Apr 14, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of Holy Week
First reading Isaiah 42:1-7
On this Monday of Holy Week, the reading from Isaiah 42:1–7 offers a powerful and intimate portrait of the Servant of the Lord, a prophecy that finds its fullest realization in Jesus Christ. As we begin this most sacred week, the Church invites us to pause and contemplate the depth of Christ’s mission. He is the son of God, upheld by the Father, filled with the Spirit, yet His coming is not marked by noise or triumphalism, but by a profound humility and tender strength. He does not crush the bruised reed nor extinguish the dimly burning wick; rather, He draws near to the broken, the weary, the forgotten, and breathes into them new life and hope. His justice is not vengeance but redemption, a justice rooted in mercy and truth. This image of the Servant reveals the essence of Jesus’ public ministry and His final journey toward the Cross: a love that never gives up, a faithfulness that does not falter, and a mission that transcends all boundaries and that which brings light to the nations, healing to the wounded, and freedom to those imprisoned by sin, despair, or fear. In these days of Holy Week, we are invited not only to admire but to enter into this mission of Jesus Christ allowing the Lord’s example to penetrate our hearts, to make space for His compassion in our actions, and to become, in Him, servants who reflect the same divine tenderness to a world still longing for light. Let’s reflect: Am I aware of the Servant of God mission of Jesus Christ?
Don Giorgio
Apr 13, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Palm Sunday
Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11.
On this Palm Sunday, we enter with Christ into the holy city of Jerusalem—not merely to witness His acclaim by the crowds, but to follow Him on the path of self-emptying love and redemptive suffering. The reading from the prophet Isaiah unveils the profound inner disposition of Jesus: the obedient Servant who listens to the voice of the Father, who does not rebel nor turn back in the face of affliction. He offers His back to those who strike Him, and His face to shame and spitting, not because He is powerless, but because He is perfectly humble and filled with unwavering trust in the One who sent Him. This is why His entrance into Jerusalem is truly triumphant—not for the palms and hosannas, but for His readiness to embrace the emptiness of suffering and death. St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, draws us even deeper into this mystery: the Son of God, though in the form of God, did not cling to His divine privileges, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. In this act of total humility and trust, He conquers death and is exalted by the Father. ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ Because He is entering into Jerusalem totally humble but with unwavering trust in the Father to bring the definitive difference. Let’s reflect: Am I following the logic of Jesus in this commemoration of His triumphant Entrance into Jerusalem?
Don Giorgio
Apr 12, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading Ezekiel 37:21-28
As Lent draws to its final days, the reading from Ezekiel offers a powerful image of what God desires to accomplish, not only in history, but in the hearts of each one of us. The Lord speaks of gathering His people, once scattered and divided, and making them one nation under a single shepherd. This is the promise of the Messianic time, the time of the Church, where in Christ Himself everyone is united. Lent, far from being just a time of personal effort or spiritual exercise, is in fact a divine movement toward unity. During the lent we are invited to cooperate with Jesus who is actively working to restore unity on every level of our lives. He draws us closer to Himself through prayer and repentance, heals our broken relationships through acts of reconciliation and mercy, and invites us to rediscover inner integrity, a deeper harmony between what we believe, what we do, and who we are. Thus, lent becomes a moment in which we let God rebuild what is shattered in us. We enter into a better relationship of unity with God, with others and with ourselves. Let’s reflect: Lent is letting God rebuild what is shattered inside us.
Don Giorgio
Apr 11, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of the 5th week of Lent
Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr
First reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13
On this Friday of the fifth week of Lent, the words of the prophet Jeremiah draw us into a deep reflection on the reality of spiritual struggle. He speaks from a place of pain and betrayal, surrounded by those who once called him friend but now seek his downfall. Yet even in the midst of fear and isolation, Jeremiah clings to his confidence in the Lord, declaring that God is like a mighty warrior who defends and delivers. His cry is not only one of lament but of hope rooted in divine faithfulness. This moment in Lent reminds us that the journey to Easter is not without its shadows. We, too, face dangers—temptations, discouragements, and voices that sow doubt or confusion. Sometimes these threats come from the world around us; other times, they rise from within our own hearts in the form of pride, complacency, or resentment. Lent calls us to recognize these dangers not with despair, but with a courageous trust in God’s saving presence. As we draw closer to Holy Week, Jeremiah’s witness encourages us to name our struggles honestly and to reaffirm our belief that the Lord sees, hears, and delivers all who place their hope in Him. Let’s reflect: Lent is recognizing the spiritual dangers with a courageous trust in God’s deliverance.
Don Giorgio
Apr 10, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading Genesis 17:3-9
On this Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent, the reading from Genesis 17:3–9 draws us into the profound mystery of God’s covenantal love which is a love that initiates, sustains, and transforms. As Abram falls face down before the Lord, we too are invited to a posture of surrender, recognizing that it is not we who first reach for God, but God who stoops to bind Himself to us in mercy. Lent is a season of rediscovering this truth: that our faith is not primarily about what we do for God, but about what God desires to do in us through His covenant in Jesus Christ. In Genesis, God promises to make Abram the father of many nations, establishing an everlasting bond that shapes not just his destiny, but the destiny of generations. In Christ, this promise is extended to all humanity; the covenant is sealed not with a name change, but with the shedding of His own blood. Believing in Lent means trusting that God is at work in us even when we feel barren, broken, or unworthy. It means allowing the promise of His covenant which is being His people and He our God, to take root deeply in our hearts. Let’s reflect: Lent is living the covenantal love of God realized in me through Jesus Christ.
Don Giorgio
