Memory of St. Catherine of Siena.
The Holy Spirit is at work
In the gospel of today, Jesus tells his disciples that after his departure, they will receive the Holy Spirit who will teach them everything and remind them of everything he said. This Spirit is the one who made Paul and Barnabas work as they did. Proclaiming the good news of repentance and healing people from their infirmities.
This same Spirit has been given to us and can only continue the same works in us if we allow him to do so. Let's us remember to give glory to God alone for his wonders.
May all his wonderful woks reveal His power greatness! Not to us, but to God, glory and power! Ps 115.
Come Holy Spirit
Fr. Georges sac
Friday of the 4th week in Easter Time. Acts 13:26-33; John 14:1-6.
Jesus the way to eternal life.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah uses the metaphor of the path that leads to holiness (Is 35:8). It will be a path without obstacles.
Jesus fulfills this prophecy in the gospel. Jesus, faced with the pessimism of Saint Thomas, defines himself as being the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is therefore the path of grace par excellence which saves the human race.
If we believe in Jesus and follow his way of life, there will be no obstacles to our eternal life. Indeed, Christ is the true and only way to the Father. He is the incarnation of truth and eternal life.
Lord, open my heart to the eternal happiness that you give us. Amen.
Fr. Georges sac
Thursday April 25, 2025, Feast of St Mark. 1 P.5:5-14. Ps 88; Mt16, 15-20. Feast of Saint Mark, the Evangelist.
The good news
In celebrating Saint Mark, we acknowledge thanks to God who uses men and women to communicate his mysteries and his divine life to humanity.
Jesus lends his pen to Saint Mark so that he can write down the revelations of the Good News. He is the Son of God who came to teach us how to live and save us from sin and death.
At the end of Mark's Gospel, Jesus commands us to go into the world and spread this Good News throughout creation. Mark himself, the evangelist is a perfect example. Through his travels with Saint Paul and later with Peter and in particular through the written word of his Gospel, Mark himself was an authentic witness to the gospel.
Happy Feast of St Mark!
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Wednesday of the 4th week of Easter. Acts 12:24-13; John 12:44-50
Apart from serving God. Barnabas and Paul have just finished their mission in Jerusalem, they return to Antioch. There the Spirit asks the leaders of the Church to ordain Paul and Banabé and place them at the Lord's disposal for a new mission. We can all open up to the Spirit to make ourselves available to the different missions that God has for each of us. This mission is to bring Christ Jesus to those who do not yet know him.
Let us therefore be these new Paul and Barnabas, who bring the message of peace and comfort. Christ's message is one of hope and not of condemnation.
Give me, Lord, to believe in you, the true light, that I may be saved. Amen. Father Georges Roger
Tuesday of the fourth week of Easter.
Acts 11, 19-26; Jn10,22-30 - St. George
In today's first reading, we see the persecution of the first Christians. They were firm and confident in the Lord. By their faith and perseverance, the Good News spread even further for the hand of the Lord was with them.
St George is one of the great examples of charity, courage, and determination in the early church during the persecution of Diocletian. He was tortured and beheaded. He listened the voice of the good shepherd and laid his life after a Christ example.
Today, he is considered to be the patron of knights, soldiers, scouts, fencers, and archers, among others; he is also invoked against the plague and leprosy and against venomous snakes.
In the context of Christ victory over death through his resurrection,
the story of St George serves to remind the world of a fundamental idea that good ultimately triumphs over evil. The fight against evil is a constant in human history. It is a battle cannot we cannot win on our own. Saint George was able to kill the dragon because God was acting in and through him. With Christ, evil will never have the last word.
St. George, pray for us!
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Monday of the 4th week of Easter. John 10:1-10.
Monday of the 4th week of Easter. John 10:1-10.
In today's gospel, Jesus speaks to us and tells us that he is the Good Shepherd. When the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd, they follow him. They don't track those they don't provide. Am I able to differentiate the voice of Christ from those of the false Shepherds?
Jesus also tells us that he is the door, so there is only one way to enter heaven, and that is through belief in him, Jesus Christ, as the Son of God.
Christ is, therefore, our Shepherd, and we are called to listen only to his voice and to trust in him.
Only those who truly listen to the voice of Jesus can truly live a new and transformed life in God.
Happy New week to you all.
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Saturday of the third week in ordinary Time. Acts 9:31-42; John 6: 63c-68c.
The power of Christ's resurrection.
In today's readings, we experience the effects of Christ, the one who has the words of eternal life. By rising from death, Christ's name has become the source of salvation for all believers. We see the effects of his resurrection. In the name of the risen Christ, Peter heals, Éneas a man of Lod, who has been paralyzed for eight years. The man rose up and began to make his own bed. We too can experience such healing today if we belive in Christ.
In the same name of Jésus, the Apostle, Peter brought back to life Dorcas, a good woman, from Jaffa. Both miracles caused many people to believe and to put their trust in God alone, whose words are eternal.
Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life.
Happy Saturday!
Fr. Georges R. Bidzogo sac
Thursday of the 3rd week. Acts 8, 26-40; John 6:44-51.
The power of the Eucharist
Today's gospel continues the theme Christ on the bread of life. Jesus is indeed the bread of life. He is the incarnate Son of God who offers his life for us. We are all called to believe in him to have eternal life.
Jesus is the very one who satisfies our deepest spiritual needs. He is what we need to satisfy our needs, to be happy and to live forever!
The source of our true happiness is Jesus. This happiness is found in communion with him on the Eucharist every day as the source and summit of our life (Vatican II, CCC1324-1327)
Lord give us this bread always!
Fr Georges sac
Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter. Acts 8, 1b-8; Psa 65; John 6:35-40.
Come to him and get satisfied! Having reached this 3rd week of Easter, every liturgical celebration is an accomplishment of the Paschal Triduum. Jesus by his death and resurrection gained us: salvation and eternal life. It is up to us every day to believe in Christ and Him alone. This testimony to the gospel of Christ will go through many trials, persecutions and death. The death of Stephen, the first martyr, was nothing other than the beginning of a persecution of the disciples which continues to this day. (Mt 5:12). It’s also a great time for conversation. Saul, presented today as a persecutor, will soon become a preacher of the Good News. Yes, Jesus, I thirst for you, I believe, you have overcome the world.
Fr. Georges sac Tuesday of the 3rd week Acts 7:51-8:1a; Ps 31; Jn 6:30-35.
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus' words are often misunderstood. When speaking with the Samaritan woman about the living water John 4:1-46) she misunderstood him. She understood “water” in a strict material sense. Today’s word of Christ on the “true bread of heaven” has been misunderstood from the very opening of chapter 6 of John gospel. However, Jesus is very clear that, the bread that he is speaking about is not the perishable food, but the “bread of God”, “the Son of Man”, the person of Jesus, who is the eternal food (John 6:27; Isaiah 55:2). Jesus says: “Im the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). Lord, Jesus give us this bread always! Amen.
Fr. Georges R. Bidzogo sac
Monday of the 3rd week of Easter. Acts 6: 8-15; P118; Jn 6: 22-29.
Longing for the bread of life.
More often, we focus too much on how to get rich, how to satisfy all our human wants and forget about how become holy, how to satisfy our spiritual hunger and how to attain eternal life. To the Jewish who were following him after the multiplication of loaves, Jesus boldly advised them to desire and to work for the bread of eternal life. This is an invitation to us as well. Jesus invites us to base our entire life on the woks of God's kingdom or in seeking the eternal kingdom.
The foundation of such works is our total faith and surrender to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Such a trend of life makes us unshakable amidst persecutions. When truly absorbed by the Holy Spirit, our wisdom is divine inspiration, and our visage appears like that of an angel.
Help us, Lord, to long for the bread that lasts for eternal life.
Fr. Georges R. Sac
Saturday of the second week of Easter. Acts 6:1-6; John 6:16-21
Jesus, Master of situations.
In today's gospel, Jesus walks on the sea, agitated by wind and tornado. He calms the sea and comforts the fearful disciples. He shows us that, he is the Lord of creation and can overcome all dangers, and the natural world and including their rules.
When tormented by the situations of life, corruption, sexual scandal, tumultuous marriages, financial troubles, crisis in our vocations, in our religious and family communities, difficulties and tribulations of everyday life, family quarrels, land disputes, divisions within of the same family, same parish, or same nation, or tribalism and socio-political crisis, we must never lose sight of the presence of the Lord. He is ever present to help us.
Like the Apostles in the first reading, we must enter into prayer to discern the appropriate solutions for the resolution of our conflicts. We must get on our knees.
When we pray and trust God, even in the midst of crises, the number of believers continues to increase. There is no hopeless situation in Christ, Jesus.
He is risen alleluia
Fr Georges R Bidzogo sac
Friday of the 2nd week, B. Acts 5: 34-42; John 6: 1-15
Happy to suffer for Christ 's sake!
Even though they were found guiltless, the apostles were tortured and beaten up. They are firmly asked not to preach in the name of Jesus and then set free. Instead of thanking their persecutors for letting them free, they rather tanked God and felt privileged to have suffered for Christ. The apostles are convinced that if we die with Christ, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him.
Have you ever rejoiced to suffer for Christ?
Fr. Georges sac
Thursday of the 2nd week of Easter. St Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr. John 3:31-36
Jesus gives us the spirit without measuring
We remember that in the Old Testament, certain people were given the Spirit of God for a limited time. These include certain prophets (2 Chronicles 24:20; Micah 3:8; 2 Samuel 23:2), various people (Numbers 24:2, 1 Samuel 19:20), and some of the Judges (Judges 3:10; Judges 6:34), including Samson (Judges 13—16). Jesus, however, has the Spirit of God continuously. This is why He is said to have the Spirit "without measure" or "without limit."
