Sep 21, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 9:30-37
“But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him”. This is the situation of the disciples to whom Jesus himself was explaining the things. The reason we can find out in the following passage of the Gospel. “They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest”. This is the reason that they did not understand before the discourse of Jesus about His passion, death and resurrection. They had in their mind, the theme of the greatest and Jesus was speaking about becoming the least. When we have in our mind, thoughts about carrier, power, positions, we will not be able to understand the plan of God or the Word of God. Not only that we will not understand but also, we will be afraid to clarify. What is this fear? This fear is about the answer if you ask clarification. This fear is about the truth whether it will be contrary to my thoughts about being great. The fear of being in contradiction with my concepts of power or position. That is why Jesus puts a child in their front to be the model. Let’s reflect: Are my thoughts about power and position hinder my understanding of the Word of God and generates fear of knowing the truth?
Don Giorgio
Sep 20, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist – Feast
Gospel – Matthew 9:9-13
We are celebrating the feast of St. Matthew. Everything started in the life of Matthew with this call of Jesus, “Follow me”. He got up and followed Him. Life is changed but nothing dramatic. Call and response. This happens when you listen to the call of Jesus with your heart and then your heart responds. Matthew was sitting by the customs house. Jesus was passing by and saw him. Then He called him. Matthew understood the sweetness of the call of Jesus. He understood the mercy filled in that call. He felt the love of Jesus He understood that there is space for him in the life of Jesus. He believed in Jesus. Now from the call, “follow me”, he will not be sitting at the customs house, but he will be following Jesus. Jesus becomes his way and his life. The Gospel of St. Matthew is its testament. When we listen to the call of Jesus, we can find the way in Jesus. Jesus becomes our way and our life when we let the Word of God go into our heart. Don’t put any filters to the Word of God. Just let it go into you. Let’s reflect: Do I let the Word of God change my life?
Don Giorgio
Sep 20, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, and their Companions, Martyrs
Friday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 9:23-26
“What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?” This is a discourse which is essential to the Christian life. How do you want to safe yourself? Often our desire is to gain the whole world. That means, we want to get the approval of others. But our life is not like that. Our Christian life starts with the desire to follow Jesus Christ. And this desire requires to make a specific space for Jesus because we started our journey with our desire to follow Jesus Christ. And from our desire to follow Jesus Christ, comes out the challenge to renounce ourselves. What does it mean to renounce ourselves? It’s about making space for others in the moments of Cross in our life. It’s about making decisions to accept others in the moments of Cross in our life. Renouncing ourselves is making space to the other in giving up our own space. This is the pain of the Cross. In our pain and in our suffering, we learn to find space for the other. Let’s reflect: Do I find space for the other in my suffering?
Don Giorgio
Sep 18, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Saint Januarius, Bishop, Martyr
Gospel – Luke 7:36-50
“For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love”. Today’s reading asks us to mediate on an important element of our spiritual life. The confession and the forgiveness we receive in that sacrament. The woman came into the house of this Pharisee, and she waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment. She is not looking anyone else there. She sees only Jesus. It’s someone’s house. Doesn’t matter. She did what she came to do. This is what happens or what must happen when we go to the sacrament of Confession. It’s going to the feet of Jesus to cry over our sins. Others will be commenting or will be looking at you. But never mind, you must go to confession. And then in the words of Jesus we can hear how much He appreciates the gesture of thanksgiving by her. Here comes the second element. We must thank enough Jesus for the forgiveness we receive in the sacrament. Let’s reflect: Do I go to confession as if I go to cry at the feet of Jesus and do I thank enough for the forgiveness I receive in the sacrament?
Don Giorgio
Sep 18, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 24 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Luke 7:31-35
“They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the marketplace”. These children sitting in the marketplace and shout between one another about their displeasures. This is a typical scene often in our reunions. Airing out our displeasures. “We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t cry.”. When there is no place for God in our life, we make this. We do this because we see only what is possible in our eyes. But God is greater than this. God is greater than our gifts. When we give ourselves to God, then there are not any more displeasure or discontent. Because we believe that God will take care of things. Also, when we don’t believe that we normally tend to blame others for failures. That also disappears when we trust in God. We accept our responsibility. Life is more that blaming the other. Lets’ reflect: Can I see the beauty of life entrusted in the hands of the Lord?
Don Giorgio
Sep 17, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 24th ordinary week
St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop, Doctor
St. Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin, Doctor
Gospel - Luke 7:11-17
“‘Everyone was filled with awe and praised God, saying: A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ Before the signs we see in our daily lives, we must praise God. We must acknowledge God's presence in our lives. Often we do not praise enough. Every day we can recognize many of God's signs in our lives. Most of them we don't even see or recognize. But for the ones we do recognize, we must praise God. And not only that, but we must also spread the word to those around us. This is the work of evangelization. We recognize God's presence in our lives, we praise Him for it, and then we spread the news of His presence to those around us. We must have open eyes to see the signs, we must have open hearts to give thanks for the signs, and we must have open minds to proclaim this good news in our lives. Let us reflect: Do I recognize, praise and spread the presence of God in my life?
Don Giorgio
