Jul 5, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First Saturday – let us entrust ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Saturday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
Saint Antony Mary Zaccaria, Priest
First reading Genesis 27:1-5,15-29
The story of Jacob deceiving his father Isaac is one of the most enigmatic episodes in the Bible—a moment filled with human weakness, manipulation, and broken trust. And yet, mysteriously, God allows it to unfold as part of His greater plan. This passage challenges our understanding of how divine providence works; it reminds us that God does not only work through the pure and the perfect, but often through flawed choices, tangled relationships, and even mistakes. Rather than endorsing deception, God reveals that His grace is not limited by human failure. He weaves redemption even through the messiness of human history. In our own lives, we may carry regrets or witness situations that seem confusing or unjust, but today we are invited to trust that nothing is wasted in God’s hands. His plan is bigger than our logic, and His mercy can transform even the most puzzling moments into part of a greater purpose. Let’s reflect: Can I trust that God is at work even in the confusing or imperfect parts of my life, using them for a greater purpose beyond what I can now understand?
Don Giorgio
Jul 4, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
First reading: Genesis 23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67
The life of faith, as exemplified by Abraham, is not a life without uncertainty, but one marked by deep trust in the unseen hand of God. In today’s reading, Abraham, nearing the end of his life, entrusts the future of his family to God’s providence, confidently telling his servant, “He will now send his angel ahead of you.” These words are a powerful reminder that when we walk in faith, we are never alone; God goes before us, preparing the way, even when we cannot see the path clearly. This quiet assurance is not based on signs or guarantees, but on a relationship rooted in trust, a trust that believes God’s presence precedes our every step. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, whose feast we celebrate today, also lived this faith through a life of peace-making, humility, and trust in divine guidance amidst political and personal storms. Her witness, like Abraham’s, encourages us to let go of anxiety and entrust the unknown to the God who already stands ahead of us. When we walk with this faith, the answer to all our questions becomes clear, not in knowing every detail, but in knowing Who goes before us. Let’s reflect: Do I truly trust that God is going ahead of me, even when the path is uncertain and the answers are not yet clear?
Don Giorgio
Jul 2, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Thomas, Apostle – Feast
First reading – Ephesians 2:19-22
The Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle invites us to rediscover the heart of the Apostolic tradition: a living, dynamic faith in which everything is aligned to Christ, everyone grows into Christ, and everywhere you become one in Spirit. As Saint Paul writes to the Ephesians, we are no longer strangers or outsiders, but members of God’s household, part of a spiritual structure where Christ is the cornerstone. In this sacred building, nothing stands apart from Him, every stone, every life, every vocation finds its meaning and strength only when aligned to Christ. This alignment is not conformity, but transformation, a steady growing into Him who is our life. And as each of us grows into Christ, we are not drawn into isolation but into communion, becoming one Body, one temple, one dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The faith handed down through the apostles is not merely a collection of teachings but a living reality that makes us one in Spirit, across time, place, and culture. Today, let us reflect on whether our hearts, choices, and communities are truly aligned to Christ, and whether we are allowing His Spirit to shape us into a people who live, grow, and unite in Him. Let’s reflect: Is my life truly aligned to Christ in a way that allows me to grow in Him and live in unity with others through the Spirit?
Don Giorgio
Jul 2, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
First reading Genesis 21:5,8-20
Today’s reading reminds us that God never abandons the forgotten, the rejected, or those cast aside by others. Hagar, driven into the wilderness with her son and left with little hope, encounters the compassionate presence of God once again. Though Sarah had rejected her, and though all seemed lost, God saw Hagar’s suffering and heard the cries of her child. In her despair, God provided water in the desert and renewed His promise over Ishmael’s life. This moment reveals a powerful truth: human rejection does not equate to divine abandonment. God’s care reaches beyond social status, past mistakes, or painful circumstances, His love finds us in our most vulnerable places. Like Hagar, we may sometimes feel overlooked or mistreated, but God sees us, hears us, and remains faithful. Today, we are invited to take comfort in the assurance that even when others turn away, God draws near and provides exactly what we need to continue our journey. Let’s reflect: Do I trust that God sees and cares for me even when I feel forgotten or rejected by others?
Don Giorgio
Jul 1, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 13 in Ordinary Time
First reading Genesis 19:15-29
Today’s reading from Genesis reveals a God who, even in the face of justice, moves with deep compassion. Lot is spared not because of his righteousness, but because of the Lord’s pity—His merciful gaze that sees our frailty and acts to save, not to condemn. Even when the consequences of human sin unfold, God’s heart remains moved by sympathy for His children. He does not delight in destruction; rather, He seeks every opportunity to rescue, to guide, to lead us away from danger and into life. The story of Lot reminds us that God’s justice is always tempered by His mercy, and that His actions, even when difficult to understand, are never without love. Today, we are invited to trust in that divine pity—to believe that even when we stumble or find ourselves in compromised situations, God is still looking upon us with tenderness, extending His hand to lead us out of harm and into hope. Let’s reflect: Do I truly believe that God’s justice is always guided by mercy, and am I willing to accept His compassionate hand when He reaches out to lead me away from danger and toward new life?
Don Giorgio
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
