Apr 11, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
St Zeno of Verona
Gospel - John 6:1-15
Today’s reading is about the feeding of the five thousand. Whenever we read this in the Easter time, this miracle has a different flavor. Because we can read this episode with the joy of resurrection. Jesus seeing the crowds approaching him, the first thing is saying to the disciples, “Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?” The disciples saw the impossibilities. Jesus asked the disciples to make the people sit down. There was plenty of grass there. He multiplied the bread. He made everyone satisfied. He wanted that nothing gets wasted. The leftovers were collected. People seeing everything wanted to make him the king. We read, “Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.” In Easter, we find the way Jesus conqueror the world. It’s by the death and resurrection and not by the acclamation of the people. The plan of God is different from the plan of man. At the same time, God sees the necessities of man, for example in this case, the need for bread. Let’s reflect: Easter is recognizing the way of God in our salvation.
Apr 10, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr
Thursday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:31-36
“though all who do accept his testimony are attesting the truthfulness of God, since he whom God has sent speaks God’s own words”. God sent the Word of God. In Jesus Christ we can find the truthfulness of God. The truthfulness of God is that Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him. So, in the Son we can find the eternal life. But if we refuse to believe in the Son, we will not have the possibility of having His life. The Truthfulness of God which is manifested in Jesus Christ becomes a reality in us with our faith in Jesus Christ. In order to be born from heaven we have to accept the one who descended from heaven. So, we participate in the life of Jesus Christ through our faith. And when we participate truly we will understand the love of God the Father for us. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding the truthfulness of God manifested in the Son.
Apr 9, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:16-21
“but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God”. Light came to the world with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was darkness and doubts before the resurrections of Jesus Christ. Darkness of sin and punishment. Doubts of our relationship with God. But all these are over with the Risen Christ. “For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved”. God wanted to save us, and He saved us through His only Son. Because “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life”. So, in Risen Christ we see the love of God manifested and the love of God giving us eternal life. He is not for condemnation but for salvation. Our life therefore must not be in darkness but in the light of Jesus Christ. Our life and actions must be in the light of His love for us. Let’s reflect: Easter is starting to live our life in the light of God’s love for us.
Apr 8, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Eastertide
Gospel – John 3:7-15
“If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world, how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?” In this very interesting conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus we can find the tension between the revelation and the faith. Faith is not something static. Faith is dynamic especially when it regards to the revelation. Faith must adapt itself to the revelation. And not that faith block itself before revelation. Nicodemus is a very sincere man. He is searching for truth. He is even expressing his ignorance without fear. And through his sincere questions, we come to know very profound answers to some existential questions of our life. What we need a new life, and this new life is given by the Son of Man who is in heaven. We have His life. We live with His life. And this Son of Man is like serpent raised in the desert. Moses raised it according to the will of God and everyone looked at was save. In the New Testament, God the Father raised Jesus Christ and in Him we are all saved. His life is shared among us. We receive His life and our lives are new. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding that we live with the life of Jesus Christ given to us in Baptism.
Apr 7, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
The Annunciation of the Lord – Solemnity
Gospel – Luke 1:26-3
“But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?” The Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord is in a different date this year. Since the original date is on the Holy Week, it’s moved to the first day after the Easter Week because the Feast must be celebrated in the right spirit. The Feast of Annunciation is the day when the heaven and earth united in the consent of the Virgin in Nazareth. Mary united heaven and earth. In her, the divinity and humanity become one. The distinction is eliminated. Mary heard the words of Angel Gabriel. When the angel Gabriel gave the news, the Virgen in Nazareth did not immediately say “yes”. Mary wanted to know her role in this plan of God. Then angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. Mary wanted to be part of the plan of God. She understood the plan of God. She said, “let what you have said be done to me”. Because Mary with her freedom and with her will, accepted to be part of the Will of God. Let’s reflect: Annunciation invites us to be part of God’s plan for humanity.
Apr 6, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter)
Gospel – John 20:19-31
Today is the Sunday of Divine Mercy. The Sunday when we acknowledge and thank the mercy of God which forgives our sins. The sense of this Sunday can be explained in these words: “Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you”. It’s the experience of the presence of Jesus standing in our midst and He is giving His peace to us. It’s the experience of seeing His pierced hands and His pierced side which are pierced as reparation for our sins. Our sins are forgiven with the divine mercy which comes from His pierced hands and side. It’s the experience of being filled with joy. The joy which comes from the gratitude of being forgiven the sins. The joy of the presence of the Lord in the midst. It’s the new hope present in the midst. It’s the experience of listening to the Words of Jesus, “Peace be with you”. It’s the assurance of the presence of His peace in my life. Let’s reflect: Easter is experiencing the Divine Mercy of the Lord in His peace given to me.
