Wednesday of the 3rd week of Lent. Matthew 5:17-19

Perfecting the Law

Jesus did not come abolish but to fulfill the law, that is, to complete it  perfectly. Jesus invites his disciples to a full adherence to God’s moral law, both externally and internally. Saying “Jesus knows my heart” without living according to His commands is a contradiction. A “good heart” that deliberately disobeys God’s law is not truly good. Jesus makes it clear that those who obey and teach His commandments will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, while those who ignore them will be least. God’s love for us calls for our moral responsibility. 

Jesus, I trust in you

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Is. 7:10-14;8:10; Ps. 40; Heb. 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Is. 7:10-14;8:10; Ps. 40; Heb. 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38.

Filled with grace

St. Bernard of Clairvaux reminds us that God became man to make humankind sharers in his divinity, to redeem humanity and to offer the path to a deeper understanding of God and ourselves. To truly become divine, we should imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was full of grace. We need to open our hearts to God. We must also be filled with faith, hope and charity. What good news. God became a man like me!

Happy feast of the annunciation!

Fr. Georges sac

Monday of the 3rd week of Lent. 2 Kings 5:1-15; Luke 4:24-30

Longing for God.

As I baptized two kids yesterday, I could see the longing their parents to see getting baptized. Today's responsorial psalm (Ps 42/43) expresses such a deep longing for God: “My soul is thirsting for the living God” - This might have been the desire of Naaman after his healing. Lent invites us like Israel's people to truly thirst for God with that same urgency. Like the psalmist, we should seek God’s light and truth daily in order to reach God’s dwelling place. This implies that our faith is a journey, not just a position. We must hunger for God with humility in order to welcome his presence in our daily lives.

Jesus, I trust in you
Fr. Georges sac

Saturday of 2nd Week in Lent. Luke 15

Return to the Father

Lent invites us to return to the prodigal Father, whose love for us is unconditional. Like the younger son, we often abandoned God's love and care to seek for our own happiness from other Gods. May God give us the grace to quickly come to our senses and return to the true love of the Father.
Like the older son, we often live in the house of the Father as strangers, with no deeper relationship.
Let's always remember that, though sinners, God gave His own son to die for us (Romans 5:1; John 3:16).
Return to the Lord and regain your dignity of a child of God.

Jesus, I trust in Jesus
Fr. Georges sac

Friday of the 2nd week in Lent. Genesis 37:3---4.12-28; Ps 105; Mt21: 33-43.45-46

The power of God’s mercy

This Friday in the 2nd week of Lent offers two dramatic stories. The story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis 37 and the parable of the wicked tenants. We live in communities and families, where we find jealousy and betrayal. Lent invites us to avoid the attitude of jealousy of Joseph's brothers and selfishness and greed of the wicked tenants. Even in difficult circumstances and in our stubbornness, God cares and has the power to save us. He is running after us. God invites us to be good stewards with expected good fruits. He calls us to forgive our brothers as Joseph did. God’s mercy is always available for us so that we may become the conduit of God’s forgiveness and mercy.

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges R. BIDZOGO SAC

Thursday of the 2nd Week in Lent. Luke 16:19-31.

Close not your eyes to the vulnerable 

Where will we be when we die? Do we choose eternal joy with God? Or eternal torments in hell fire? In this season of Lent, the story of Lazarus and the rich man teaches us that, the worldly and earthly possessions are of no benefit in the afterlife. 

St. Augustine sees in this parable a warning against the dangers of neglecting the poor and the spiritual consequences of prioritizing wealth and earthly pleasures over faith and compassion for the many lazarus around us. Have I fell to be compassionate and charitable to the less privileged?

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary. 2 Samuel 7: 4-5a. 12 -14a.16; Romans 4:13.16-18.22

Joseph, our protector

We are blessed today to celebrate St Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He is known as patron saint of families, guardian of the universal Church, patron saints of workers and the dying. He is described as a righteous man. His life and attitude teaches us to protect the dignity and lives of others, especially the most vulnerable. In his moments of suffering and doubt, St Joseph opened his heart to listen to God in silence!

St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, pray for us!

Fr Georges sac

Tuesday, 2nd week of Lent C. Is. 1:10.16-20; Mt. 23:1-12.

Practice what you preach.

That is true discipleship; doing good and seeking justice is the best teacher in life. That is humility, which is the way to Christ. As St. Augustin stated, "It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. True discipleship is practicing what we believe. Do not say it. Show it; don't promise to prove it. Practice is always better than theory. Let's stay humble and kind this Lent.

Jesus, I trust In you
Fr. Georges sac

Monday, 2nd week of Lent, Year C. Luke 6:36-38.

Merciful just as the Father.

In the Bible, mercy refers to God's compassionate treatment and forgiveness, withholding punishment or harm that people deserve due to their sins.
Jesus invites us to be merciful, loving, forgiving just like our heavenly Father. Let's remember that the yardstick measure for our mercy, love, and forgiveness is not ourselves but God. Let's think and act just as God's will think and act. With St Faustina, God's mercy is his greatest attribute.

Jesus, I trust in you!

Fr. Georges sac

Saturday of the 1st week of Lent. Mt 5:43-48.

Strive for holiness 

 Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Christ, tells us that: “The patient man goes through a great and salutary purgatory when he grieves more over the malice of one who harms him than for his own injury; when he prays readily for his enemies and forgives offenses from his heart; when he does not hesitate to ask pardon of others; when he is more easily moved to pity than to anger; when he does frequent violence to himself and tries to bring the body into complete subjection to the spirit” 

Jesus invites us to seek holiness and perfection. The  CCC (2013) teaches that “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness: ‘Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.'  By inviting us to be perfect, Jesus is telling us that every person, enemy or not, is our neighbor, a brother or sister in Christ, whom we should love beyond measure and beyond boundaries.

