Daily Reflections, 09 December 2023. Is. 30: 19-21. 23-26; Ps 146; Mt 9:35-10, 1.5a. 6-8

The God of Hope

The beautiful passage of Isaiah 30:19-21. 23-26 and today’s gospel, reminds me of another beautiful and powerful passage from Psalm 56:8: “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? You keep track of all my sorrows.” Talking to people who were anxious and desperate, Isaiah invited his fellow-Jewish to talk to God for he would answer. He is a God of Commission and abundant mercy” (Psalm 86:15). The time of Advent is a reminder that our God hears when we cry out and delivers us from all our troubles (Psalm 34:17). Are broken hearted? The Lord is near you. Are you living in a deep situation of sin? The Lord has come to save you. Are you afflicted by anything? Know that the Lord is coming to deliver you!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit! (Romans 15:13)

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC

The immaculate conception; Gen 3:9, 15-20; Ps 97; Eph1, 3-6.11-12; Lc 1:26-38

Jesus saves us all including, Mary his Mother (Luke 1:44)

In the Catholic Church, four dogmas refer to Mary: 1) the Perpetual Virginity; 2) Divine Motherhood; 3) Immaculate Conception; 4) Assumption into Heaven. This feast is different from the virginal conception of Jesus. The immaculate conception is an expression of the Catholic faith. Mary was preserved by God from sin at the conception and throughout her life. Mary is not sinless by nature but by grace. Unlike Jesus who is sinless by nature as he is the God who created and redeemed his own Mother. Mary herself calls Jesus, her “Saviour” (Luke 1:47ff). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that she was “redeemed in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son” (CCC #492) The Virgin Mary is the most fully redeemed of all creatures. She is “fully of grace” (Kecharitomene) (Luke 1:28). Henceforth, she is an exception to the phrase: “for all have sinned and fallen short of God’s grace…” (Rom. 3:23). Pope Puis IX explains that this was “a single and unique privilege” for God even promised to put enmity between Satan and the Woman, that is Mary (Genesis 3:15). In Immaculate Conception of Mary, the focus is not Mary, but the perfect celebration of Jesus’ works of redemption in her. In the immaculate conception of Mary we see the fulness and the perfection of Christ’s redemptive work from the moment he made her. She is conceived without the stain of sin; she is full of grace from the moment she is conceived. Therefore she is the perfect instrument of Christ's redemptive works in our life for we need a mother to make it to heaven. Mary is the exemplar for us and the new creation as she is indeed the new Ark of the Covenant (Revelation 11: 19 ff). The immaculate conception is about God’s powerful grace to save humanity. It calls us to seek for holiness, to strive to be perfect as our Father is perfect. Whenever we live faithfully and virtuously, we raise up our fallen humanity. I pray that like Mary, you will be a “better Eve” of obedience and faithfulness to God. Eve chased us away from the garden due to her disobedience but Mary brought us back to the garden through her obedience. Queen conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee! May we all strive to have immaculate hearts, hearts ready for God; hearts that listen to God's word; hearts that are opened to accomplish God’s plan.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee

FR. Georges sac

Daily Reflection, 07 December 2023. Is. 26:1-6; Ps 117; Mt 7 : 21. 24 – 27

St Ambrose of Milan

Wise or foolish builder !

If we do not live out the Word of God we hear on a daily basis, then we would be resting on a weak foundation (sinking sand), heading for a spiritual collapse in times of adversities, trials, tribulations, etc. We must put God’s word into practice, then we are building upon Christ, the Solid Rock. The first reading Isaiah 26, speaks of a strong city which the Lord will build. Whenever we act on God’s word, we become wise builders, the strong city built upon the solid rock. As we continue to prepare for the coming of Christ in this Advent season, we pray to remain firmly established on the Word of God and Christ the Rock of our salvation. (Psalm 62:6-8). Indeed, if our life is rooted in Christ, the Rock, we become strong, steadfast, consistent and not shaken. Are you wise  or a foolish builder?

Lord, strengthen my foundation!

