Daily Readings - Mon Apr 27 2020

⁸Then Stephen, filled with grace and fortitude, wrought great signs and miracles among the people⁹But certain ones, from the synagogue of the so-called Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those who were from Cilicia and Asia rose up and were disputing with Stephen¹⁰But they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking¹¹Then they suborned men who were to claim that they had heard him speaking words of blasphemy against Moses and against God¹²And thus did they stir up the people and the elders and the scribes. And hurrying together, they seized him and brought him to the council¹³And they set up false witnesses, who said: "This man does not cease to speak words against the holy place and the law¹⁴For we have heard him saying that this Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and will change the traditions, which Moses handed down to us.¹⁵And all those who were sitting in the council, gazing at him, saw his face, as if it had become the face of an Angel

John

Chapter 6

²²On the next day, the crowd which was standing across the sea saw that there were no other small boats in that place, except one, and that Jesus had not entered into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had departed alone²³Yet truly, other boats came over from Tiberias, next to the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks²⁴Therefore, when the crowd had seen that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they climbed into the small boats, and they went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus²⁵And when they had found him across the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?²⁶Jesus answered them and said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek me, not because you have seen signs, but because you have eaten from the bread and were satisfied²⁷Do not work for food that perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.²⁸Therefore, they said to him, "What should we do, so that we may labor in the works of God?²⁹Jesus responded and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons on faith and courage. The first reading from Acts describes Stephen, a man filled with grace and the Holy Spirit, who faces fierce opposition for his faith. Despite the accusations and hostility, Stephen stands firm, embodying the courage that comes from trusting in God. His story reminds us that living our faith openly can lead to challenges, but with the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can face them with grace. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches the crowd about the importance of seeking eternal life over temporary satisfactions. After the miracle of feeding the 5000, the crowd follows Him, seeking more. Jesus uses this moment to emphasize that true fulfillment comes from believing in Him. He calls us to focus on spiritual nourishment, urging us to labor for that which endures beyond this life. This teaching invites us to reflect on our priorities and where we seek our true satisfaction. Both readings connect through the theme of faith. Stephen's unwavering faith in the face of persecution and Jesus' call to believe in Him for eternal life remind us that faith is our foundation. It is through faith that we find the strength to overcome challenges and the wisdom to discern God's will. Let us strive to deepen our faith, seeking spiritual nourishment and standing firm in our commitment to Christ, even when faced with adversity.