Jul 3, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
Gospel Matthew 9:1-8
“A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men”. That’s true. We must have the feeling of awe when we think about the effect of incarnation. We must have the feeling of awe when we think about the sacrament of Eucharist. We must have the feeling of awe when we think about other sacraments. The people around Jesus at that time thought about Jesus only as a man and they were surprised by the power of that man. Jesus is God. But when God became man, the man got such power. The power to become sons and daughters of God. The power to receive the forgiveness of sins as it has happened to the paralytic man. The power to become healed by the presence of God. The power to live in the presence of God. Before this power we must feel awe. We must be grateful. We must stand in awe each moment of our life. Let’s reflect: Do I stand with awe before the mystery of incarnation?
Jul 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Thomas, Apostle – Feast
Gospel John 20:24-29
“My Lord and my God!” This is the perfect confession of faith by St. Thomas, the Apostle of India. This confession was the result of a personal desire for a personal experience with the Risen Christ. This confession was the result of a determination to have a direct experience with the resurrection. This confession is the result of the magnanimous love of Jesus Christ to fulfil the personal desire of His disciple. This confession is the result of the mercy of God reaching out to man who longs for an experience with God. Even more, it created the occasion to find a place for the rest of the humanity who did not have the direct experience of the Risen Christ. “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe”. Thomas’s confession, “My Lord and my God!” is a multifaceted expression of faith that encapsulates the journey from desire to belief. It underscores the importance of personal desire and determination in seeking divine truth, the magnanimous love of Jesus in addressing individual needs, and the merciful nature of God in reaching out to those who earnestly seek Him. This confession remains a powerful testament to the transformative impact of personal encounters with Jesus in the journey of faith. Let’s reflect: Am I happy in confessing without seeing Jesus that He is “My Lord and my God”?
Jul 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
Gospel Matthew 8:23-27
“Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat”. This happens in our life. Crises come without warning like a storm over our project and plans. Sometimes it’s so violent that the effects of these crises break right into our life. “But he was asleep”. And we feel that Jesus is asleep. There is no sign of Him in the midst of our crises. So, we try to wake Him up by our repeated prayers and requests. But His question will be, “Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?”. We must not be worried with crises or challenges. Believe that Jesus is with us. Let’s reflect: How much am I convinced about the presence of Jesus in my life?
