurrection. The transformation that happened in the apostles. The rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John. The assurance which comes from the personal experience of the Resurrected Jesus. The assurance which comes from the personal relationship with the Risen Christ. The assurance which comes from the faith in the mandate given by the Risen Lord. This assurance is the profound testimony of Resurrection. The assurance which overcomes any fears. The assurance which overlooks any threats. The assurance which gives the courage to say, “You must judge whether in God’s eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard”. Let’s reflect: how much assurance we have in being witness to the Risen Lord in our life?
Apr 13, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Friday
First reading – Acts 4:1-12
In this episode we see the confession of Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit. “For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved”. This is Jesus Christ. Whatever we have, Jesus Christ is the only one by whom we can be saved. Whomever we know, Jesus Christ is the only one by whom we can be saved. Whatever we are, Jesus Christ is the one who is going to save us. This means the center of our life is Jesus Christ. Everything in our life must be organized around the person the Jesus Christ. Everyone in our life must be arranged after the person the person of Jesus Christ. Our personal life must be developed in relation with the person of Jesus Christ. If we are not planning our life like this, the resurrection of Jesus annoys us. Because the Resurrection of Jesus asks us to put Jesus in the center of our life. Let’s reflect: are we ready to organize our life around the Resurrected Jesus?
Apr 12, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Thursday
First reading – Acts 3:11-26
In this reading the basic facts of faith is made clear. The death of Jesus happens due to our choice of preferring our interests than the Prince of life. But our choice was not the last thing. The mercy of God is more than our sins. “It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” Jesus is risen to give us back what we lost due to our sins. The crippled man got back his strength due to the faith in Jesus. It’s symbolic too. Jesus Risen comes to our life to give us back our original status. “God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you”. But we have to let Jesus Risen act in us, we must have faith and repentance. Faith in His presence and repentance for our sins. Let’s reflect: Jesus is Risen to give us back what we lost through our sins.
