Examination of conscience!
Psalm 139 invites us to a judicious examination of our conscience. David himself prays in these words: "Search me, my God, you will know my thoughts; test me, you will know my heart. See if I take the path of idols, and lead me on the path of eternity." This path to eternity consists, according to Paul, of avoiding hurting one's fellow human being and avoiding doing evil what is evil; It is an invitation to be merciful, compassionate and perfect like our Heavenly Father in heaven is perfect.
Mary Queen of Angels, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Wednesday in the 23rd week, Year B. 1 Cor. 7: 25-31; Ps. 44; Luke 6:20-26
Chastity!
Are you married, do not seek to divorce. Are you unmarried, do not seek to marry, says Paul.
St. Paul addresses the virtue of Chastity, which applies to all categories of christians. What is Chastity? It is restraining sexual activities outside marriage and within marriage, but with some limitations. It involves absolute and relative chastity, and both include temperance and the ability to control the desire for sexual pleasures. It is clearly in line with the beatitudes, for it focuses one's life on the values of God's kingdom. Let's develop the spirit of chastity through prayer, the sacrament and setting proper boundaries, guidance and traing the body in positive ways! Blessed are the pure in the spirit, for they shall see God (Mt 5:8).
Fr. Georges sac
Tuesday of the 23rd week, Year B. 1 Cor 6:1-11; Ps. 149; Luke 6:12-19.
Called to holiness!
Through our baptism, we have been called like the twelve apostles today, then washed and sanctified. Hence, our actions in the world should be different. For us to inherit the kingdom of heaven we must let go of our sinful attitude of lust, idolatry, fornication, prostitution, envy, theft, greed, drunkenness, robbery, corruption, slander, sloth, laziness. Like Jesus we must spend our time in prayer for our daily decisions to make. Santification is the goal of Christian life! We are sent as Jesus disciples to live such a life in the world.
All heavenly powers of God, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Monday of the 23rd week, Year B. 1Cor 5: 1-8; Ps 5 Luc 6:6-11.
Paul vehemently denounces the sexual immortality of one member in the Christian community who is sleeping with his father's wife as prohibited in Deuteronomy 18: 8) while others members, eaten by pride have remained indifferent to sin. These behaviors are anti-Christianity. Christianity is all about purifying our old ferments.
Christ Jesus came purify and heal our hearts withered by as he does with the man with a withered hand. We called to a daily conversion, which should consist in rejecting our sinful acts and doing goods like Jesus who uses the Sabbath to do good, to heal and bring others to the right paths.
All heavenly powers, pray for us!
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Thursday of 22nd week Year B. 1 Corinthians 4: 1-15; Luc. 6: 1-5
Christian attitude
Today's liturgy teaches us a Christian attitude, which consists of selfless love. This means, when we are reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when we're slandered, we try to reconcile. The disciple must walk the way of Jesus. Christian life is a life of the Béatitudes as described in Matthew 5:1-12. What counts is a life in the spirit of Christ, detached from materialism, greed, pride, and selfish ambitions.
Happy weekend!
Fr. Georges sac
Friday of the second week Year B. 1 Cor. 4:1-5
Having a pure heart!
St Paul invites us to be worthy of being called auxiliary and stewards of Jesus Christ. Am I worthy of Christ’s confidence in my actions and deeds? Check for instance whether your heart is sincere in whatever you do: your prayers, your fasting, your relationships with God and others… Remember God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God sees in the secret (Mt. 6:3-4). May we cultivate pure, sincere and honest relationships based on true love of God and of one another! Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God (Mt. 5:8)
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Thursday of the 22nd week in ordinary Time year B. 1 Corinthians 3:18-23. Luke 5:1-11;
Duc in altum mare! Cast your net into the deep!
The miraculous episode of the miraculous catch of the fish represents the invasion of God’ grace. All we need is obedience and cooperation to his word as he joins us in our personal boat of life. At your command, Lord, I will cast the net” Are you ready to obey or to cooperate with Jesus once he decides to get into your boat?
