Jul 29, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
Tuesday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading 1 John 4:7-16
On this feast of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, we are invited to contemplate the beauty of friendship grounded in divine love, a relationship that springs not from convenience or obligation, but from a shared life in God. Their home at Bethany was a place where Jesus found rest, comfort, and affection, a place where He was received not merely as a teacher or miracle-worker, but as a true friend. In Martha’s service, Mary’s listening heart, and Lazarus’s quiet companionship, we see different expressions of love that, together, form a complete and welcoming space for Christ. Saint John, in today’s reading, reminds us that “God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them.” This truth is beautifully embodied in the family of Bethany: their love for one another and their love for Jesus were inseparable, flowing from the same divine source. Their friendship shows us that holiness is often lived in the ordinary rhythms of daily life, in meals shared, conversations held, tears shed, and joys celebrated. It is in these simple moments, rooted in love, that God’s presence becomes tangible and transformative. Your love towards the other also becomes the space to Christ. And friendship in Christ is never closed in on itself; it radiates outward, becoming a real space for true relationship among us. Like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, may we cultivate relationships that are not only nurturing and faithful but also deeply anchored in God, so that our friendships become places where Jesus is welcomed, known, and encountered anew. Let’s reflect: Are my relationships rooted in God’s love in such a way that they not only nurture mutual affection but also create a space where Christ is truly welcomed and encountered?
Don Giorgio
Jul 28, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
St Alphonsa Muttathupadathu (1910 – 1946)
Monday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading Exodus 32:15-24,30-34
In today’s reading, the story of the golden calf challenges us to recognize the “idols” we create in our own lives—often shaped by pride, fear, or self-interest. Just as the Israelites built a false god to satisfy their impatience and desire for control, we too can construct our own “golden calves,” which are nothing other than our egos that we nurture and protect at any cost. These idols may not be made of gold, but they manifest in our need for recognition, our refusal to forgive, or our desire to place ourselves at the center instead of God. Saint Alphonsa’s life is a striking contrast to this self-centeredness; she embraced humility, suffering, and self-giving love, allowing God’s grace to shine through her fragility. Today, we are invited to examine our hearts: what false images or self-made egos are we clinging to, and are we willing to let them be broken so that God alone can reign within us?
Don Giorgio
Jul 27, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:12-14
On this 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings draw us into the heart of a God who listens, forgives, and redeems. In the bold dialogue between Abraham and the Lord, we encounter a God who is not distant or rigid, but attentive and merciful, willing to hear human pleading and respond with compassion. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, reveals the fullness of that mercy in Christ, who not only listens but acts: taking the weight of our sins, our failings, and all that stood against us, and cancelling it by nailing it to the Cross. This is the God we believe in, not one who keeps a record of wrongs, but one who desires to restore, reconcile, and free us. Our response must be one of humble trust and sincere conversion, allowing His mercy to shape our lives and extending that same mercy to others. Today, let us marvel at the patience of God who listens, the love of God who forgives, and the power of God who saves. Let’s relfect: Do I truly believe in and live from the mercy of God who listens to my prayers, forgives my sins, and has cancelled my debt through the Cross of Christ?
Don Giorgio
Jul 26, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday of week 16 in Ordinary Time
Ecclesiasticus 44:1,10-15
On this feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the reading from Ecclesiasticus invites us to honour those “famous men” whose virtues shaped generations, not through worldly power, but through faithfulness and quiet strength. Though their names may not be inscribed in monuments, their memory lives on because of the goodness they passed down—“their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lives for ever.” In Joachim and Anne, we see this legacy embodied: their hidden, faithful lives formed the heart of Mary, and through her, the humanity of Christ. Their holiness reminds us that the most lasting influence often comes not from public deeds, but from humble, loving fidelity in the family, in daily work, and in prayer. Today, we are called to reflect on the heritage we are receiving and the legacy we are leaving. God works through generations, and our silent acts of faith may be shaping saints yet to be born. Let’s reflect: Am I living in a way that leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, and quiet holiness that can shape and bless future generations?
Don Giorgio
Jul 25, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saint James, Apostle – Feast
First reading 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
On this feast of Saint James the Apostle, we are reminded that the life of a true disciple is not marked by comfort or ease, but by a deep and enduring participation in the mystery of Christ’s suffering and resurrection. Saint Paul’s words powerfully capture the apostolic spirit: “We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered… always carrying in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in us.” This is not a life of defeat, but of resilient grace, a life that allows every trial, every hardship, and every moment of weakness to become a place where Christ’s redeeming love shines forth. The apostles, and especially Saint James who gave his life for the Gospel, show us that the Christian journey is one of radical availability to God, where even suffering is not wasted but becomes a channel of grace for others. To live like this is to make visible, in our own bodies and choices, the saving power of Jesus, so that He may be truly alive in us, and through us, bring life to the world. Let’s reflect: Am I allowing the struggles and sacrifices in my life to become a reflection of Christ’s death and resurrection, so that His life may be seen and shared through me?
Don Giorgio
