Apr 7, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62
Saint John Baptist de la Salle
The story of Susanna, proclaimed on this Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent, offers a deeply moving reflection on innocence, courage, and unwavering trust in God. Susanna, though falsely accused by corrupt men and threatened with death, chooses to remain faithful to the Lord rather than submit to sin or yield to human pressure. Her choice is not only an act of moral integrity but also a profound expression of faith. She believed that even in the face of injustice and public shame, God will not abandon those who are faithful to Him. In a world where external pressures, fear of judgment, and the temptation to compromise are often overwhelming, Susanna’s example challenges us to ask where we place our trust. Lent is a season that draws us into this very question: Do we rely on God’s intervention or are we swayed by human approval? Do we seek to preserve our image, or do we strive to live with integrity before the Lord who sees all? Susanna’s vindication through the wisdom and courage of the young Daniel reveals that God intervenes, sometimes in hidden or unexpected ways, to help those who trust in Him. Let’s reflect: Lent is to get rid of fear or compromise and to trust in the Lord.
Don Giorgio
Apr 6, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
5th Sunday of Lent
Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 125 (126); Philippians 3:8-14
St. Paul is ready to give up everything to know Jesus Christ: “For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him… All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death.” This Lenten confession strikes at the heart of the Christian journey. It is not merely about giving things up, but about gaining the One who gives life. Paul’s words invite us to re-evaluate our attachments, our ambitions, even our sense of self, in light of the surpassing worth of Christ. To know Him—crucified and risen—is to discover a love that transforms, a purpose that endures, and a hope that never fades. It’s a profound encounter with the person of Christ. Encounter with one who delivers us from the bondages. He is the one who is making a road in the wilderness, so that I can walk in the midst of my troubles. He is the one who is putting water in the wilderness so that I can drink when I am tried in my journey. Let’s reflect: Lent is to know Christ and what He had done in my life.
Don Giorgio
Apr 5, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of the 4th week of Lent
First reading Jeremiah 11:18-20
On this Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent, the words of the Prophet Jeremiah stir within us a deeper awareness of the spiritual battle we face. Evil does not always come in obvious forms—it often lurks in the shadows, seeking to destroy what is good, holy, and true within us. Yet, like Jeremiah, we are not left defenseless. The Lord, through His word, opens our eyes to the hidden plots of these destructive forces. Lent is the season when we renew our commitment to the cause of the Lord, allowing His truth to expose the lies we have believed, the habits we must surrender, and the distractions that pull us away from Him. In this sacred time, we are called not only to recognize the presence of evil but also to stand firm in the light of God’s will, trusting that He who sees all will guard our hearts and vindicate our faithfulness. Let’s reflect: Lent is confirming ourselves to the cause of Lord as He opened my eyes to evil plots in my life.
Don Giorgio
Apr 4, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of the 4th week of Lent
First reading Wisdom 2:1,12-22
On this Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent, the reading from the Book of Wisdom exposes the inner logic of the godless—their cynical view of life, their rejection of the afterlife, and their deep resentment toward the righteous. The virtuous man, by simply living with integrity and proclaiming his trust in God, becomes an unwelcome reminder of a truth they wish to ignore. His very presence is a rebuke, and so they plot his downfall, thinking to silence what disturbs their conscience. Yet their plan is rooted in blindness, for they cannot perceive the hidden wisdom of God or the enduring promise prepared for those who remain faithful. Lent invites us to recognize this same spiritual battle in our own time—between a world often indifferent or hostile to faith and those who quietly witness to God’s truth. This Lent is our moment to choose the path of the just, to stand firm in hope even when misunderstood or rejected, and to let the Cross of Christ—once a symbol of shame—be our source of strength and final victory. Let’s reflect: Lent is to overcome the challenges of the godless by riaffirming the faith in the love of God.
Don Giorgio
Apr 2, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of the 4th week of Lent
First reading Exodus 32:7-14
By today’s reading we are invited to pause and look honestly at the state of our hearts. The reading from Exodus reminds us how easily the human heart strays, seeking security or satisfaction in what is tangible, controllable, or familiar—golden calves of our own making. This temptation is not foreign to us. These idols may be subtle: success, comfort, self-image, or even certain relationships. We are prone to shaping false gods that suit our desires: the idol of success that demands constant performance, the idol of control that fears surrender, the idol of pleasure that numbs our spiritual hunger, or the idol of self that resists any form of conversion. These idols are not merely external distractions—they dwell deep within us, subtly taking God’s place in our priorities, affections, and decisions. Lent is a grace-filled opportunity to name these idols with humility and courage, to recognize how they have distorted our vision and hardened our hearts. Lent invites us to name these false gods, to recognize where we have traded truth for illusion, and to let them go. In doing so, we make space again for the God who does not abandon His people, who calls us back not to punish but to restore. Lent is restoring God’s place in our life by removing the idols we created in our heart.
Don Giorgio
