Jul 11, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 14 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Genesis 41:55-57,42:5-7,17-24
The Pharaoh of Egypt tells, “‘Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.’”. The entire famine is managed by Joseph. He is selling grain for all those coming from all over the world. Everyone must do what Joseph tells. Because Joseph did what God wants. He was faithful to God and did not keep anything against the ones who did hate him. He trusted in the Lord. He was not afraid of the malice of his brothers. He saw that the Lord is more powerful than the malice of his brothers. He kept moving in the direction the Lord wanted. He did not succumb to the temptations. He trusted again in the Lord. He saw that the Lord is more trustworthy than powerful persons. Let’s reflect: am I afraid to trust in the Lord before powerful persons?
Jul 10, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Benedict, Abbot, Co-Patron of Europe
First reading – Proverbs 2:1-9
The reading is about Wisdom which the Lord gives. But in the beginning of this reading there are three things, very essential. First is to take the Word of God to heart, then to turn your ear to wisdom and then to apply your heart to truth. Taking the Word of God to our hear and then turning our ear to the Wisdom that is in the Word of God and then making sure that our heart follows the truth in the Word of God. This is the way to understand what virtue is, what justice is and what fair dealing is. Like that, we will know all paths that lead to happiness. The three essential things which the reading says has to be followed. Word of God is to be taken to our heart by relating the Word of God to our day-to-day life. We must turn our ear to the wisdom of the Word of God by seeing what God wants from us and not what we want from God. And finally, we apply our heart to truth by making decisions based on the wisdom of the Word of God. These three steps form part of the one process. A process where we find all the paths that lead to happiness. Let’s reflect: Am I applying my heart to truth by following the wisdom of the Word of God which leads me to happiness?
Jul 9, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 14 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Genesis 28:10-22
“a ladder was there, standing on the ground with its top reaching to heaven; and there were angels of God going up it and coming down”. This is the perfect picture of our relationship with God. God-man relationship is a ladder. A ladder where love is experienced and exchanged. A ladder where the grace comes down and our offerings go up. A ladder where God our Lord is always available. The ladder is the presence of God in our life. It happens as a dream for Jacob. Actually if we think it’s a dream. It’s a dream to have the presence of God in our life as a ladder of reciprocal communication. God is accessible. How beautiful out life becomes! Jacob’s reaction is important. ‘How awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing less than a house of God; this is the gate of heaven!’ He identifies that place at the gate of heaven. This is our task. To identify our hearts as the gates of heaven and not the gates of hatred and anger. God is present in your life and your heart can be the gate of heaven. Let’s reflect: Am I recognizing my heart as the gate of heaven due to the presence of God in my life?
Jul 8, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading – Zechariah 9:9-10
“See now, your king comes to you; he is victorious, he is triumphant, humble and riding on a donkey…” This paradox is the key of our spirituality. Victorious and triumphant but humble and riding on a donkey. The reality of incarnation of the second person of God is depicted here. God became man. Triumphant God but humbled himself to become a man. He finishes all wars and proclaims peace for the nations. His empire shall stretch from sea to sea. Our following of Jesus Christ is to learn how to be humble when we are victorious and triumphant. How to be unpretentious when we are successful and powerful. How to be modest when we are rich and glorious. How to be down to earth? This is the process we must go through. The process of becoming humble when we are triumphant. Let’s reflect: How much am I humble in my successful moments?
Jul 8, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First reading – Genesis 27:1-5,15-29
This episode in the book of Genesis is very curious. We see something strange. Esau is called to be blessed. Jacob comes and grab the blessing. And the mother Rebekah is assisting the younger son to have this blessing. And Isaac blessed the younger one thinking that he is the elder one. There is no moral justification for what had happened but the message in this episode is that God and his plan are above all kinds of human interventions. God works through our plans but it’s not our plan that guides the history but His plan. It’s God who gives the dew from heaven and the richness of the earth, abundance of grain and wine. Let’s reflect: Am I aware that God guides my history and not my calculations?
