Sep 24, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Ezra 1:1-6
“Then the heads of families of Judah and of Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, in fact all whose spirit had been roused by God, prepared to go and rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem”. This is the way the Lord intervenes in our life. The damages of our past, the destructions of our past, God himself takes the initiative to repair it. Then He gives the inspiration to rise to the occasion to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. We are the temple of Christ. When we do sins, we destroy that temple. When we move away from God, we damage the temple of God. But God tries always to bring us back. The Lord prepares all the necessary help to rebuild the temple. We inspired by His spirit must respond to that call. Whatever damages are there, the Lord will find a way to repair that. Let’s reflect: am I prepared to rebuild the temple of God damaged by our sins?
Sep 23, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First reading – Isaiah 55:6-9
“my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways”. This must be the principle of our thoughts. Our thoughts could be not the thoughts of the Lord. When we are convinced, when we are adamant, when we feel exclusive, when we speak as the sole carriers of truth, we must remember this Word of God. This very thought which I think as the truth could be not the thought of God. This very way which I think as the only way could be not the way of the Lord. This thought, this Word of God must make us humble and open to the light of the Gospel. Because the ways of the Lord are above our ways and the thoughts of the Lord are above our thoughts. So, we must seek the Lord by abandoning our selfish ways and by giving up our egoistic thoughts. Let’s reflect: Am I constantly aware of the fact that the way of the Lord could be above my ways?
Sep 22, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest
First reading – Galatians 2:19-20
“The life I now live in this body I live in faith: faith in the Son of God who loved me and who sacrificed himself for my sake”. To have a life in faith is something very fundamental. Faith in the Son of God who loved us and who sacrificed himself for our sake. This faith is the basis of our commitment to Jesus. This faith is the basis of our relationship with Jesus. Faith in the second person of the Trinity who loved us and who sacrificed himself for us. When you feel the love of God and understand the value of His Sacrifice, you can be ready to be crucified with Christ. Faith in the love of God and in the sacrifice of Christ prepares us to live a life with God. In such a life, we will be living the life of Christ who lives in us. Let’s reflect: Am I letting the life of Christ who lives in me to lead my way?
Sep 22, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
First reading – 1 Timothy 6:2-12
“You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle”. To be saintly and religious means to be filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Our life must not be filled with arguments or questions. But with Jesus Christ. The former comes from jealousy, contention, abuse, and wicket mistrust of one another. This will trap us into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction. Whereas when our life is filled with faith and love, patient and gentle, we will be prepared to fight the good faith and win for ourselves the eternal life. Faith generates patience and love generates gentleness. Let’s reflect: am I aiming to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle?
Sep 20, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist – Feast
First reading – Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
“In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself”. This is the way we must follow in our life. Our goal in our life is to become the perfect Man fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. This goal is achieved by cooperating with the unique grace given to each one of us by Christ. The cooperation with the grace consists in building up the body of Christ. This building up consists in leading a life worthy of our vocation. St. Paul explains, “Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together”. Only in complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience, we can cooperate to the grace given to us. But only with these, we can build the One Body of Christ. Let’s reflect: Am I cooperating with the grace given to me?
