Feb 23, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of the 1st week of Lent
Gospel – Matthew 5:43-48
The love towards the neighbour goes to new dimension with the Christian love. It’s not any more a love to those who love you. It goes to everyone especially who persecute you. Jesus, in order to follow him, is asking us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. He also explains why we must do that. We must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us to become sons of our heavenly Father. God the Father causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. He does not make any distinction between the good persons and bad persons in giving His love. So, we cannot make a distinction between those who love us or hate us. We must love each and every one especially those who hate us. We become disciples of Christ by doing this. This is our identity: the capacity to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to grow in our love towards our enemies and towards those who hate us.
Feb 23, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of the 1st week of Lent
Saint Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr
Gospel – Matthew 5:20-26
“So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering”. This is one of the most demanding requirements which Jesus Christ put before us to be part of His sacrifice. His sacrifice is the absolute sacrifice of forgiveness. Man rebelled against God. God became man to forgive man. He forgave us by dying on the Cross. He forgave everyone with the death on the cross. If we want to participate in that sacrifice, we must forgive everyone and make sure that we are in communion with the other. Jesus died for each one of us. Each one of us is important for Him. That is why we must treat each person with respect and love. The Word of God even does not permit us to be angry to anyone. The other person is important. He is in the image and likeness of God. This divine aspect in each person we must respect. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to grow in the forgiveness and in the understanding of the other.
Feb 21, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Peter’s Chair – Feast
Gospel – Matthew 16:13-19
“Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church”. Today is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. This feast has been celebrated in Rome since at least the fourth century. It signifies the unity of the Church founded upon the Apostles. The unity of the Church is based on the faith which St. Peter professed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. This solid faith is the foundation of the unity in the Church. And this is professed by St. Peter. This profession of faith is the result of an intellectual analysis or an intuition. It comes as the revelation by the Father. The Father revealed this to St. Peter. This is why the Apostles are united in faith around St. Peter. This revelation which is a relationship with the Father is that which makes St. Peter a rock upon which Jesus builds His Church. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to be united as the Church of Christ in the faith which St. Peter professed.
Feb 20, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent
Saint Peter Damian, Bishop, Doctor
Gospel – Luke 11:29-32
“…there is something greater than Jonah here.” Jesus is referring to the blindness of our eyes and deafness of our ears to the truth of Gospel. The Pharisees were asking for signs even though the greatest sign was present in their midst. The people of Nineveh just repented without asking for signs or without seeing miracles. They just heard the preaching of a stranger in their country, and they repented. Then Queen of the South, just heard about the wisdom of Solomon and came from the ends of the earth. She travelled all the way to hear Solomon. The people of Nineveh heard directly from Jonah and the Queen of the South just heard from someone. But in our case, Jesus is present in our midst. Sometimes we don’t recognize him. We just ignore the Word of God looking for signs or for excuses. We want to see what we want to see. And what God wants that we see. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to see Jesus Christ present in our midst without looking for signs which we want to see.
Feb 19, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 1st week of Lent
Gospel – Matthew 6:7-15
“In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Saying this Jesus taught the prayer, “Our Father”. After teaching the prayer Jesus said, “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” So the prayer “Our Father” is in between these two teachings of Jesus. It shows what should be our attitude when we pray “Our Father”. The first is total trust in the Lord which is not expressed in words but expressed in confiding totally in the hands of God our Father who knows what we need before we ask Him. Then the second is our capacity to forgive others who did damage to you, who did harm to you, who did insult you, who hates you. This forgiveness towards others is what our prayer should be based on. So, complete trust in the Father and complete peace with others. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to grow in the trust upon God our Father and in peace with others.
