Jun 26, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 12 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Genesis 12:1-9
The journey of Abram is a journey of faith. He listens to God. He acts according to what God tells him. And he maintains a relationship with God. After listening to God, he acts according to the will of God. He leaves his land and moves to the land where God indicated. Moreover, he maintains his relationship with God by building altar for the Lord constantly and invoking His name. These three elements are very important. Listening to God, acting accordingly, and maintaining a constant relationship with God. He lives in relationship with God. This is why, He is a model for us to follow. Listen to God, does God wants and lives in relationship with God. Let’s reflect: Am I following the example of Abram by listening, acting and living with God?
Jun 24, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading – Jeremiah 20:10-13
In the midst of terror from every side, the prophet feels this, “the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero”. This is the confidence of one who believe in the Lord. You may hear lots of rumors. You may face lots of challenges. You may have to endure difficulties, but you arrive at the same conclusion, “the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero”. The difficulties will vanish. The rumors will disappear. The challenges will be overcome. All this because the one who believes in the Lord trusts in the Lord and not in anything else. The Lord will defend the one who have committed his or her cause to Him. The point is to confide in the Lord in all these moments. We must just praise the Lord and thank Him. No need of panic. Let’s reflect: Before challenges, am I panicking or arriving at the conclusion that the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero”?
Jun 24, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
First reading – Isaiah 49:1-6
“The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name”. This is very true of St. John the Baptist whose nativity we are celebrating today. But it’s also true for each one of us. The Lord has a plan for each one of us and He makes each one of us different and unique. This uniqueness of each person is that the nativity of St. John the Baptist is proclaiming. We are called for a mission of God. Small or big they are all equal. This belonging to the call of God for a specific mission with our life, puts us in harmony with the rest of the world. As Isaiah says, “…while I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain,” my reward was with my God. There could be very disappointing and discouraging moments, but we should not leave our hope in the Lord. Because “my God is my strength”. Despite these frustrating moments, we belong to the Plan of God. Let’s reflect: Am I able to overcome my disappointments by trusting in the plan of God for me?
Jun 23, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 11 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 2 Corinthians 11:18,21-30
“If I am to boast, then let me boast of my own feebleness”. This is very important to understand the profound meaning behind this testimony of St. Paul. Paul had all the merits and qualities for boasting about. Both worldly achievements and spiritual achievements. But Paul is not ready to boast about any of these. He wants to boast of his own feebleness. The reason is that all achievements both worldly and spiritual are considered as gifts of God. And the weaknesses are the point of boasting because Paul sees that feebleness are blessings. They are source for becoming humble and also for asking for grace of God. Our weaknesses help us to become humble and ask for God’s help. Gifts without Grace are not fruitful. Grace makes gifts fruitful. That is why, Paul is boasting on his own weakness with brings the grace. Let’s reflect: Am I making use of my weaknesses to be humble and ask for the grace of God?
Jun 21, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 11 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 2 Corinthians 11:1-11
“But the serpent, with his cunning, seduced Eve, and I am afraid that in the same way your ideas may get corrupted and turned away from simple devotion to Christ”. In this passage we can see the desire of Paul to keep the community in the simple devotion to Christ. Always the seduction of the evil corrupts our ideas of Gospel as the same way serpent seduced Eve. Serpent seduced Eve by saying to put her in the place of God. Our ideas get corrupted when we try to put ourselves in the place of God. And when we place ourselves in the place of God, we turn away from simple devotion to Christ. When we turn away from the simple devotion to Christ, we become burden to others which Paul is trying to avoid. He was always humble so that he is always gave the right place to God in his life. And as a result he is not a burden for others. Let’s reflect: Is the seduction to take the place of God is corrupting my simple devotion to Christ?
