Jan 15, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 2:23-28
“One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along”. The Pharisees are seeing Jesus but seeing the disciples’ picking ears of corn. Here we can see how the presence of Jesus is affecting two groups of people. The presence of Jesus is opening the mind of the disciples to understand the true meaning of Sabbath. That is to be with the Lord. At the same time, the presence of Jesus is making the Pharisees to close themselves to the light of Sabbath. They are closing themselves in their own interpretations and also wants to close others in it. And Jesus pronounces these words of liberation: ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath’. Any relationship with God is a relationship that liberates man and woman as sons and daughters of God. Let’s reflect: The relationship with God must open our hearts to see the light of the Word of God.
Jan 14, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 2 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 2:18-22
“‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’”. We are surrounded by comparisons in our life. The Pharisees are comparing the disciples of John and the disciples of Jesus. But the world of Jesus is without comparison. Because there is nothing to compare with the presence of Jesus. His presence is unique. His presence cannot be compared to anything. If we are trying to compare the presence of Jesus with anything, it will be like putting the new wine into old wineskins. The wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. In order to welcome the presence of Jesus in our life, we need to have new paradigms and approaches. Because the presence of Jesus is unparalleled and so unique. Our old concepts and ideas need to to be substituted with the new ones. The new one which thinks according to the Gospel. Let’s reflect: The presence of Jesus requires new paradigm to acknowledge Him.
Jan 14, 2024 | POSITIVE IMPULSES
The more someone tries to cast shadows upon your radiant soul, the more you should guard the divine spark in yourself, the celestial gift bestowed upon you by the Creator. Though the trials of life: persons, and circumstances, might conspire to shroud your perception, causing your sight to dim and lose sight of this inner glow, remember this light is unextinguishable, because it’s the sublime presence of the loving God in you. Don’t let the darkness in others eclipse your vision, but rather, let your inner eyes remain wide open to see through the window of your soul, this divine light in the blossoming garden of your spirit. Simultaneously, let your outer eyes softly close, turning away from the night that tries to cover us, ensuring your own inner flame burns ever brighter against the backdrop of the shadows of the circumstances.
Don Giorgio
Jan 13, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Gospel – Mark 2:13-17
Our attention to the first part of this gospel we see how God interact with us. “Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them”. Jesus went out to the shore of the lake. Jesus goes out to the lake. Then all the people came to him. Then he taught them. Then the second part: Jesus seeing Levi sitting by the customs house. Jesus went to him and talked to him. “he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him”. Jesus said that and Levi got up and followed him. We see Jesus going out to the lake and Jesus going up to Levi. Jesus always comes to us and guides us. The people listened. Levi followed Him. We are also called to listen to Jesus and to follow Him. Let’s reflect: Jesus always takes the initiative to come to me.
Jan 13, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel – John 1:35-42“As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus”. In these verses we can see the real mission of John the Baptist. He was called to be the forerunner of the Messiah. And John is doing exactly that. He is indicating his disciples who is Messiah, who is the Lamb of God. And the disciples, as soon as they heard it, they immediately followed Jesus. They left their teacher. John the Baptist was ready to be an instrument of the plan of God. He was ready to cease to exist once his role is done. And the disciples were ready to follow Jesus immediately. This is discipleship. Being an instrument of the plan of God and not to search for its glory but to withdraw when the mission is done. The other characteristic which is evident in today’s gospel is the readiness to follow Jesus. Immediately when you know that who is Jesus, leave everything behind and follow him. Whatever project on which we are working, whatever ideas we have, the moment we recognize who is Jesus, we must renounce everything behind and follow Him. Let’s reflect: To follow Jesus, I must recognize Him by listening to the Word of the Church and then I must leave everything behind to follow Him.
