*Under God's Protection*

*(John15:4-5)*

"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing."

A good relationship with Jesus assures you of everything : fecundity, grace, strength and refreshment, security, protection and nourishment... Yet the absence of a relationship with Christ leads to dryness and spiritual death.

*Pax et Bonum*

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

*Daily Reflections, 28 June 2023. Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Doctors, Martyr*

Bear good fruits.

In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us a criteria of discerning and differentiating the good and the bad disciples, the true and false prophets. As Jésus disciples we must only bear good fruits through our daily actions. True followers will indeed avoid false prophets, false teachings, wrong doing, evil deeds, immorality, drug, lies, greed, materialism, gluttony and any other sin.

Good disciples are reputed to have a good heart.

Lord mold our heart, and refashion them so that we may bear good fruits. Amen.

*Under God's Protection*

(Ps 19:2)

Divine Light

"Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge"

Every day, every night declares the glory of God. As time goes, God's infinite wisdom and knowledge is revealed to us through the Gospel's ministry.

Thank you Lord for filling us with your divine light, miracles, knowledge and wisdom daily.

*Pax et Bonum*

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

*Daily Reflections, 27 June 2023. Matthew 7:6,12-14; Genesis 13:2,5-18.*

Treat others very well.

Jesus's profound lesson today runs throughout the ages. Always treating others as you would like them to treat you is indeed the meaning of the Law and the Prophets; it is a principle of peace and harmony in society; it is our guidance in our interactions and relationships. Jesus encourages us to approach others with compassion, empathy, and kindness as Abraham treated Lot in the First Reading. Rather than asserting his own desires or asserting his right to choose first, Abram selflessly offered Lot the first choice of land. That is a very good example of the golden rule. Be good.

Lord help us become instruments of divine love, working everyday at transforming the world around us.

Sacred heart of Jesus, May your kingdom come!

Fr G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

*Under God's Protection (Genesis 12:2)*

*“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."*

Abraham's response to divine call was connected to God's blessings!Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone who believes in Christ, shares in these promises made to Abraham.

In Christ, you are made a great nation; you are blessed; your name is made great; you are a blessing!

May God's cup of blessings be your portion in Jesus name. Amen.

*Pax et Bonum!*

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

Daily Reflections, 26 June 2023. Gen 12:1-9; Mt 7:1-7.

Radical transformation

By requesting Abraham to leave his country, his family and father's house, God is calling us to a radical change. Our journey of faith beckons us to step beyond our comfort zones, our human securities and to even to leave behind us the familiar so that we can embrace the unknown, the true promised land. Thanks to Abraham's obedience of faith.
To achieve this goal, Jesus invites us to examine our own hearts before seeking to change others, that is personal conversion, self-transformation. We must allow God's transformative power (his grace) at work within us to remove the barriers hindering our positive relationship with God and with one another.

Prayer: Lord, increase our faith, hope and charity so that our personal conversion may help us become agent of change in our world today.

Sacred heart of Jesus, may your kingdom come!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Under God's Protection - Jeremiah 20: 11-13

"But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten" Be watchful - know that the Lord is with you as a Mighty warrior."

Like Jeremiah, you must realize that you are never alone. God is with you like a violent warrior.

You are not on the losing side. You are going to win your battles over your enemies

Peace and grace be with you!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

*Daily Reflections, 25June 2023. Jer 20: 10; Rom 5: 12-15; Mt.10: 26-33.*

*Adam as opposed to Christ.*

Paul in Romans 5:12-15 opposes Adam to Christ not as equals, but he opposes two types of behaviours.

Adam's behaviour leads to spiritual death. Christ behaviour leads to life. Adam did not correspond to God's project of life. In order to be truly alive, we must be suspended to God's life. By desobeying God, Adam and Eve separated themselves from God's project of live. This lead to be spiritually dead.

Adam is the prototype of that humanity that is seeking its breath of life outside God's. That's lack of confidence and trust in God. They wanted to become their own gods. That is cause of their spiritual death.

Opposed to this wrong attitude of Adam, Christ is totally obedient to God, his Father. His food is to do the will of the Father (John 4: 34). Because of Him, all of us, 'little Adam' can now be reintegrated into a loving relationship with the Father. Do we allow ourselves to live as the new Adam, Jesus Christ who gives us life or do we do want to seek our happiness outside God's love like Adam and we will harvest spiritual death?

May we live according to God's love and grace and have abundant life!

Happy Sunday!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

*Under God's Protection*

*Revelation 2:10*

*You will triumph*

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown."

As believers we will continue to suffer persecution and even death. The devil is responsible for this. However, Jesus tells us not to be afraid, for our heavenly Father values us more than many sparrows (Mt 10:29)

Keep me faithful, Lord Jesus. I know you cannot leave me or forsake me. I will not fear. What can a man do to me?

Remain blessed under God's protection

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

Daily Reflections, 24 June 2023, The Birth of John the Baptist.

God has a plan for us

Just as God chose Israel to reveal his splendor to other nations, so he did the same for David as a king, to be the ancestor through whom Jesus was to come, so was John Baptist chosen to be the forerunner of Jesus. He also has a plan for each of us.

Everyone born is designed to fulfil God's purpose for their lives. Let us ask ourselves: what is God's purpose in my life? God has a time in fulfilling his plan. Delay is never denial. Things happen at God's own time and not at our own time.

His name is John, which means God is gracious.

May God always be gracious to us!

St. John the Baptist, pray for us!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Under God's Protection

(*Ps. 34: 17 )*

*"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles."

Life is full of problems, troubles and crises but God promises to be close to you and deliver you from all of them.

