Aug 2, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading Leviticus 25:1,8-17
Today’s reading invites us to rediscover the spirit of the Jubilee, as we are celebrating the Jubilee Year, as a time of liberation, renewal, and trust in God’s providence. The command to rest the land, release debts, and allow everyone to return to their ancestral home speaks of a radical vision where human greed is set aside, relationships are restored, and all creation finds rest in God’s care. This holy year was not merely about economic or social reform, it was about re-centering life on the truth that everything belongs to the Lord and that we are His people, called to live in freedom and generosity. In the Jubilee, dependence on God replaces self-reliance, and mercy takes precedence over possession. On this memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are reminded of her simple trust in God’s providence and her poverty of spirit, which opened her to His greatness. Like her, we are invited to let go of what enslaves us, our anxieties, attachments, or desire for control, and to rest in the care of the One who provides abundantly. The Jubilee calls us to a purified heart: free to forgive, free to share, and free to live as children who know that everything is gift. Let’s reflect: What attachments or desires for control do I need to release so that I can live more freely in God’s providence and share His generosity with others?
Don Giorgio
Aug 1, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori, Bishop, Doctor
First reading Leviticus 23:1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37
First Friday: Let's entrust ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
On this First Friday, as we entrust ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, today’s reading reminds us that sacred assemblies are not merely human initiatives but divine invitations. The feasts and gatherings of Israel were established by the Lord Himself as moments to remember His saving works and renew their covenant with Him. Likewise, every Eucharistic celebration we attend is not just a ritual we choose to observe but a call from God to encounter His love and mercy anew. In the Sacred Heart, we see the fullness of this divine invitation: Jesus opens His heart to draw us into His life, heal our wounds, and transform us with His love. Each time we gather for worship, we respond to this summons from God who longs to be with His people and to strengthen us through His presence. Today, let us approach the Sacred Heart with gratitude and humility, remembering that our worship is not about what we give to God, but about receiving and celebrating what He has already done for us. Let’s reflect: Is my devotion to the Sacred Heart a true response to Jesus’ invitation, recognizing it as His desire to draw me closer to His love and saving presence?
Don Giorgio
Jul 31, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Ignatius Loyola, Priest
Thursday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1
On this feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, we are reminded through Saint Paul’s words that the essence of Christian life is to orient everything, our thoughts, actions, and desires, toward the glory of God. “Whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God” calls us to see even the most ordinary tasks and daily routines as opportunities to honor Him. This means living with intentionality, allowing our work, relationships, choices, and even our struggles to become offerings of love. Saint Ignatius exemplified this through his spirituality of “finding God in all things,” teaching us that holiness is not reserved for extraordinary moments but is cultivated in the simplicity of daily life, when everything is done with faith and love. Let’s reflect: Do I consciously seek to glorify God in everything I do, allowing even the ordinary moments of my life to become acts of love and worship?
Don Giorgio
Jul 30, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Wednesday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor
First reading Exodus 34:29-35
Today’s reading shows us how Moses, after speaking with God, returned to the people with his face shining so brightly that they were awed by the visible sign of God’s presence upon him. This radiance was not his own doing, but the effect of grace, the result of being in deep communion with the Lord. Similarly, when we live in God’s grace, it transforms us in ways that are often visible to others: in our words, our actions, and even in the peace and joy we radiate. Grace aligns our hearts with God’s will so that we speak not out of our own impulses or agendas, but as instruments of His wisdom and truth. Like Moses, we become living witnesses, reflecting God’s light into a world that longs for hope and guidance. Today, we are invited to draw close to God in prayer and intimacy, so that His grace may not only fill us but also overflow through us, making His presence known in all that we say and do. Let’s reflect: Does my life reflect the transforming grace of God in such a way that my words and actions reveal His presence to those around me?
Don Giorgio
Jul 29, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
Tuesday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading 1 John 4:7-16
On this feast of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, we are invited to contemplate the beauty of friendship grounded in divine love, a relationship that springs not from convenience or obligation, but from a shared life in God. Their home at Bethany was a place where Jesus found rest, comfort, and affection, a place where He was received not merely as a teacher or miracle-worker, but as a true friend. In Martha’s service, Mary’s listening heart, and Lazarus’s quiet companionship, we see different expressions of love that, together, form a complete and welcoming space for Christ. Saint John, in today’s reading, reminds us that “God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them.” This truth is beautifully embodied in the family of Bethany: their love for one another and their love for Jesus were inseparable, flowing from the same divine source. Their friendship shows us that holiness is often lived in the ordinary rhythms of daily life, in meals shared, conversations held, tears shed, and joys celebrated. It is in these simple moments, rooted in love, that God’s presence becomes tangible and transformative. Your love towards the other also becomes the space to Christ. And friendship in Christ is never closed in on itself; it radiates outward, becoming a real space for true relationship among us. Like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, may we cultivate relationships that are not only nurturing and faithful but also deeply anchored in God, so that our friendships become places where Jesus is welcomed, known, and encountered anew. Let’s reflect: Are my relationships rooted in God’s love in such a way that they not only nurture mutual affection but also create a space where Christ is truly welcomed and encountered?
Don Giorgio
Jul 28, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
St Alphonsa Muttathupadathu (1910 - 1946)
Monday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
First reading Exodus 32:15-24,30-34
In today’s reading, the story of the golden calf challenges us to recognize the “idols” we create in our own lives—often shaped by pride, fear, or self-interest. Just as the Israelites built a false god to satisfy their impatience and desire for control, we too can construct our own “golden calves,” which are nothing other than our egos that we nurture and protect at any cost. These idols may not be made of gold, but they manifest in our need for recognition, our refusal to forgive, or our desire to place ourselves at the center instead of God. Saint Alphonsa’s life is a striking contrast to this self-centeredness; she embraced humility, suffering, and self-giving love, allowing God’s grace to shine through her fragility. Today, we are invited to examine our hearts: what false images or self-made egos are we clinging to, and are we willing to let them be broken so that God alone can reign within us?
Don Giorgio
