Jun 7, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Corpus Christi – Solemnity
First reading – Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16
The discourse of Moses to the People of God is exactly the whole history of Salvation. God wants to be with His people. God liberates us. God feeds us. God leads us. Also, God wants that we are humble enough to establish our relationship with Him. When God feeds us, it’s a sign. It’s a symbol. It shows how much we are dependent on Him. It shows what is important in our life. It indicates how we should make decisions in our life. Our life is a life dependent on God. Dependent not in the sense of subordination but in the sense of a relationship. God wants to show His love and we must accept that love with an open heart. That means in humility. Only the pride of heart closes our heart to God. Our heart is to be open to God. The love of God comes down from heaven as the manna, the bread to be eaten. The love of God which wants to disappear into us so that we can live, we can act, and we can survive. It’s the humility that lets God to act like that. Let’s reflect: Am I humble enough to welcome the gift of God’s love which comes to us in the form of bread?
Jun 7, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Tobit 3:1-11,16-17
In this reading we see that Faith is not something subjective which is like an idea in the mind of a person. Faith is a relation with God. With God who interacts with us. It is a relationship between God who wants to interact with us, and we who need that interaction. Our life experiences make us to come to our own conclusion and decisions. But in those conclusions and decisions, if the relationship with God is lacking, it’s going to be bad. But if in those conclusions and decisions, there is place for this relationship with God, we can identify Raphael in the episodes of our life. Let’s reflect: Does my relationship with God can be verified in all episodes of my life?
Jun 5, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
Saint Norbert, Bishop
First reading – Tobit 2:9-14
Tobit is faced with two challenges. Overzealous about being just to the point of doubting others is the first one. The second one is to answer the question of the misfortunes in his life in relation to his good works. Overzealous to point of doubting others is an imposition over others. Be zealous to trust others and not to doubt others. The question of the misfortunes in his life is to be differentiated from the good works. The misfortunes happens but we must not relate it to the good works. Misfortunes occur from natural causes. Good works are inspired by grace. Good works are expression of our good heart. Let’s reflect: Am I able to disassociate the good works from the misfortunes in my life?
Jun 4, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Boniface, Bishop, Martyr
Monday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Tobit 1:3,2:1-8
“See! He is not afraid any more”. This is Tobit who walked in paths of truth and filled his days in good works. When he was invited to a good dinner, he seeks someone poor to share his meal. This is really a model to follow. When we have a good meal, a good situation, a good opportunity, we must be like Tobit. A good opportunity for me is a good opportunity for me to be generous for others. Then when Tobit finds that there is a dead man in the street, he is just leaving his opportunity to have the good meal, he gives it up to bury that dead person. The word we read in the Word of God is, “sprang up at once, left my meal untouched”. This is very significant. The need of the other pushes me to spring up, pushes me to give up the good meal. For this we must be walking in the way of truth. Doing good works is not doing some activities we do according to our conveniences but springing up to the needs of the others leaving behind even the best things in our life. Let’s reflect: How much I spring up to the needs of the others leaving behind my comforts?
Jun 3, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
The Most Holy Trinity – Solemnity
First reading – Exodus 34:4-6,8-9
Moses called the Lord, “‘Lord, Lord, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness.’”. God of tenderness and compassion is God the Father who is tender and have compassion, is God the Son who expresses tenderness and compassion, is God the Holy Spirit who incarnates the tenderness and compassion in our life. The Holy Trinity is the God which is revealed to us by Jesus. He spoke about the Father with whom He is one and also about the Holy Spirit who is one with Him and with the Father. This is the revelation. We cannot know God other than through the revelation. At the same time, if God is love, God must be triune. The one who loves, the one who is love and the love between the one who love and the one who is love. This dynamism is the dynamism in the Trinity, in the Triune God. This is the God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness. Let’s reflect: how much I am affectionate to the Triune God in whom we believe?