For the apostles everything else in our lives is secondary when the Lord Jesus Christ gets into our boat. There, then, he will always lead you to the depths. Duc in altum Mare!
Fr. Georges Sac
Tuesday of the 22nd week in Year B. 1Cor 2: 10b-16; Ps 144 Luc 4: 31-37. St. Albert the Great.
The secret hidden in the word.
The Word of God is powerful and it is preached for all to be saved. However one needs to have faith and to be disposed to it so that it may yield abundant fruits. The first fruit is the powerful presence and impact of the Holy Spirit who opens us to the mystery of God’s salvation by opening us more and more to the word and welcoming the word into our existence as the Good news of our salvation. Such a word, which is the word of Christ himself, has the power to defeat and cast out any kind of evil spirit because they are submitted to Christ authority and power. This is the secret of God’s word!
All Powers of Heaven, pray for us!
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Monday of the 22nd week year B. 1 Cor. 2: 1-5; Luke 4:16-30.
This word is fulfilled in your hearing
Paul and the rest of the Apostles brought to us the Good News of Salvation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Christ, who was anointed by the Spirit, and that he is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah. It's not an exposition of human wisdom and philosophy but the experience in faith the crucified Jesus. Such experience opens us to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which makes us witness the power of the loving presence of God to the world. It is a salvific and liberative presence. For all who believe this word is fulfilled in their hearing.
All you angels and heavenly powers, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Saturday of the 21st week, year B. Mt. 25: 14-30.
Make use of your gifts for God's kingdom.
The parable of the talents gives us a clear message. God is generous to each of us, and he expects us to use the gifts and abilities He has given us to grow and build His kingdom.
God gives life, and we must learn to give our lives away for others. Let's us think of the talents as everything that we’ve received from God - life, love, breath, being, joy, money, cars, voice, intelligence, and powers. Because they come from God, they are meant to become gifts. If you cling to them, in the manner of the third servant, they don’t grow; in fact, they wither away. Giving always brings joy! (Acts 20:35).
Angels and powers of heaven, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Friday of the 21st week, year B. 1 Cor. 1, 17-25; Ps. 32; Mt. 25: 1-13.
Paul is inviting humanity to discover the wisdom of the cross, the true wisdom of God. The wisdom of the cross is love, the true oil that defines our Christian life. Preparedness and vigilance are key for those who truly love God. They are always guided by the Holy Spirit. This makes the difference between the wise and the foolish virgins.
May our hearts always be filled with the oil of love for God and for our neighbors!
Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Thursday, August 29, 2024. The passion of John the Baptist.
Courage and faithfulness!
The memorial of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord, is an inviting us to be courageous and faithful disciples of Christ. John spoke out against King Herod's marriage, which was not allowed under Jewish law. He was beheaded as a reward to Salome, Herodias, daughter, for her beautiful dance at Herod's party.
We pray that we may stand up for the truth even in the midst of the adversities of this world.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
August 28, 2024 St. Augustine.
Cultivating an interior life
In St Augustine’s Confessions, we can read:
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you. You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness, I plunged into the lovely things that you created. You were with me, but I was not with you.”
St. Augustine’s words are an invitation to “cultivate an interior life in order to find what you are looking for,”
"Our life is the most precious ‘book’ that is given to us. Failing to read it is failing to discover God's miracles in our personal lives.
St. Augustine of Hyppo, pray for us!
Tuesday 27, 2024. Mt. 23:23-26.
Interior Cleaning
“Cleanse first the inside of the cup…”
We should tend to our souls and make sure the intentions behind our actions are holy motivations. We need to check our heart frequently so that we can work with purity of intention. Sometimes, we work only to present an appearance to others, to appear virtuous and holy, but inside, we are filled with negative judgments, such as lack of charity, love, forgiveness, and purity. Virtue comes from within the heart of a person, where the Spirit dwells and inspires as he wills. We need to be attentive to the Holy Spirit and follow his lead.
