Daily Readings - Sat Apr 21 2018

First Reading - Acts 9.31-42

³¹Certainly, the Church had peace throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and it was being built up, while walking in the fear of the Lord, and it was being filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit³²Then it happened that Peter, as he traveled around everywhere, came to the saints who were living at Lydda³³But he found there a certain man, named Aeneas, who was a paralytic, who had lain in bed for eight years³⁴And Peter said to him: "Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and arrange your bed." And immediately he rose up³⁵And all who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord³⁶Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which in translation is called Dorcas. She was filled with the good works and almsgiving that she was accomplishing³⁷And it happened that, in those days, she became ill and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room³⁸Now since Lydda was close to Joppa, the disciples, upon hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, asking him: "Do not be slow in coming to us.³⁹Then Peter, rising up, went with them. And when he had arrived, they led him to an upper room. And all the widows were standing around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and garments that Dorcas had made for them⁴⁰And when they had all been sent outside, Peter, kneeling down, prayed. And turning to the body, he said: "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes and, upon seeing Peter, sat up again⁴¹And offering her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called in the saints and the widows, he presented her alive⁴²Now this became known throughout all of Joppa. And many believed in the Lord

Gospel - John 6.53, 60-69

John

Chapter 6

⁵³And so, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you⁶⁰Therefore, many of his disciples, upon hearing this, said: "This saying is difficult," and, "Who is able to listen to it?⁶¹But Jesus, knowing within himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: "Does this offend you⁶²Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where he was before⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh does not offer anything of benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life⁶⁴But there are some among you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who were unbelieving and which one would betray him⁶⁵And so he said, "For this reason, I said to you that no one is able to come to me, unless it has been given to him by my Father.⁶⁶After this, many of his disciples went back, and they no longer walked with him⁶⁷Therefore, Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him: "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life⁶⁹And we have believed, and we recognize that you are the Christ, the Son of God.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful stories of faith and transformation. The first reading from Acts describes the early Church's peace and growth, as Peter performs miracles that bring people to faith. The healing of Aeneas and the raising of Tabitha demonstrate God's power and Peter's compassionate leadership. These events highlight the Church's role in caring for the vulnerable and spreading the Gospel. The Gospel reading from John presents Jesus' challenging teaching on the Eucharist, which causes some disciples to doubt. Yet, Peter's unwavering faith stands out as he affirms Jesus as the Son of God, showing that true followers remain committed despite difficulties. Both readings emphasize the transformative power of faith. In Acts, faith leads to miracles and community growth, while in John, faith requires accepting challenging truths. The connection between the readings lies in their portrayal of faith as a catalyst for action and commitment. Peter's miracles and the disciples' decision to stay with Jesus illustrate that faith is not passive but leads to bold steps and perseverance. Applying these lessons to our lives, we are reminded to trust in God's power and to live compassionately. Like Peter, we should use our gifts to serve others and bring hope. When faced with challenges, we must, like the apostles, reaffirm our commitment to Christ. The Eucharist, as Jesus taught, is a source of life, urging us to deepen our faith and trust in God's plan. Let us embrace the call to live faithfully, knowing that our trust in God can lead to transformation and renewal in our lives and the world around us.