Daily Reflections December 06, 2023. Is. 25:6-10; Ps 23; Mt15:29-37. St Nicolas

The Messianic banquet

The prophet Isaiah continues to console us and to bring us hope. Our tears will be wiped away and  death will be destroyed forever. Yesterday, he reminded us that the Advent season is a time to prepare for the arrival of the reign of the Messiah. Today, he speaks about the heavenly banquet or Messianic banquet, where the christian faithful, in particular the martyrs, go following heaven. This indeed the imagery of the Eucharist which is an anticipation of the new heaven. Jesus gives himself to us at the table of the Eucharist (Holy mountain), which is symbolised by the multiplication of loaves and the fish. The Eucharist is the self-giving of God, who is generous and compassionate. “ I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me for three days, and have nothing to eat.” (Mt 15: 32) In the Eucharist, we celebrate the Victory of God for nations through Christ, who had conquered sin and death. In the Eucharist, Christ feeds us; he heals us from all our iniquities. Christ in the Eucharist shares his very life with us, changes and transforms us. He gives us hope to celebrate the eternal banquet in heaven with his Father. Every Eucharist is a manifestation of God’s love for us!

May every eucharist celebrated today bring you healing body, mind and spirit. Through them, may every tear be wiped away from your eyes!

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections December 05, 2023. Is. 63:16-63, 2b-7; Ps 79

The Messianic era at home!

Isaiah, the prophet of hope, prophesied the messianic era that means the moment where the kingdom of God’s justice, righteousness and peace will prevail. That is the era of Jesus Christ the anointed Son of God on whom God’s spirit of wisdom will dwell. Isaiah in an allegorical fable. Isaiah describes the era when true love and righteousness will be at home with the people. The area where the wolf, that is the powerful, the wicked, the greedy, the mighty will dwell with the lamb, that is the weak, the poor  and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and lion playing with a little child leading them. The messianic era is that very moment that the world would truly accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christ becomes the reference and the goal of our existence, the solutions to our problems. The messianic era is that very era whereby, nations are no longer exploiting others, every human being is threatened not as a means or an object, but as an end as an a subject; where our relationship with God matters than any other thing and heaven is our raison – d’etre, that is the Messianic era at home.    

Father God, you so loved the world that you gave us your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, help us to open our hearts and minds to welcome

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily reflections, December 01, 2023. Dan7: 2-14; Lk21: 29-33

His Word is Eternal 

The prophet Daniel today, speaks of "one like the son of man, coming on the clouds of heaven." This is an image that Our Lord used of Himself in His teaching. He is true God and true Man who gives us salvation. To Him belongs all powers, honor and glory forever and ever Amen.

In our Gospel text, Jesus speaks to the disciples about how people are able to read the signs of the seasons. In the same way, these signs will indicate that the kingdom is near and that although people may die, the words of Christ will never pass away. We welcome in our hearts the one whose words are eternal. 

Fr. Georges sac

Daily Reflections, November 29, 2023. Dn 2:31-45; Ps 49; Lc 21:5-11.

The Bible records three important moments where God writes visibly. In Deuteronomy 9:10, where he writes on two stone stables to give the law to men; In Daniel 5:5, 24-28, where he writes on a wall and finally, Jesus on the ground to resolve the question of the woman caught in the crime of adultery (John 8:3-11). In this chapter 5 of the book of Daniel, Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, has just desecrated the sacred vessels brought from the Temple in Jerusalem by his father. During the banquet a hand writes on the wall: “You have been weighed in the scales and you have been found too light.” According to the divine interpretation that God gave to Daniel, this is the fall of King Belshazzar and the kingdom of Syria. God sees all our actions and he writes on the wall of our lives every day. Yes, our faith in Jesus and our actions, good or bad, determine our fall or our rising and our happiness.

Fr Georges sac

Daily Reflections November 28, 2023. Dn 2:31-45; Ps 49; Lc 21:5-11.

Nothing permanent on this earth

Nebuchadnezzar, the great Babylonnian, wealthy and powerful king has a traumatizing dream of a glorious statue. Its head is made of pure gold. Chest and arms of silver. Belly and thighs of bronze. Legs of iron. Feet partly iron and clay (vv. 31–33). Then a rock, not made by human hands, cut and smashed the statue at the feet of iron and clay and the whole thing came crashing down. The world is made with all kinds of kingdoms and kings, these include the weak, the rich and the strong, the mixed  and the antichrist just like Nebuchadnezar. No earthly power, no earthly kingdom and king, no matter how powerful and great, it might be, is eternal. Nothing on this earth lasts forever. As beautiful as it is, the temple of Jerusalem will not be eternal.  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Luke 21:33)The Rock, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings who has dominion over all things will destroy all evil kingdoms. Let us be careful not to be led astray. There is only One Saviour, One Redeemer, One Lord and eternal King, Jesus Christ. Let us follow him and give God the glory for evermore!