Prayer: God my Rock, my Refuge, my Strength, my fortress, please save me from all my troubles through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Daily Reflections, 23 June 2023.

What's is your treasure?

A person’s heart is tied to what they value most in life. Jesus tells us this truth in today's word: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Instead of valuing and building treasure on earth, passing things, Christ urged us as his followers to store up treasures in Heaven, that is things that will last for eternal life.(Matthew 6:19-20).

May the values of the kingdom be at the centre of our life.

Most sacred heart of Jesus

May your kingdom come!

Fr G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Under God's Protection (Matt 6: 11)

*Give us this day our daily bread. A powerful petition.*

God cares for things necessary for our daily existence, our daily sustenance, physical, mental, spiritual. That's *"daily bread"*

God cares for everything we need for each day. ((Phil4, 6,7). He provides for us through our work (Gen. 3:19). We are praying for daily labor opportunities, prosperity in business, land's fertility, bountiful harvest, fidelity to hard work! Amen.

Let us to improve our confidence and trust in Him.

May the Lord surround us with peace and shouts of deliverance through Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

Under God's Protection

(Rev 3:20)

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will with me."

Right now Jesus is standing at the entranceway of your house. He is knocking.

Jesus would like to come into your heart. Answer Him.

Jesus would like to have an intimate and personal and convenental relationship with you. Jesus would like to stay with you and your family. You are now safe.

Please open the door of your heart and let him in.

Peace unto you and your household

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

*Daily Reflections, 21 June 2023. St Louis de Gonzague.*

*Discret prayer strengthens the quality of our commitment*

Jesus is our model in all aspects of life. In his prayer, fasting and almsgiving and self-giving, he was discrete and efficacious, truthful and simple and totally constrasting with the way the hypocrites behave or act.

The Christian prayer must be a silent and confident prayer denuded of distractions, self-gratification, or people's appreciation and admiration as the hypocrites do (cf. Mt 6, 5). Jesus insists on the meaning of true prayer. It is made in the secret of the conscience and of the heart: unfathomable, visible only to God. With God it is impossible to pretend. Our prayer should be a silent dialogue or an exchange of glances between God and us. In prayer, we Look at God and we allow ourselves to be looked at by God: that is praying. Such a spiritual journey, strengthens the believer and increases the quality of one's commitment as Christians. In that way, we sow bountifully and joyfully in order to reap joyfully and abundantly.

*Prayer:* Lord , you supply seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed and increase our harvest. Amen.

Sacred heart of Jesus, may your kingdom come

*Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC*

Under God's Protection

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Moses had just died. God announces to Joshua that he is the one to lead the people to the promised land (Joshua's: 1-2).

Whenever God gives you a huge task, a heavy load to carry, be still. Challenges, trials, tribulations and difficulties will come your way, but never take off your eyes on the Lord. He will be with you every step of the way.

"Be strong and courageous "

Remain blessed under God's Protection. Amen.

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Daily Reflections, June 20, 2023. (2 Co. 8:1-9); Mt 5:43-48)

"Yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Giving as an act of love

Every time we give, something is taken from us and something is added to one who receives. Giving is never directed inward, it is always outward. "God so loved the word that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). No wonder, giving can only find its meaning only when others are made rich by its very act.
We begin to be Christ-like only when we discover that giving is an act of divine grace. Hence when we give, we give like Christ, that is without boundaries, and without measure. That is true love; the love that regenerates and sanctifies us.

Lord I need your grace to love without boundaries. Amen.

Sacred heart of Jesus, may your kingdom come!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Under God's Protection

(Ephesians 6:12).

"For we do not wrestle against beings of blood and flesh, but against the princes of this world of darkness, the principalities, the sovereignties, the spirits of evil which are in the celestial regions."

Evil, as a by-product of God's creativity, according to Saint Augustine, exists as a reality that we face daily (Mt13:24-30). All our life we ​​have to fight against these dark forces.

It is sometimes a very complicated spiritual combat of which Saint Paul speaks in this passage. So let's put on the armor of God as highlighted in (Eph 6:11-18).

Prayer: Mighty, Holy and Immortal God, through the merits of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, deliver us from all evil. Amen.

Stay under the protection of the Most High

Fr. G.R. BIDZOGO SAC

Daily Reflections, June 19, 2023.

Christian Revolution

In this passage from the Gospel Mt 5, 38-48 Jesus invites his disciples to go beyond the law of revenge (the law of retaliation). The Christian “revolution” consists in seeking true justice without however practicing the law of retaliation, that is to say “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”.

It is not about condoning evil, violence and abuse from others, but about reacting positively, breaking the chain of evil with good deed to correct evil. Good drives out evil.
This could therefore lead the Christian to give up a legitimate right in order to avoid violence. Hence it is important to turn the other cheek, give up one's clothes or money or accept other sacrifices (cf. vv. 39-42). Christian love manifests itself in a special way in mercy which represents a higher realization of justice which is different from vengeance.

Let's be artisans of justice and peace!

Father G. R. BIDZOGO SAC

Under God's Protection

Luke 2:19: "Mary kept in mind all these things carefully in her heart"

Prayer: O Immaculate Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, we entrust ourselves to you, and by the infinite merits of the Sacred heart of Jesus, we are confident that you will bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Bring under your mantle of protection, O health of the sick, those who suffer from any kind of ailments and all who provide care for the sick andminister to their needs, as your Son implores us to do for one another.

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our prayers in our necessities but ever deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Sacred heart of Jesus may your kingdom come.

Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us!

Mary Immaculate of graces, pray for us!

Fr. G. R. BIDZOGO SAC