Apr 4, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of Holy Week
First reading – Isaiah 50:4-9
“Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away”. In these words of Prophet Isaiah, we can see the relationship which we must develop with the Lord. He wakes us up each morning. Each morning! He does not leave us alone even one day. Each morning He wakes me up. Being awaken by the voice of the Lord. How beautiful! He does not only wake me up but also wakes me up to hear, to listen like a disciple. He wakes me up to be a disciple. From the darkness of the night, He wakes me up to the light of a disciple. And my response to this is my complete surrender to Him. “For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away”. I am completely guided by Him. The Lord has opened my ear. I hear His voice and I follow the Good Shepherd. I feel His help, and nothing frightens me. This is the relationship we must have with our Lord who gives His love in the Cross. Let’s reflect: Am I waking up to His voice and following Him?
Apr 3, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of Holy Week
First reading – Isaiah 49:1-6
In the words of the Prophet we can see how much God cares for us and how much God the Father sees each one of us in His beloved son Jesus Christ. “The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name”. This love of God is personal and the relationship of God with each one of us is personal. God takes care of us. “He hid me in the shadow of his hand”. How personal it this! The Lord strengthens us and protects us. “He made me into a sharpened arrow and concealed me in his quiver”. This personal love of God is manifest in the story of Israel. But the Lord say, “It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”. It is not enough that you are my servant. I want to make you my sons and daughters. So God sent His only Son to become like us and make all of us His sons and daughters. This love of God is in the Person of Jesus Christ who is the Light. Let’s reflect: How much I understand Jesus Christ as light to the nations?
Apr 2, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of Holy Week
First reading – Isaiah 42:1-7
In these words of Isaiah, we can see the mission of Jesus Christ. We must meditate more about the person of Jesus Christ. What is His mission? He brings true justice to the nations, He opens the eyes of the blind, He frees captives from prison and from darkness. How He accomplishes His mission? He does not cry out or shout aloud. He acts in silence. He acts in our heart. He acts within us. He is the Lord who created the heavens and spread them out. He gave shape to the earth. He gave breath to people. This same Lord who has taken you by His hand and has formed you has the mission to salve you, to redeem you. He is sent by the Father as a covenant of the people and light to the nations. The person of Jesus Christ is the covenant for us, and He is the light for the us. The love of God is that brings true justice to us. Our covenant is not something written but it’s a person of Jesus Christ who wants to bring justice, who wants to free us from darkness. Let’s reflect: How much I understand Jesus Christ as my covenant of redemption?
Apr 2, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Palm Sunday
First reading – Isaiah 50:4-7
In this passage we can see the mindset of a disciple going forward to take up his cross following Jesus who entered Jerusalem. The mindset consists of three moments. The first is the formation of the mindset by the Lord. The Lord formed the disciple by giving a special tongue which know how to reply to the wearied and provided him with speech. Then the Lord wakes the disciple to hear, to listen like a disciple, by opening his/her ear. The formation of the tongue and ear by the Lord. The second moment is the response of the disciple. The disciple voluntarily faces the cross. He makes no resistance against the crosses which he must carry. He accepted with courage and generosity all suffering for this cause. The third moment is the final experience of the disciple. “The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed”. This is the attitude of the disciple following Jesus to Jerusalem. The solemn entry of Jesus to Jerusalem calls us to flow him in this mindset. Accepting the formation from the Lord, Welcoming the cross with courage, Experiencing the salvation with joy. Let’s reflect: Am I accepting the formation of the Lord to follow him to Jerusalem with the same attitude?
Apr 1, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading – Ezekiel 37:21-28
The Lord says, “I shall gather them together…. I shall make them into one nation in my own land…. I shall rescue them from all the betrayal……I shall cleanse them…. I shall make a covenant of peace…I shall resettle them…. I shall settle my sanctuary among them for ever… I shall make my home above them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. See how the Lord wants to love us. He wants to do everything so that we can be in His own Land and He want to stay above us as a guardian. He cancels our debts, forgives our betrayals, all out of His love. He wants that we live with him forever, for eternity which begins now. Therefore, He makes an eternal covenant with us. God is in love with us. The question is, are we aware of His love. In the Church we can see this. In the Sacrament, especially in the Blessed Sacrament we see this love. Let’s reflect: how much I am aware of our Lord who is in love with me?
