Jun 6, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
Saint Norbert, Bishop
Gospel – Mark 12:28-34
“Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.” There is big difference being near to the kingdom of God and being in the kingdom of God. When you stick to the norms and act according to the norms you are close to the kingdom of God. When you go beyond the norms to love the other, you become part of the Kingdom of God. That is totally different. When all the commandments are observed as norms, you are near the reality of the kingdom of God. But when you use each commandment as the way to love God and to love you neighbor it has different way to live and to actualize. Often we like to stay close to the commandments but we don’t like to use them to love others. This is the challenge the Gospel of today is posing before us. Every norm or percept we follow must help us to love God and to love our neighbour. Let’s reflect: Are we obeying the commandments because we want to love God and love other?
Jun 5, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Boniface, Bishop, Martyr
Wednesday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – John 10:11-16
We are celebrating the feast of St. Boniface who was a great missionary and pastor in present Germany. The reading of this memorial reminds about the Good Shepherd who is Jesus Christ. He is the Good Shepherd because He knows his sheep. We are His sheep we know Him as Good Shepherd. It’s very important to recognize the Good Shepherd. Because He lays down his life for us. He sacrificed His life to save us. The love of this Shepherd cannot be compared with others. Because others in whom we trust will run away when there is danger. They cannot be reached when there will be difficulties. But Jesus, our Good Shepherd will not run away because He has nothing more important than us. Others run away or don’t show up when we are in trouble because they pretend to be shepherds for their own selfish interests. The Good Shepherd is selfless. He lays down His life for us. Let’s reflect: How much I recognize the presence of the Good Shepherd in my life?
Jun 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 9 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 12:13-17
“Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, ‘Why do you set this trap for me?” Jesus sees through out hypocrisy. So why are we being hypocritic? By our hypocrisy we try to put up a trap for Jesus. We need hypocrisy because we don’t want to follow what we want. The Pharisees came and spoke to Jesus, “Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty”. The Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with flattery, acknowledging His integrity and impartiality. However, their true intention is to trap Him. This hypocrisy is revealed through their actions and words that don't align with their true motives. Jesus sees through their pretense. He calls out their hypocrisy directly, showcasing His wisdom and understanding of human nature. This highlights Jesus’ ability to discern the true intentions of people, contrasting with their outward behavior. This passage challenges us to examine our own lives for any traces of hypocrisy. Are there areas where our actions do not match our discipleship? It’s an invitation to strive for congruence between our discipleship and our behaviors. It involves admitting faults, seeking to grow, and ensuring that our external actions are a true reflection of our discipleship. Let’s reflect: Are there traces of hypocrisy in our discipleship?
Jun 3, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Charles Lwanga and his Companions, Martyrs
Gospel – Matthew 5:1-12
Today we are celebrating the Feast of Great African Martyrs of Uganda who were burned alive in a group after being tortured by the Ugandan King Mwanga. Charles Lwanga and his twenty-one companions (the youngest, Kizito, was only 13) were executed for being Christians, for rebuking the king for his debauchery and his murder of an Anglican missionary, for “praying from a book,” and for refusing to allow themselves to be ritually sodomised by the king. And the reading the Church proposes is the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the model of our action and of our being. What we do must be conformed to the Beatitudes, both our action and our reaction. Moreover, our being must be modelled according to Beatitudes. This is a challenge because we are always tempted to be with persecutor than with the persecuted. When we are living Beatitudes, our ego, the standards of the society, and external pressures will persecute us to give up our testimony of Jesus. But we must not give up. St. Charles Lwanga and his companions are models for us. Let’s reflect: How much I am ready to suffer for being Beatitudes?
Jun 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Mark 2:23-3:6
“Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil”. The answer is very clear. To do good on sabbath is not against the law. With this statement, Jesus is teaching us that each law must a way to do good. The man with a withered hand is sitting among the people. Jesus is asking him to change his position, “Stand up out in the middle”. This man who has a problem must stand up out in the middle of the community because if we are not seeking a solution for his problem, but we are observing the day of the Lord, it seems meaningless. Without being sensitive to the problems of others, our pious celebrations become meaningless. When we can put the problems of others in the middle of our thoughts and try to do the good we can do, we are following Jesus. But when we are obstinate like the Pharisees, we will have to out from the presence of Jesus. “The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.”. Let’s reflect: Am I sensitive to the problems of others and try to do good to remain in the presence of the Lord?
Jun 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Justin, Martyr
Saturday of week 8 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Matthew 5:13-19
“In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven”. It’s the nature of the light to shine and to illuminate. Jesus is comparing his disciples to light. “You are the light of the world”. And this light must shine before others. And Jesus also explains how the light must shine. We must shine through our good works. Our good words are the rays of light. Good words in all circumstances. Here the comparison with the light is very important. Good works from us must be as accessories. Good works from us must be our nature. Not some good works during the day, or occasionally. Everything we do must be an extension of the good in us as disciples of Jesus Christ. His light in us. His love in us. We must continuously transmit that light through us, through our good works constantly. Then only we can fulfill our vocation as light, by being light in the life of others. Let’s us reflect: Do I recognize my vocation as light in my daily life?