Jésus I trust in Jesus

Fr. Georges sac

Friday of the 1st Week of Lent. Esther 4:17; Mt 7:7-12.

Métanoïa

Ezekiel and Jesus invite us to a change of heart. Lent is about repentance or metanoïa. It is about a complete return to God, not just words spoken out of desperation. The entire salvation history shows that God's mercy is available but must be received with awe and humility.

Since God's mercy is not limited by time, righteousness, too, is a lifelong journey, not a static achievement.

It is better to live each day in a spirit of metanoïa than to gamble one’s eternity on a final breath. Let's be constantly good. Be loving, watchful of our words and actions. St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that metanoïa is important for a life of virtue in union with God.

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Thursday of the 1st week of Lent. Mt 7:7-12

The power of prayer.

“Everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” True faith in God based in the confidence we put on in our prayer at all times. Bishop Baron reminds us that prayer is the source of dynamis, real power. This is the power that Queen Esther in the first reading, Theresa of Avila, Vincent Pallotti, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and John Paul II wielded: world-changing power. 

Jesus gives the assurance that all our prayers find answers. God's silence to some prayers does not mean denial but an answer in a different way.

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent. Luke 11:29-32

Repent and believe in the Gospel

What could make our generation evil according to today's readings?
A generation that is comfortable with sin and evil ways. Late Pope Benedict XVI calls it sin of relativism. We are deaf and blind to the wrong and evil things.
We often procrastinate about our repentance. But God's word in time of Lent is inviting us not to harden our hearts if we hear God's voice. Like the people of Nineveh who turned away from their sins, may we repent from our evil ways and sins. Amen.
Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15)

Jesus, I trust in you
Fr. Georges sac

Tuesday of 1st Week of Lent Mt 6: 7-15

Prayer is our hope
I always consider prayer as the sweetest moments of my days just because I speak to the one who loves me the most. In today Gospel Jesus teaches us to pray and invites us to pray like him.
When we pray like Jesus, we also imitate the Apostles and the saints. St. John Paul II sees the prayer of "our Father" as the summary of the Gospel, the core of our Christian faith and practices. Through this prayer, we connect with our loving Father expressing him our needs and hearts desires as well as our love for Him and our love for our neighbors.
Father, may thy kingdom come!

Jesus, I trust in you
Fr. Georges sac

Monday of the first week of Lent. Lev 19:1-18; Mt 25: 31-46.

Monday of the first week of Lent. Lev 19:1-18; Mt 25: 31-46.

True holiness.

Today's readings give us concrete ways to live holiness. It is not about religious observances and rituals but how we treat others. It is about practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

At the end of our lives, God will not ask, 'Did you give up meat or fast for 40 days?' He will ask, 'Did you love? Did you serve? Did you help the poor?' Did you forgive your neighbor? Did you show mercy as your Father is merciful.

Lent is not just about what we give up, but who we give to. Lent is about giving up our sins. That's true holiness.

Jesus, I trust in you.

Fr. Georges sac

Saturday after Ash Wednesday. Luke 5:27-32.

Nothing is worth Jesus

Levi leaves everything to follow Jesus to remind us all, that no wealth, no material resource, natural resource nothing is worth of the joy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jesus indeed came to save sinners and extend God's grace to All. Let's stay away from sin. That is the meaning of true Lent. Turning away from sins and opting for a new life in Jesus. To you as well Jesus is saying: "Follow Me".
Jesus, I trust in you
Jesus I trust in you!

Fr. Georges sac

Fasting!

It is not a competition or comparison with others. It is about self-restrain in order to turn to God. It is about disciplining our spirit. It is not really about the diet of food but the diet of the soul. It is attuning our habits to what pleases God. Isaiah gives us a list of those things. These are works of mercy towards the less privileged in the community. Such a fasting gives joy to the heart. Joy is the evidence of God's presence! Lent brings joy into our lives.
Jesus, I trust in you

Thursday after Ash Wednesday. Luke 9:20-25

Conditions to discipleship.

Denying ourselves is the first condition because Christian discipleship is not about self-promotion but self-denial.
Discipleship is about taking up our cross. Our lives find meaning on the Cross. The cross is our victory and our glory.
Discipleship means following Jesus, the Lord, not people or earthly possessions.
Yes, we are in the world but not from the world.

Jesus, I trust in you
Fr. Georges sac

Ash Wednesday, 3/5, 2025. Joël 2:12-18; 2 Cor 5:20; Mt 6. 1-6.

Time of great holiness

Ashes are a reminder of our mortality. Our lives have an expiring date. The goal is, therefore, the conversion of our hearts to return to God. For Mother Theresa Seeking holiness by listening to God's voice is the goal of Lent.
Ash Wednesday invites us to do three important things: Almsgiving - doing acts of goodness and love, mercy, and compassion.
Lent invites us to silent mediation on God's word.
Finally, the Lenten season is a training to become humble. Job reminds us that, naked, we came on earth, naked we shall return.
Running back to God is, therefore, the right way to turn away from sins.

Jesus, I trust in you.
Fr. Georges sac

Monday, 3/3, 2025. Mark 10:17–27

Desire of eternal life

Like the young rich man in today's gospel, the deep desire for eternal should be every human person's quest. This is right heart's desire, which is truly found in Jesus Christ. For St. August, Jesus is inviting to radical discipleship and detachment from worldly things. He calls us to be sincere in our faith and love. To inherit eternal life, it is not enough to have the desire, but we should be sincere and totally committed to follow Jesus in his way of life. Charity to the poor is at the heart of Jesus's requirements.  "What do I need to let go in order to follow, Jesus and have eternal life?"

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac