Sep 15, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Our Lady of Sorrows
Friday of week 23 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 5:7-9
“Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation”. Today we are celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The name “Our Lady of Sorrows” invites us into a meditation on the depths of Mary’s heart, a heart that bore witness to unimaginable grief and yet remained steadfast in faith. Traditionally seven sorrows are narrated as recounted by the Scripture. In all Mother Mary’s sorrows, we witness a perfect harmony of her maternal tenderness and her unwavering faith. There is compassion, strength, and hope in the suffering. In suffering, Mary trusts more in the plan of God. In suffering, Mary becomes a consolation for others. In suffering, the grace is strengthened in Mary. When we embrace our sufferings at the side of Mother Mary, when we learn to suffer at the side of Mother Mary, we will learn to trust more in the plan of God, we will become source of consolation, we will embrace the grace. Let’s reflect: How do I deal with my sufferings, with Mary or without Mary?
Sep 13, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross – Feast
First reading – Numbers 21:4-9
Today is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross is the hope. This is seen in the scene in the First Reading. The People of God who is rebelling against God moves themselves into a dangerous situation. But this dangerous situation is saved by a symbol. “So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived”. The bronze serpent becomes the ray of hope to be looked at and to live. The bronze serpent becomes the ray of hope for those who sinned. In the New Testament, the Cross of Christ becomes our hope. Because in the Cross our sins are atoned, our sins are forgiven. We must believe in the Cross and in its power. In the Cross our sins are forgiven and reconciled. Every cross we encounter in our life encompasses this salvific dimension. Let’s reflect: Do I see the power of the Cross of Jesus Christ in the cross which I encounter in my daily life?
Sep 12, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor
Wednesday of week 23 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
“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”. In the words of St. Paul, we can read the fundamentals of human relationships. We must bear each other charitably with complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience. Why must we do that? This is to preserve the unity of the Spirit of Christ that binds us together. Only with complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience we can keep the bond of unity between us so that Christ is visible. This we must keep doing every day. With complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience, we can keep also the unity in our faith, and we walk towards full maturity with the fullness of Christ himself. We have different graces, and talents. But with complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience, we make the unity in Christ possible. Let’s reflect: Do I possess complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience to create the unity in our faith?
Sep 11, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 23 in Ordinary Time
The Most Holy Name of Mary
First reading – Colossians 2:6-15
“You must live your whole life according to the Christ you have received – Jesus the Lord; you must be rooted in him and built on him and held firm by the faith you have been taught, and full of thanksgiving”. This is the fundamental teaching of Christian life. Our life must be rooted in Jesus Christ, our life must be built on Jesus Christ, and our life must be held firm in Jesus Christ. And the life must be full of thanksgiving. This is important so that we can our freedom. Because the freedom comes from Christ who gained it for us. If we are substituting Christ with the world, we lose our freedom because the world is empty. Whereas in Christ there is fullness. St. Paul is explaining it very clearly. “In his body lives the fullness of divinity, and in him you too find your own fulfilment, in the one who is the head of every Sovereignty and Power”. In Christ we find our own fulfilment. Only in Christ we can truly find our freedom. To find Christ, we must fill our life with thanksgiving. Let’s reflect: Am I aware of the truth that only in Christ I can find my fulfilment?
Sep 11, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 23 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Colossians 1:24-2:3 ·
“The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ”. St. Paul is happy to suffer to be a servant of this mystery. The mystery is Christ. Christ is the central point of everything we are and we do. Christ is the wisdom that forms us and transforms us. Christ becomes the power which drives us in every action we do. Christ becomes an inner power within us. This we must feel and recognize in our Christian vocation. Christ becoming an inner power and driving us. When we do this, we cannot resist anymore. We just becoming disciples, we just accept everything. We flow this mystery. St. Paul says that this power is for unity in love. “It is all to bind you together in love”. Christ becomes an inner power in us so that we can be bound together in love. Let’s reflect: Is Christ an inner power within us to bind us together in love?