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 25, 2023. 1Mc 6: 1-18; Ps 49; Lk 20:27-40. St. Catherine of Alexandria

Heaven, a Home in its own kind

Today’s gospel, responds to one of our daily preoccupations, what heaven looks like. Are you going to continue to do the same types of activities, marrying, getting married, eating and drinking and even dying? What will our lives become and to whom will we belong? Our God is not a God of the dead but of the living. This was Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees. This answer is valid for us as well as for all generations. After death, there is life because we belong to the God of love and of abundant life. That is the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3). In death, our human customs, and habits disappear for we “become like angels” as Jesus said. Marriage and other physical activities all focus on loving God alone and “nothing not even death, can separate us from the love of God'' (Romans 8:31). So when we pass on we do not retain our earthly qualities that focus our attention on ourselves or other people ourselves, but God. Heaven is a different place with love and God as the only focus!  Lord, Help me to love heaven now by loving others just like how You love me and so that I may follow the attitude of Christ. Amen.                                                                                                                                                                                              

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 24, 2023. 1M 4: 36-37.52-59; Ps 49; Lc 19:45-48. Andrew Dung - Lac, Priest and his companions

Purify your heart!

Our lives, our society as well as our worship or religion have been corrupt and diluted. Today many are using Religion as device for their material gain; as a power to brainwash and manipulate people instead of making of a powerful instrument of worship and liberation.  The temple of God must draw us closer to God and become more and more like Him. No wonder John the Baptist could tell Jesus: “I must decrease and He must increase” (John 3:30). The aim of our worship is to increase the presence and the power of the divine in us so that our fleshy passions may decrease.  By cleansing the temple Jesus explicitly attacks by words and actions the corruption that was taking place within the temple by the chief priests who were benefitting from the collected taxes.  So we must fight against corruption in all its forms. May our message against corruption be firm and our actions be bold! Above all Jesus is concerned about the temple of our heart which is the first place of encounter with God. Jesus tells us that “the lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But if it is bad the full body will be full of darkness” (Mt 6:22-33). Our relationship with the neighbor often depends on the cleanliness of our heart. And my heart will truly be God’s temple if I see God as love, as forgiveness and mercy as revealed by Jesus. My heart can truly become a temple of prayer and worship if only I allow the Holy Spirit to remove from it, the lies, the cheating, the stealing, and the anger and anything that opposes God’s spirit.

Lord, may you find love and worship in the temple of my heart. May I worship you in spirit and in truth (Jean 4:24)

Daily Reflections November 22, 2023. 1M 2:15-29; Ps 49; Lc 19:41-44

Thanksgiving Day!

Here in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, which is an almost 400-Year- old Tradition that originated in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1621. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it an official national holiday in 1863. Since then, every fourth Thursday in November in the US, families have tables with a lot of food (roasted Turkeys and pie) and drinks to celebrate Thanksgiving! It is crazy –great day of celebration and joy, traveling, spending time with families and friends, watching football (NFL) and parades. All these will culminate in the amazing Black Friday! All this is good and important as it revives the cultural diversity and the encounter of families and friends. One question remains, have we maintained God’s love and our integrity to true worship? Mattathias in 1 Maccabees (2:15-29) protects the integrity of the altar of God against the pagan king, Antiochus, his acolytes and their pagan’s profanations. Have we not let our nation be profaned by all sorts of deviations? The people of Israel, like those of our society have seen miracles and wonders yet have remained blind and dumb to the message of Christ and acknowledged Jesus Christ as our Sole Savior. Observing this blindness and these abominations, Jesus continues to weep. We can truly give thanks with all our heart if we acknowledge God’s love for us and Jesus as our Savior!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Jesus!

Happy thanksgiving!

