Jun 20, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Wednesday of week 11 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 1 John 5:1-5
“Who can overcome the world? Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” There is so much of hope in this Word of God. Because we always see the world becoming more and more powerful with all its messages around us. But the Word of God is saying that we can overcome the world by believing that Jesus is the Son of God. Why must we overcome the world? Is world bad? The term, “world”, here refers to all that promotes your ego and selfishness. We can overcome our selfishness and our ego by believing that Jesus is the Son of God who became like us. In Jesus we attain the power to overcome our selfishness. In Jesus we get the power to overcome our ego. Because Jesus is the Christ, Jesus is God. When we believe this, we will also be begotten by God. In faith we will be with the only Son of God. Let’s reflect: Does my faith in Jesus, the Son of God, help me to overcome my ego?
Jun 19, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 11 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
“and of how, throughout great trials by suffering, their constant cheerfulness and their intense poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity”. This is the story of the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and in our personal life. It’s the same Spirit. The constant cheerfulness in the midst of suffering is the action of the Holy Spirit. If you can be happy in the middle of your suffering, it’s sure that it is the action of the Holy Spirit. And again, it is a constant cheerfulness. Not a passing one or a transitory one. This constant cheerfulness comes from a very important point which St. Paul is saying, “they offered their own selves first to God and, under God, to us”. This generosity and cheerfulness come when we offer ourselves to God first and under God to others. In this, we have the mission to be cheerful albeit our challenges. Let’s reflect: Am I able to give my first place to God and then to others?
Jun 18, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 11 in Ordinary Time
Saint Romuald, Abbot
First reading – 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
In this reading we can see all the riches we have in our life through Jesus Christ. The richness of Christian life is well depicted in this passage. So, it starts with an important warning, “As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received”. Christian life is very much dependent on the grace we receive. The grace of God helps us to endure any circumstances or situations in our life. This grace gives the fortitude to face the difficult situations in my life. This fortitude is helped by our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from affectation; by the word of truth and by the power of God. This is our strength in our life. These are our resources. Each our contribution is strengthened by purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness. The grace produces these gifts. Let’s reflect: Am I letting the grace of God be strengthened by our patience and kindness.
Jun 18, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading – Exodus 19:2-6
“You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”’ In these words of the Lord spoken to Moses we can see the relation of God to humanity. God desires a deep relationship with us. He wants to bring us to Himself. And He wants to bring us on eagle’s wings. Long way to go and it should be a sure way because there are lots of challenges on the way. That is why the Lord is speaking of “eagle’s wings”. It shows the concern of the Lord, the love of the Lord, and it shows the initiative of the Lord. This Lord we must obey and follow His covenant. This is our vocation. Following the Lord is our consecration. Following the Lord who is carrying us in the eagle’s wings is our consecration. Being in the eagle’s wings of the Lord is our consecration. Let’s not try to fly ourselves. Let’s be in the eagle’s wings. We must let the Lord to carry us. Let’s reflect: Am I letting the Lord to carry me or am I trying to fly myself?
Jun 16, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
Saturday of week 10 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Isaiah 61:9-11
“I exult for joy in the Lord”. This is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Exulting for joy in the Lord. This is a double joy. The joy in the Lord and the rejoicing in that joy in the Lord. Mary finds her joy in the Lord and then she lives with that joy in happiness. Finding the joy in the Lord and living with that joy is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That is how the soul rejoices in my God. Living with the joy found in the Lord, is being clothed in the garments of salvation. The more joy one finds in the Lord, the more immaculate his or her heart is. The Immaculate Heart of Mary finds joy only in the Lord and She lives only in that joy. The more our joy is liberated from other things, the more we are close to the joy in the Lord. Let’s reflect: How much joy I find in the Lord and how much I live with that joy?