Fr Georges sac
Feast of Bartholomew. Rev.21: 9-14; Ps144; John 1:45-51.
Come and see
Very little is known about Bartholomew or Nathaniel, “a name that means God has given.'"
He is doubtful that Jesus' origin who is from Nazareth. God's freedom surprises our expectations. God is sometimes found where he is least expected."
We need to become like Phillip, who invited Nathaniel to meet Jesus personally: ‘Come and see!’ he said. May we all help others to have a living experience with Christ Jesus so that they come to the profession of the faith. Our witnessing is very important for the exposition of the Catholic faith.
St. Bartholomew, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Friday of the 20th week year B. Ez. 37:1-28; Ps. 107; Mt. 22:34-40
Dry Bones shall live!
The vision of the dry bones of prophet Ezekiel represents the deep crisis and hopelessness of Israel due to their exilic conditions. They are like separated dry bones in a deep valley. Yet,
this crisis will lead to renewal. God to whom nothing is impossible will restore his people and bring them back to their land. It foreshadows the experience of the glory and resurrection to come.
Whatever hopeless situation and condition that we find ourselves in will always have a resurrection point. Never give up for God will never give up on you! Love and have hope!
Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Thursday of the 20th week year B. Ex. 36:23-28; Ps. 51; Mt. 22:1-14.
A new heart!
The people of Israel have sinned by delving into idolatry. they lost their freedom, their land, their peace, and joy of God's children. The prophet Ezekiel makes a powerful promise according to which, there will soon be a restoration. God will do something new in their lives (Rev 21:5). He will give them a new heart. Jesus fulfilled this promise through his death and resurrection.
That love that springs forth from a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5) are indeed the true sign of the wedding garment which God requests from everyone who is freely invited to partake at the eternal banquet.
Immaculate the heart of Mary, pray for us!
Wednesday of the 20th week, year B. Ez. 34:1-10;Ps 22; Mt. 20: 1-16.
Called to be good shepherds
Jesus is the model of the true shepherding as promised by God to humanity (Jer 3:15). When parents, teachers, priests, bishops, the Pope, and civil leaders live up to their responsibilities of charity according to their states of lives, they become shepherds after the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John10:1-11).
Lord, make me trustworthy, sincere in my relationships and totally committed to love and to care for others as Jesus did. Shepherdship is about loving like Jesus would love.
Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us!
Fr. Georges sac
Tuesday of the 20th week in ordinary Time. Ezekiel 28:1-10; Ps Deut 32; Mt 19:23-30
I kill and I make alive
The prince of Tyre in the Book Ezekiel, Emperor Nero, king Nebucadnezar, many other kings, philosophers, scientists, and so many of us, because of our intelligence, wisdom, power and wealth or so called freedom often think that, we have become not like God but “gods”. This illusion misleads and misguides our world today. God reminds us of his uniqueness in being, in power, in creating, in actions, in time and in space as he is the only true, omnipotent, irresistible, Almighty and everliving God. God affirms his uniqueness: I kill and make alive; I wound and heal (Deut.32:39) There is only one God who can do all things. There is no other. We are all creatures. Let’s put aside our pride and any other relationship that tries to overtake the space of God in our lives and in our world!
O, Immaculate Heart of Mary teach us how to love God above all things!
Fr. Georges R. BIDZOGO SAC
Reflection of Monday of the 20th week year B. Ez. 24: 15-24; Mt.19:16-22.
Sell them, and give them to the poor!
The young wealthy and pious man wishes to become a disciple of Jesus. In spite of great desire, he became sad at the end because his wish is confronted with Jesus 's request of detachment from material wealth, which includes our generosity towards the poor. True discipleship consists of putting the kingdom of God above all. One must be ready to give up everything or to use whatever they own for its sake. It is not enough to know God's will but to go forth with God's will even when this might be hard. A true disciple is not just about keeping the laws but to be a good Samaritan who takes care of his neighbor. It is a matter of a change of mind and attitude; yes, discipleship with Jesus is a change of heart!
Happy New week
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac