Friday of the 4th week in Lent. John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

You know me

Since the healing of the paralytic man, Jesus' speeches are directed to clarify his identity. In today's Gospel, he cries out to his listeners: "You know me and you know where I am from" (John 7:28). Jesus is divine, and to know him is to know God, his Father. St. Augustine said that Jesus has a unique and eternal relationship with God. Jesus is of divine origin. Do I know Jesus as my Savior and Redeemer? Such knowledge would definitely have an impact on our entire lives.

Jesus, I trust in you

Thursday of the 4th week in Lent. Exodus 32:7-14; Ps 105; John 5:31-47

Divine fidelity

God had just freed Israel from Egypt. However, in the wilderness, they decided to make golden calf to be their deity, forgetting the God who saved them(Ps105). In spite of his anger, God remembered his covenant with Abraham,  Isaac, and Jacob. God showed them his mercy; he is faithful from age to age. 

In the Gospel, the Jewish people failed to see in Jesus, the one whom the Scriptures point at. Jesus is, of course, the new "siloam," meaning sent by God to heal and to restore us. He is the final revelation of God’s divine fidelity to the world. How often do we forget God in our lives in spite of his faithful love for us?

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Wednesday of 4th week in Lent. Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30.

Wednesday of 4th week in Lent. Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30.

God is at work

Jesus affirms that the Father is at work, and so is the Son who, being one with the Father, has the authority to judge and give eternal life.
In the Old Testament, God's works are manifested through creation and through his covenant with his people. The main work of God is that of salvation. His promise to restore his people and bring them out of darkness is fulfilled in Christ, Jesus, the Son of Man. Each day, God cares for us, and his goodness and mercy are shown in all his works. God is at work in all creation through Jesus his Son!

Fr. Georges sac

Jesus, I trust in you

Tuesday of 4th week of Lent John 5:1-16; Ez 47:1-9, 12.

Tuesday of 4th week of Lent John 5:1-16; Ez 47:1-9, 12.

Becoming the flowing water.

Ezekiel speaks of the flowing water that gives life, and John tells us about the pool that brings healing to all who fall into it. The flowing water represents indeed Jesus, the stream of living water, who gives life to all things. Jesus is our provider and Healer.  Through his Church, word and the sacraments, Jesus continues to heal to renew and to give life to all who approach him with confidence. We are invited to become streams of flowing water by caring and bringing healing to our brothers and sisters within our society.

Jesus, I trust in you!

Fr. Georges sac

Monday of the 4th week of Lent 2025. Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-54.

“Go your son will live”

God is all-powerful. Nothing can limit his power. He can create new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17). For those who have faith in him, his graciousness is so tangible. The official whose son was ill believed in the word of Jesus and his son was healed. This was the second sign of Jesus after he had changed water into wine. Our faith in Jesus can change our hopeless situations, and our sorrows into joy; Our faith in Jesus can move mountains. Let ‘s put our trust in the Lord, for our hope cannot deceive us (Romans 5:5). Indeed the Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?

Jesus, I trust in you!

Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac

Saturday of the 3rd week in Lent. Luke 8:9-14

Be merciful to me, Lord

Our prayer should not be a person self - gratification or self - glorification but God's glorification. The publican in today's gospel teaches us about God's centered and never self-centered prayer. It is not about comparison, self-righteousness but humility and self-awareness.

The pharisee, in his pride, is full of himself, whereas the publican in his humility is filled with God, and he returns home satisfied.

God is gracious, kind, and merciful. Like the publican, may our prayer be a realization of our sinfulness, imperfections, and weaknesses in need of God's abounding mercy and grace.

Be merciful to me, poor sinner!

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Friday 3rd week in Lent Mark 12:28–34.

Friday 3rd week in Lent

Mark 12:28–34.

How far are we from the kingdom of God?

Everyday should draw us nearer to God's kingdom. The Scriptures suggest ways that help us to get closer to God.

1) Hearing and obeying God's word draws us to God's heart.

2)Making God's our top priority. Love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul

3)Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves is indeed an extension of the kingdom of God. That is the meaning of the sign of the cross, which embraces God and our neighbor.

Jesus, I trust in you

Fr. Georges sac

Thursday, 3rd week in Lent. Luke 11:14-23

Thursday, 3rd week in Lent. Luke 11:14-23

No matter how excellent we are, some people will always have something negative to say. Jesus went through the same experience as he delivered a man with a mute demon. His adversaries decided to accuse him of using the power of Belzebul, the chief of demons.

We can learn the following:
1) Keep doing what is right and do not let yourself be distracted by criticism and negative comments of the enemy.
2) As for us, let us train our minds to see the good in other people's actions.
3) Let's be on the side of God who unites and brings all people and all things together in Christ.
The question remains, do we truly believe in Jesus as our Saviour?

Jesus, I trust in you
Fr. Georges sac

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