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 22, 2023. 2 Maccabees 7: 1:1.20-31; Ps 17; Luke 19:11-28. St Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

St Cecilia is known as one of the Christian women who suffered percussion in the 2nd century. She remained faithful rather than denying her Savior Jesus. Therefore, like the seven brothers in 2Maccabees 7, she endured the torture, the suffering with courage and patience because of her hope in the Lord.  Cecilia, Just like the seven Jewish brothers, who were encouraged by their faith-filled mother, also accepted the martyrdom. They all refused to lose their virginity, understood as innocent their state of grace and wholeness. So many have compromised with the world and lost their virginity. We lose our virginity, when we succumb to wealth without working (Easy-Money; Easy –Life); when we seek pleasure or science without conscience and without humanity; that is a loss of our innocence; When pursue knowledge without character and virtue. When we do politics without ethics and principles that is a loss of character. This is harmful; it is dangerous. It is dividing and killing unity and humanity. Doing commerce without morality is the loss of our child-like. Even worship without sacrifice is a loss of innocence. Brethren, in order to be rewarded at the end of times, we must accept to take risks with our own lives! “Whoever loses his life will find it (Luke 9:24). We need to remain faithful to prayer if we are to stand firm against the adversity of this world. O lord hear a cause that is just; pay heed to my cry. Turn your ear to my prayer. May St Cecilia, pray for us to return to childlike innocence!

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 21, 2023. 2Maccabees 6: 18-21; Ps 3; Luke 19:1-10. The Presentation of Mary.

Be open to God’s grace

Way back to the 6AD, an ancient tradition based on the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of James (or the Protoevangelium of James (AD) attests that Mary was taken to the temple in Jerusalem by her parents when she was 3-years-old and was dedicated to God. Anne and Joachim who were barren and very advanced in age, receive a heavenly message that they will bear a child. So they decided in thanksgiving to take Mary to the temple and to consecrate her to the Lord. Today, we celebrate God’s free choice to dwell in the Blessed Virgin Mary in a very special way. And Mary responded to this privilege by giving her entire life for the service of God. “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) Eleazar in the 2 Maccabees 6, Anne and Joachim, the parents of Mary are holy example and inspiration to parents and all generations, to offer their lives to the Lord through the sacrament of Baptism. In that very sacrament, we are not only offered to the Lord, but we also become the temple of the living God; temple of integrity and truth and vessels of God’s salvation. Whoever follows Jesus on this earth, like Mary will also follow Him in heaven as she did!

Lord help us to always be opened to your grace and dedicate ourselves to you all the days of our lives as Mary did.

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 20, 2023. 1 Maccabees 1: 1-15-64; Ps 119; Luke 18:35-43

What do you choose: Mercy or Money?

Today as Jesus is approaching Jericho, a man who was blind and begging by the roadside heard about Him. The blind man, whom St Mark calls “Bartimeaus” (Marc 10:46-52) cried out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”. From this cry, we understand that Bertimaeus who had heard about Jesus and had decided to put his faith in him not only as “Man of Nazareth” but as the Son of David, which means, The Messiah, The Saviour and the Redeemer. He did not ask for money but mercy. Whenever we show faith, God shows his mercy. Whenever we show faith, God stops at our door and he asks this beautiful question: what do you want me to do for you? Our physical blindness is never a barrier to reach out to God and to one another. But our spiritual blindness is indeed the grave sin Jesus came to set us free from. “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains” (John 9:41). Bartimaeus represents every human being on the roadside of the world, begging for God’s mercy in order to be set free from our spiritual blindness. Jesus is asking you the same question today: “What do you want me to do for you?”    

Lord, I’m blind. Let me receive my sight; that I may see you in everything; that I may see as you see. Amen.

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 18, 2023. Wis18 :1-16 ; 19 :6-9 ; Ps 105; Luke 18 :1-8

Pray, God will vindicate you!

Jesus is just about to enter Jerusalem to lay down his own life as we hear St Luke say: “After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. His disciples must be faithful and faith-filed until he comes again. Like this widow who perseveres in prayer until the unrighteous judge vindicates her against her adversary, so we must be encouraged to pray with perseverance. Our daily prayer is not a burden, or an option but a privilege to grow in the faith and the love of God. The beautiful contrast that Jesus establishes in this parable is a clear indication that, if the unrighteous judge can assist this widow, there is no way, the loving and merciful God will fail to vindicate us when we cry to Him. It does not matter then, how long it takes us to wait for our prayers to be answered, or the length of his second coming, we must remain faithful! Only those who are faithful and faith-filled will be vindicated at the end of time!

Lord grant me the gift of perseverance in prayer

Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections November 17, 2023. Wis 13:1-9, Ps18; Luc 17:26-37. St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

 It is foolishness to ignore God - Creator

Through the cosmological argument for the existence of God, that we can find in this excerpt of the Book of Wisdom, the book of Job, and the letter of St. Paul Apostle to the Romans 1:19-20, today’s readings invites us to conclude that just in looking at created things, we can already imagine the omnipotence, the omnipresence, the omniscience, the incomparable greatness, the uncreated wisdom, the magnificence, the excellence and perfection of the Creator. In each of the works we must see the Main Craftsman.