This permanent presence of the Spirit and the fact that Jesus came from heaven are important proofs that He is, in fact, God incarnate (John 1:1; John 1:14).
Most Fathers of the Church have insisted on the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Let's build an intimacy with the one who gives us the Holy Spirit in full measure.
Come Holy Spirit!
Fr. Georges sac
Tuesday of the second week of Easter, Acts 4: 32-37; John 3: 7b-15.
Born again, we live in the spirit
Jesus is clear with us this morning, every disciple must be born a new. This entails a life of faith in Christ and a living and active charity and concern for one another (cf Acts 4). Am I born anew?
This new life means being baptized into Christ's death and being aware of our new status. (Romans 6:3-11). Our new life is a life in the spirit - walking, thinking, acting in the spirit because our life is hidden with Christ in God. Am I aware that my new life is hidden with Christ in God?
Paul tells us that, if we have been raised with Christ, we must seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (Col 3:1-4)
Let us cleanse out the old leaven that we may live a new life in Christ.
Fr. Georges sac
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Is 7:10-14;8:10. Ps 39; Lc 1:26-38
Mary's Yes, must be ours.
The Feast of the Annunciation, celebrated on March 25, commemorates the announcement made by the angel Gabriel to Mary. Mary will soon carry in her womb a Son, Emmanuel, the Savior of humanity.
In celebrating this feast, we make Mary's “Yes” to God our response to God's salvation.
In fact, Mary's yes is in line with Jesus' own response to the will of his Father to redeem mankind. “Behold, I have come to do your will” (Heb. 10:9).
Our lives too, should be animated by this constant “yes” to welcome God into our lives and to do his will.
In our trials, our daily choices, our relationships with the world and others, we are invited to open our hearts to God, to give him our lives, and to trusting him completely by following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Through our daily “yes” to Jesus, we welcome God's offering of eternal life.
Oh Mary, teach us how to say yes to the Lord!
Father Georges sac
Saturday within the Octave of Easter Mc 16:9-15; Acts 4:13-21.
Set free to preach the Gospel
The high priests and the Saduccees decided to arrest the apostles and put them in public jail in order to stop their influence over the nation. But at night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out so that they could go back to preach to the people the full message of the resurrection. (Acts4: 20)
Even though the Apostles were threatened not to preach in the name of Christ anymore, they remain firm in their conviction to obey God rather than men. That is true discipleship. That is truly being a witness of Christ.
We too, can truly become children of the resurrection when we accept to be freed from the fear of men and the captivities of the world in order to please God and God alone. (Read Ps 4:2)
Go and announce the gospel...
Christ is risen, alleluia
Fr. Georges sac
Friday within the Octave of Easter. Acts 4: 1-12; Ps 117; John 21:1-14.
Jesus alone is Saviour
While he was biding farewell to his disciples, Jesus boldly declared: "I'm the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). This is what the Apostle Peter and his companions are confirming as they are interrogated on the source of the paralytic healing. There is no other name and power that can achieve human salvation except the person of Jesus. Let it be clear: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Even the miraculous catching of the fish points at that truth. When human abilities fail, God takes the lead. He is the only one who can qualify us and atone for our sins. Jesus alone is Saviour.
Christ is risen.
Fr. Georges sac
Easter Thursday. Acts 3:11-26; ps117; Luke 24; 35-48
Risen, Christ now lives forever.
St. Peter makes a declaration which is now addressed to all hearers of the word of God of every generation: “You have killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead”
This is the message of the resurrection. It is an eternal and timeless truth which is addressed to all men and women of all ages. The resurrection is real in each of our lives. Divine grace is even more active and powerful than ever! God is Sovereign, Master of life and history. We can pretend to ignore ignore or kill God in our hearts or in our history, but God becomes even more alive and omnipresent than ever. We can seek to obstruct the truth or the word of God, but it becomes more than alive in our lives. Our God reigns!
As Peter and the other Apostles insist on the power of the most holy name of Jesus, we too are invited to trust completely in Jesus and in his Almighty name.
May our words, our actions and our lives contribute to bringing glory to God. By healing the lame man, Peter and his friends find this an opportunity to spread the Good News.
Christ is risen, alleluia
Fr. Georges Roger Bidzogo sac
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter. Acts 3:1-10; Luke 24:13-35
Resurrection brings transformation.
Saint Peter and his fellow disciples have been strengthened by Christ's resurrection and will now preach his message and heal people in his name. Instead of giving an ephemeral solution to the paralyzed person, they offer him healing in the name of Jesus.
The disciples of Emaeus discover their true identity as disciples of the resurrected Christ. He opens our eyes to recognize him and to follow him in the path of Emaeus. Their encounter with the resurrected Christ transforms their lives and makes them apostles of the resurrection and witnesses of a new dynamic.
Christ is risen, alleluia
Fr. Georges sac