Oct 26, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Romans 7:18-25
“In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates”. How correct is what St. Paul says! How many times we have resolutions in our life not to do this thing or that thing? And how many times we repeated the same thing! This law that I follow is my selfishness. And the law which my inmost self, filled with the grace of baptism and confirmation, wants to follow is the love of God. My desire to follow my selfishness is strong and enslaving. And the desire of the inner self to follow the love of God is subtle and liberating. Since the former is strong and enslaving, we often become a prisoner of that law. And St. Paul saw that Jesus Christ is only liberator from this prison. The moment we call and confide to Jesus Christ we can be liberated from this prison. The desire to call Jesus Christ comes from the subtle but liberating presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart. This Holy Spirit is the result of our Baptism. Let’s reflect: Do I call Jesus Christ when I am driven to sin?
Oct 26, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Romans 6:19-23
“Now, however, you have been set free from sin…” This is the real effect of salvation. We are set free. We are liberated. We are liberated from our past. We are liberated from our sins. Our sanctification is our liberation. Our freedom to choose God and to walk with God in life. That life is eternal. The sin after this liberation is to ignore the possibility of walking with God to eternal life. When we ignore this possibility of being at the service of this love of God, we sin. When we do accept this possibility of serving the love of God we walk into the path of sanctification. This is our choice with our liberty gained for us by the Christ Jesus our Lord. This interiority, this intimate relationship with Jesus Christ is our liberty. Let’s reflect: Do I recognize the liberty gained for me by Christ Jesus our Lord?
Oct 24, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Romans 6:12-18
“you should make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God”. This explains the reason for having the grace of God. The grace of God helps us to make everything in us to be an instrument of God’s plan. What we have, our talents, our capacities, everything must be instruments of God’s plan. We must not let our selfishness use our talents or our capacities. When we let that happen in us, our talents and capacities will become an unholy weapon inside us fighting against us. Whereas, when we become instrument of God’s grace, we let ourselves living in the life of Jesus Christ. We will be freed from the slavery of our selfishness, and we become servants of the love of God. So, let us make sure that all we have, and what we are, are at the service of God’s grace. Let’s reflect: Am I willfully trying to make everything in me, an instrument of God’s grace?
Oct 23, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
Saint Antony Mary Claret, Bishop
First reading – Romans 5:12,15,17-21
“Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified”. This is the story of human freedom. With the freedom the man disobeyed, and the sin entered the whole human race. And then every law became a cause to fall because man always disobeyed. Then Jesus Christ entered into our history and brought grace. The incarnation of Jesus Christ brought life to everyone and shared that life with everyone. Jesus brought grace and life. And the grace reigns to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. The grace of Jesus Christ is always greater than the sins and it’s available to all. Let’s reflect: Am I letting grace of Jesus Christ reign in my life?
Oct 22, 2023 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 29 in Ordinary Time
Saint John of Capistrano, Priest
First reading – Romans 4:20-25
“…drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, convinced that God had power to do what he had promised”. We often doubt what is the kind of faith our father Abraham had. St. Paul explains in his letter to Romans exactly what kind of faith our father Abraham had. It had three characteristics. The first that the faith gave strength to our father Abraham to continue in the path God indicated. It encouraged him to follow. Then the second characteristic is that he was able to give glory to God due to this faith. He not only followed the path but also gave glory to God while he is following this path. In other words, he followed the path giving glory to God. He was happy following the path. Then the third characteristic is that he was convinced that God had power to do what he had promised. It is not that everything will be okay, but it is the faith that God will do exactly what he had promised. He was convinced of the exact outcome of the promise. Many times, we believe in God, and we are happy with whatever good it brings. But the faith of Abraham is that he is convinced that God had power to do what he had promised. This faith is important. Let’s reflect: Do I draw strength from my faith and give glory to God as He gives me exactly what He promised?
