Jan 13, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel – John 1:35-42“As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus”. In these verses we can see the real mission of John the Baptist. He was called to be the forerunner of the Messiah. And John is doing exactly that. He is indicating his disciples who is Messiah, who is the Lamb of God. And the disciples, as soon as they heard it, they immediately followed Jesus. They left their teacher. John the Baptist was ready to be an instrument of the plan of God. He was ready to cease to exist once his role is done. And the disciples were ready to follow Jesus immediately. This is discipleship. Being an instrument of the plan of God and not to search for its glory but to withdraw when the mission is done. The other characteristic which is evident in today’s gospel is the readiness to follow Jesus. Immediately when you know that who is Jesus, leave everything behind and follow him. Whatever project on which we are working, whatever ideas we have, the moment we recognize who is Jesus, we must renounce everything behind and follow Him. Let’s reflect: To follow Jesus, I must recognize Him by listening to the Word of the Church and then I must leave everything behind to follow Him.
Jan 11, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 2:1-12
“Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven”. There are so many details in this gospel passage to meditate. But on this verse, we concentrate. The first thought goes to the Word of God which says, “Seeing their faith”. Jesus is seeing not only the paralytic man, but also, He is also seeing the faith of the persons who are lowering the paralytic man. Others are not seeing them, but Jesus is seeing. Jesus is seeing their faith though others are not seeing them. So, when we do something for others because of our faith in Jesus, He sees it. Then the second thought is about how Jesus is addressing the paralytic man, “My child”. Jesus is addressing his with the love of the Father. Jesus is considering him as His child. Again, then whom was they carrying? They were carrying to Jesus, a person whom Jesus considers as son. In faith we see all things in a different way. In faith, we understand Jesus. Nothing can stop us. We move towards Jesus because we are carrying someone important for Jesus, we are doing something important for Jesus. Let’s reflect: Our faith must motivate us to do all things as an act focused on Jesus.
Jan 11, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
Gospel – Mark 2:1-12
“Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven”. There are so many details in this gospel passage to meditate. But on this verse, we concentrate. The first thought goes to the Word of God which says, “Seeing their faith”. Jesus is seeing not only the paralytic man, but also, He is also seeing the faith of the persons who are lowering the paralytic man. Others are not seeing them, but Jesus is seeing. Jesus is seeing their faith though others are not seeing them. So, when we do something for others because of our faith in Jesus, He sees it. Then the second thought is about how Jesus is addressing the paralytic man, “My child”. Jesus is addressing his with the love of the Father. Jesus is considering him as His child. Again, then whom was they carrying? They were carrying to Jesus, a person whom Jesus considers as son. In faith we see all things in a different way. In faith, we understand Jesus. Nothing can stop us. We move towards Jesus because we are carrying someone important for Jesus, we are doing something important for Jesus. Let’s reflect: Our faith must motivate us to do all things as an act focused on Jesus.
Jan 11, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 1 in Ordinary Time
Gospel - Mark 1:40-45
“Even so, people from all around would come to him”. This is because He is Jesus, the second person of Trinity. This is because He is God incarnated. God who touches our infirmities. Because this verse, there is this episode of a leper who kneeled before Jesus and pleaded. He knelt and confessed his faith in Jesus. ‘If you want to you can cure me.’ The leper has full faith in the power of Jesus to cure him. This is his faith. His faith has another character which is very important. He is ready to admit the plan of God for him. He is not doing an act of faith obliging God to do a miracle. He is ready to accept the plan of God which may be not to heal him too. This character of his faith is very important. While imploring for his important intention, he is leaving space for a better plan of God for him. Let’s reflect: God can have better plans for us than what we have for ourselves and acknowledging that is the real faith.
Jan 9, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them”. In this verse we can see three actions which explains the whole love of God for us. These three actions can be seen in the curing of the mother-in-law of Simon. What are these three actions? Jesus going to her, Jesus taking her by the hand and Jesus helping her up. This happened in the mystery of incarnation. This happens in every sacrament. This happens in all our relationship with God. God initiating his journey to us. He comes to us. He gives His hand to us. He takes us by our hand because it shows that God is intervening in our life but not taking away our freedom. He is just taking our hand and we have the freedom to take it away. He takes our hands and then He helps us to get up. To get up walk in the way that is right. The right path is serving Him That is what Simon’s mother-in-law is doing. She served Jesus. Let’s reflect: Jesus comes to our life, takes our hand, and helps us to restart
Jan 8, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Wtorek pierwszego tygodnia okresu zwykłego
Ewangelia - Marka 1:21-28
"A nauczanie jego wywarło na nich wielkie wrażenie, bo w przeciwieństwie do uczonych w Piśmie nauczał ich z autorytetem". Nauczanie Jezusa wywarło wielkie wrażenie na tych, którzy je słyszeli. Jezus nauczał czegoś innego. Dlatego możemy przeczytać w Ewangelii: "Oto nauka, która jest nowa". Nauka, która jest nowa, ponieważ Jezus nie jest doktryną, ale jest osobą. Drugą osobą Trójcy Świętej. On jest Bogiem. Ta boska obecność jest tym, co czyni różnicę. Nie chodzi o treść nauk, ale o Tego, który naucza. W Nim nie ma różnicy między tym, czego się naucza, a tym, kto naucza. Nauki i Nauczyciel są tym samym. To jest autorytet w naukach Jezusa. Zastanówmy się: W ewangelii nie znajdujemy nauk, ale osobę Jezusa Chrystusa.
