Aug 3, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
- 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 144(145): 8-9, 15-18; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew 14:13-21.
The readings of this Sunday reveal the boundless generosity of God and the mission entrusted to His Church. Through the prophet Isaiah, God freely invites everyone who is thirsty to come and receive His gifts without payment, for His grace can never be earned, it is always given out of love. The Psalm praises this generous God who opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living creature. Saint Paul then gives us the deepest assurance of all: nothing, neither suffering, nor hardship, nor death itself—can separate us from the love of Christ. Secure in this love, we are called not merely to receive God’s gifts but to become instruments through which they reach others. This is precisely the message of the Gospel. Faced with the hungry crowd, the disciples want to send the people away, but Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” He invites them to place their small offering into His hands, and He multiplies it to satisfy thousands. This is the mission of the Church in every age: to bring Christ, the Bread of Life, to a hungry world. We may feel that our resources are limited, but when our lives, talents, and generosity are entrusted to Jesus, He transforms them into abundant blessings for many. The Church exists not to keep God’s gifts for herself but to distribute them generously, so that every person may experience the love of Christ from which nothing can ever separate us. Let’s reflect: Do I generously place what I have into Christ's hands, trusting Him to use my life to satisfy the spiritual and material hunger of others as part of the Church's mission?
Don Giorgio
Aug 1, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Saint Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori, Bishop, Doctor
Saturday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12Today’s Gospel recounts the martyrdom of John the Baptist, whose unwavering fidelity to the truth cost him his life. Yet the tragedy is not only that one man was silenced, but that many others became instruments of silencing the truth. Herod chose convenience over conscience, Herodias allowed resentment to become vengeance, and those present remained silent before injustice. The Gospel invites us to examine not only whether we speak the truth, but whether our attitudes, words, or actions discourage, suppress, or distort it. We can become instruments of silencing the truth whenever we refuse correction, spread falsehood, manipulate others, remain silent in the face of injustice, or reject those who lovingly challenge us to conversion. Truth often makes us uncomfortable because it calls us to change, yet only truth sets us free. Alphonsus Liguori dedicated his life to proclaiming the Gospel with clarity and compassion, convinced that God’s truth is always an expression of His merciful love. As disciples of Christ, we are called not only to defend the truth but also to ensure that our lives never become a barrier to it. When we welcome the truth with humility and proclaim it with charity, we allow Christ, who is the Truth, to speak through us. Let’s reflect: Do my words, attitudes, and choices help the truth of Christ to be heard, or do they, knowingly or unknowingly, become instruments that silence it?
Don Gioegio
Jul 30, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor
Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53
In the conclusion of His parables on the Kingdom, Jesus speaks of the net that gathers every kind of fish and then of the scribe who has become a disciple of the Kingdom, bringing out of his treasure” what is new and what is old.” The Christian life is not about choosing between the old and the new, but about discovering the ever-new richness of God’s truth. The Gospel never grows old; yet every encounter with Christ opens new horizons, fresh insights, and deeper ways of living His love. A true disciple does not cling to the past out of fear, nor pursue novelty for its own sake. Instead, guided by the Holy Spirit, he continually discovers how God’s eternal truth speaks to the present moment. This requires an open mind, a discerning heart, and the courage to let God lead us into new depths of faith while remaining firmly rooted in what He has already revealed. Saint Peter Chrysologus did precisely this through his preaching, presenting the timeless Gospel in ways that touched the hearts of the people of his time. Every day, God invites us to find something new, not a different Gospel, but a deeper understanding of the same Christ, who continually renews those who follow Him. Let’s reflect: Do I allow Christ to renew my faith each day, discovering ever-new depths of His unchanging truth while remaining firmly rooted in His Gospel?
Don Giorgio
Jul 29, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
Wednesday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Gospel: John 11:19-27The home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus was a place of genuine friendship with Jesus. Yet even this beloved family experienced grief, loss, and unanswered questions. When Jesus arrived after Lazarus had died, Martha did not understand His delay, but she chose to trust Him. Her beautiful profession of faith, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world”, shows us that true friendship with Jesus is built not merely on pleasant moments but on confident faith in who He is. Jesus does not simply give resurrection; He declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Friendship with Him means entrusting our fears, disappointments, hopes, and even our experience of death into His hands, believing that His love is stronger than every darkness. Saint Martha served Him, Saint Mary of Bethany listened to Him, and Saint Lazarus of Bethany experienced His life-giving power. Together they remind us that every authentic friendship with Christ leads us to deeper faith and unwavering trust in Him. The closer we become to Jesus, the more confidently we can proclaim with Martha that He is indeed the Son of God, our resurrection and our life, whatever circumstances we may face. Let’s reflect: Do I trust Jesus as my closest friend and confidently believe that He is the Son of God, the Resurrection and the Life, especially when I do not understand His ways?
Don Giorgio
Jul 28, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Tuesday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
St Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception (1910 - 1946)
Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43
In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that “the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,” and that the good seed represents the children of the Kingdom. God has already sown so much good seed within us: the grace of Baptism, His Word, the sacraments, faith, love, forgiveness, our vocation, and countless inspirations of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether we allow these seeds to grow or leave them neglected among the weeds of selfishness, distraction, resentment, and sin. Grace is a gift, but it also asks for our cooperation. We should not waste what Christ has planted in us. Every grace received contains the possibility of holiness when it is welcomed, protected, and allowed to bear fruit. Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception shows us how even suffering can become fertile soil when offered to God in faith and love. At the end, Jesus says that “the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Our calling is precisely this: to allow the good seed planted by Christ to mature within us until our whole life becomes its fruit and reflects His light. Let’s reflect: Am I carefully nurturing the good seed that Christ has sown in my heart, or am I allowing His graces to be wasted through distraction, selfishness, and lack of response?
Don Giorgio
Jul 27, 2026 | DAILY BREAD
Monday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Saint Titus Brandsma
Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35In today’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large tree and to a little yeast that transforms an entire measure of flour. God’s way of working often begins with what appears small, hidden, and insignificant. We may sometimes hesitate to do good because our efforts seem too little to make any real difference. Yet the Gospel reminds us that the fruit does not depend only on the size of our action, but on the power of God working through it. A small act of kindness, a quiet prayer, a word of encouragement, a courageous stand for truth, or a simple gesture of forgiveness can become the seed of something far greater than we can imagine. Titus Brandsma lived this confidence, remaining faithful to truth and human dignity even when his individual resistance seemed powerless before an enormous machinery of oppression. The Kingdom grows because God multiplies what we place faithfully into His hands. Our task is therefore not always to accomplish great things, but to offer our small efforts with great faith, trusting that God can make even the smallest seed bear an abundant and lasting harvest. Let’s reflect: Do I trust God enough to offer Him even my smallest efforts, believing that His grace can transform them into fruits far greater than I can imagine?
Don Giorgio
