"Like Sheep Without A Shepherd"

Today's Gospel passage gives us a picture of Jesus' ministry (Mt 9: 23-38). proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom driving out demons, and curing diseases and illnesses, along with dealing with the skepticism of the Pharisees.  Jesus reminds us strongly that the needs are great, too great for one person to deal with, and urges us to pray for more laborers to help with the harvest.
This request is 2000 years old, but it never seems to be fulfilled.  Perhaps in these unsettling and turbulent times, people of all ages might take stock and see what they can offer to this world which seems to be falling apart at the seams.  These laborers don't have to be perfect, or multi-talented, just sincere, honest and faith-filled.  God will do the rest. The lives of saints show us over and over that it's not the talented and strong that he chooses, but the ordinary Joe or Jane, but then works his "magic" by transforming them gradually into effective shepherds. Let us pray that more and more people during these exceptionally troubled  times, take the leap of faith and become laborers for God's harvest.
Bro. Rene

To Touch Our Lives

 Note: There was no Slice of Bread on July 6, due to a wonderful visit from one of my nephews, followed by a visiting nurse...some things are beyond our control.   Here is a reflection on the Gospel passage for July 6, along with a slice of bread for for July 7.

Two miracles in today's gospel (Mt 9:18-26) involve physical contact with Jesus: the hemorrhaging widow.and the daughter of an official. The healing touch of Jesus is what we need often enough in our daily journey:  sometimes physical healing, sometimes healing of spirit, sometimes just an assurance of his presence through others or in our daily prayer.  Our lives can be touched by a reading, by a conversation, by a gesture of kindness from a friend, family member or stranger.  We ourselves might be that healing touch for someone else. May we not be oblivious to the power Jesus has to reach us or others through us.  "Dear God, use me as an instrument of your healing power and keep me open to receive healing from others."
Bro. Rene

Come To Me

In these days of limited activity, limited contact, masks, fears, violent attacks on people and history, and uncertainty of the future, we are in desperate need of a stabilizing force. Jesus says to us: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn form me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light. (Mt 11:26-30)  We need to hear this invitation, as familiar as it is, now and again and again.  Where else will we find the strength, the comfort and consolation we need during these trying (to say the least), times. Jesus is that stabilizing force, that strength and assurance we need that we can and will survive these challenges with his help.  We need Jesus now, more than in anytime in our past lives. We see how weak we are without him, but hear his promise of rest, and that he is right there with us to help us carry this yoke of back-breaking dimensions, perhaps the heaviest we have ever experienced in our lives.  Let us take some time today to be with Jesus and take advantage of his love and grace to see us through this day and the days ahead.
Bro. Rene

New Wine

Today's Gospel passage,(Mt 9:14-17), although not directly associated with our Independence Day celebrations across the USA, has a lot to offer, this year, in particular. If we are to preserve good wine, we cannot pour it into old wine skins, for they will burst and all will be lost. No, "Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved." (Mt 9:17).  Most of us have never seen a wine skin, so we just accept the analogy, but as we look around us this year of so much illness, death and discord, we know it's time to take a good look at our values, our life-styles, our beliefs and our religious practices.
In the USA we are celebrating our independence from our ruler, England, a move which required fighting and death,  Our victory led to the establishment of a country which recognized the basic rights and freedom of every individual, a utopia that has still not been fully achieved, and which is suffering severe growth pains today. Was it too much of a dream to conceive such a nation? Our history reminds us that the dream, though as difficult and challenging as it is to implement, has withstood other critical moments, the Civil War, being the most painful. When we return to prayer, humility and true love of God and one another, there can be peace.  We need new wine skins to hold our treasured wine of freedom and drink it as we would new wine.
Dear God, help us to turn to you so that we may see with clear vision how best to live out the ideals of our Founding Fathers.
Bro  Rene

Doubts Are Always With Us

Note: An unexpected return to the Emergency Room this Friday Morning, prevented the publishing of a Slice of Daily Bread.  Sorry...but am happy that the examination did not show anything more than a reaction to a possible insect bite  That was a relief...Bell's Palsy was one possibilities or another slight stroke...No so, thank God.  Back to normal. Here's Friday's Slice along with Saturday's.

As we celebrate the Fourth of July on the Third, we also celebrate the Feast of St. Thomas, the Doubting Apostle. When we think of the situation, his doubt is very plausible, and thanks be to it, we have another verification of the Resurrection.  His doubt and the proof shown to him make the reality of the resurrection  more tenable.
Doubt is always with us and we do not have the luxury of having Jesus with us physically to wipe it away, so we rely on our own prayer and the often intervention of God via some circumstance or Scripture verse that "happens" to come by us, to remove it.  It is good to remember that doubts are always with us an can be an invitation to a  stronger faith. St.Thomas, pray for us always, but especially in the midst of our daily doubts.
Bro. Rene

The Forgiveness Of Sins

The familiar story of the paralytic whose sins are forgiven along with his healing (Mt.9: 1-8), reminds us that Jesus can forgive sins as well as physically (or emotionally) heal us.  Nothing is beyond his power. Our doubts, our lack of faith stand in the way.  We don't go as far as the scribes in questioning the power or authority of Jesus to forgive us, but we might not be wholeheartedly convinced that repentance and forgiveness are possible. We need to pray daily for an increase of faith that indeed, Jesus can and does forgive us.  May we come to him with simple faith and ask for the grace to believe as well as to be forgiven.
Bro. Rene

Driving Out Demons

It seems in the days of Jesus, demonic possession was more likely than today, yet at prayer gatherings, Medjugorje, or other places of pilgrimage, "possessed" people always seem to be there, brought by loving family members for help, which to that point has been elusive. Today we hear again of two possessed men whose demons Jesus drives into a herd of swine.(Mt 8: 28-34).  Don't we wish he were here to drive our own demons out of us, but we, instead, pray on our own, or have someone pray for us.  Prayer does seem to be the key to subduing the "demons" who plague us, try to convince us that we are falling too short, or, even worse, convincing us that we have no demons, but it is "the world" or others who are tempting us. For sure, the Evil One will not rest until he has discombobulated us and diverted us from a sane and peaceful relationship with God. Let us then, put our stock in Jesus who knows us and whose care and protection outdo our most solicitous and loving care of those we love the most.  Jesus cares for us as no other, and will not let the demons prevail, as he did in today's gospel.
Bro. Rene