Only God creates from nothing. All sciences only exist and can invent from what already exists. It is absurd to look at the lights of the heavens, the surging power of the sea with respect while we do not bow at all towards the Creator of all these powers. All creation reveals the Creator and all pagans actually worship God in His creation without realizing it. No wonder to hear the Psalmist say that the heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament tells of the work of his hands (Ps 18). Let's stop our delusions of grandeur. Let us be wise like Noah and Lot. Let us open our hearts to the signs of God and his Word and we will be saved. Let us strive to be ready for the day of the Lord!

 Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac

Daily Reflections, November 16, 2023

The kingdom of God is among us In this gospel, Jesus reminds us, as he did with the Pharisees, that the coming of the kingdom is not a question of signs to be explored. The kingdom of God is already already here. Jesus is among us. “Jesus, Wisdom incarnate, the Word incarnate, became flesh and dwelt among us” (John: 1). With the presence of Jesus, the kingdom of God is already among us.

We must live from his message and we must live from him, by him and for him. So there is no question of wasting time looking for signs but we must live as members of the kingdom of God. Unlike the Pharisees who refused to believe in Christ's message, they did not see in his teaching the presence of the kingdom of God among them.

Open my eyes, Lord, to the presence of your kingdom in our midst! Fr. Georges sac

Daily Reflections, November 15, 2023. Wis 6:1-11; Ps 81; Luke 17:11-19. St Albert, The Great, Doctor of the Church

Healed from the leprosy of my sin!

In today’s gospel, Jesus heals ten (10) lepers who approached him saying: “Master, have mercy on us”. The Bible tells us that leprosy was considered a very shameful disease. Those who suffered from any skin disease of the like were excluded, rejected and were beggars left to live on the roadside or away from the inhabitants. Jesus, the compassionate God, indeed came to restore, to heal both, the leprosy sins in our body and soul. He indeed came so that we “may have life and have if to the full” (John 10:10). No wonder he also sent his disciples instructing them: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely you give.’ Only those with faith and thankful heart will truly experience such a gift of salvation as we can hear his word to the only leper who came back to give him thanks: “Rise and go your way; your faith had made you well” (Luke 17:19)

Master, have mercy on us. Save us!

Fr. Georges sac

Daily Reflections, November 14, 2023. Wis 2:23-3, 9; Ps 33; Luke 17:7-10

Far from considering us as useless servants, who do not deserve esteem, Jesus would like us to understand that we are neither indispensable nor necessary, irreplaceable for the Master's mission. The future of the kingdom depends neither on our efficiency nor our excellence. It doesn’t even depend on us and yet our future depends on the actualization of the kingdom in our midst. The disciples who had just asked him for additional faith, - “Increase our faith! » must learn to consider themselves as servants of any kind, whom the master could do without. So, we should just do what Christ asks us to do! Let’s not try to play champions of the faith or super-apostles!’ Above all, Christ calls free men and women, who are neither forced to believe in God nor forced to serve him. We respond to his call that God makes to us every day, not out of obligation, but fidelity to ourselves, to our own convictions, and in gratitude to God, who is eternally faithful to his promises!

Lord, I am happy to be your servant!

Daily Reflections, November 13, 2023. Wis 1:1-7; Ps 139; Luke 17:1-6.

Am I the cause of the scandal?

The word scandal is an “untoward, shocking effect, having a great impact on the public, produced by facts, acts and deeds, words or remarks considered to be moral or customary”. According to the Bible, the word scandal – skandalon, is a kind of trap placed in the way, an obstacle to bring down. Symbolically, it is every behavior or attitude that can cause another to sin or to fall, even lose their faith or leave the church. Being an occasion that causes others to fall is serious enough on all levels. This is why Jesus reiterates it to us when he says: “Jesus said to his disciples: “It is inevitable that scandals will arise, occasions of stumbling; but unfortunate is he by whom this happens! » (Lk 17, 1) For Pope Francis “being a Christian and acting like a pagan who does not believe is a scandal”. When the confessed faith is not lived, we experience a situation of scandal.  It is scandalous to see a Christian who refuses to forgive and to love others.

Lord help me to strictly live my faith as it is professed!

Fr. Georges sac