Jun 30, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
The First Martyrs of the See of Rome
First reading: Genesis 18:16-33
In today’s reading, we witness a remarkable dialogue between Abraham and God, a conversation marked not by fear or formality, but by an astonishing freedom and boldness. Abraham dares to plead for mercy, to question, to negotiate, and to speak heart-to-heart with the Lord of all creation. This freedom is not rooted in arrogance but in profound trust, a trust so deep that it allows Abraham to approach God with confidence, knowing that he is heard, valued, and loved. Such freedom in prayer can only come from a heart that knows God as a friend and Father, not merely as a distant Omnipotent. Abraham shows us that authentic faith does not silence our questions or suppress our concerns; rather, it opens a space where honesty and reverence coexist. Today, we are invited to reflect on our own relationship with God. We must speak with Him freely, as Abraham did, with confidence born of trust. Let’s reflect: Do I approach God with the same trust and freedom as Abraham, confident that He listens to my prayers and desires an honest, personal relationship with me?
Don Giorgio
Jun 27, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – Solemnity
Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16; Romans 5:5-11
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus invites us to contemplate the deepest and most intimate revelation of God’s love, a Heart that beats with compassion, that overflows with mercy, and that bleeds for the sanctification of humanity. This is not a symbolic or distant love, but a love made flesh, wounded and pierced, poured out entirely for our salvation. In the Sacred Heart, we see the tenderness of a Shepherd who seeks the lost, the mercy of a Savior who embraces the sinner, and the fidelity of a God who remains with us, even when we turn away. It is a Heart that bleeds not only from the nails of the cross, but from every wound we cause by our indifference, our violence, and our refusal to love. And yet, it is a Heart that never ceases to forgive, to invite, to welcome. Standing before this Heart, we are left with no neutral ground, no option other than to let ourselves be changed by it. This Heart calls us to love not only those who are easy to love, but also those who have hurt us; to forgive not because it is easy, but because we ourselves have been forgiven so completely. Let’s reflect: To follow the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to allow our own hearts to become softer, wider, and more courageous, hearts that do not count the cost, but love to the end.
Don Giorgio
Jun 26, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 12 in Ordinary Time
First reading Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16
The story of Hagar reminds us that God is never indifferent to our pain, no matter how forgotten or marginalized we may feel. Cast out and alone in the wilderness, Hagar encounters the God who sees—El Roi—a God who listens to her cries and speaks words of promise over her and her child. Her experience is a powerful assurance that even in moments of abandonment, confusion, or injustice, the Lord draws near with compassion and purpose. He does not only see from afar; He intervenes, restores dignity, and offers a future. Hagar’s encounter challenges us to believe that no suffering goes unnoticed, and that divine attention reaches even the most desolate places of the human heart. Let’s reflect: Do I truly believe that God sees me and hears my cries, even in the moments when I feel most alone or overlooked?
Don Giorgio
Jun 25, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 12 in Ordinary Time
First reading: Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
Today’s reading invites us to contemplate the unwavering faith of Abram, who, despite facing what seemed like an impossible reality, chose to believe in God’s promise. His body was old, his circumstances bleak, and darkness had literally fallen around him, but his trust did not waver. And it was this faith, not his strength or success, that made him righteous before God. Often in our own lives, we too are surrounded by darkness, confusion, fear, or discouragement, but like Abram, we are called to believe that God’s promise will stand firm even when we cannot see the outcome. True faith is not the absence of doubt, but the decision to trust God’s word above all appearances. In the silence and shadows, may we remember that God is always faithful, and His covenant with us will never be broken. Let’s reflect: Am I willing to trust in God’s promises even when circumstances seem dark and the fulfillment feels impossible?
Don Giorgio
Jun 23, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 12 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Genesis 12:1-9
The story of Abram’s call reminds us that vocation begins with two simple but profound actions: listening and following. God does not lay out the entire journey in advance; rather, He invites us to trust His voice and take the first step, even when the path ahead is unknown. Abram left behind everything familiar, his land, his home, his security, not because he had all the answers, but because he believed in the One who called him. This is the essence of every vocation, whether to priesthood, religious life, marriage, or a life of dedicated service: a heart that listens with openness and responds with courage. Today, we are challenged to renew our own “yes” to God, not in grand gestures, but in the quiet obedience of daily life, trusting that every step taken in faith leads us deeper into His promise. Let’s reflect: Am I truly listening to God’s call in my life, and do I have the courage to follow Him even when the way forward is unclear?
Don Giorgio
