Daily Readings - Wed Apr 26 2023
Acts
1Now in those days, there occurred a great persecution against the Church at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles2But God-fearing men arranged for Stephen’s funeral, and they made a great mourning over him3Then Saul was laying waste to the Church by entering throughout the houses, and dragging away men and women, and committing them to prison4Therefore, those who had been dispersed were traveling around, evangelizing the Word of God5Now Philip, descending to a city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them6And the crowd was listening intently and with one accord to those things which were being said by Philip, and they were watching the signs which he was accomplishing7For many of them had unclean spirits, and, crying out with a loud voice, these departed from them8And many of the paralytics and the lame were cured
John
35Then Jesus said to them: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst36But I say to you, that even though you have seen me, you do not believe37All that the Father gives to me shall come to me. And whoever comes to me, I will not cast out38For I descended from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me39Yet this is the will of the Father who sent me: that I should lose nothing out of all that he has given to me, but that I should raise them up on the last day40So then, this is the will of my Father who sent me: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Sermon
In today's readings, we hear of the early Church facing persecution and the profound message of Jesus as the bread of life. The first reading from Acts describes a time of great turmoil for the Church, as believers were dispersed following Stephen's martyrdom. Yet, amidst this chaos, Philip ventures to Samaria, preaching Christ and performing miracles, which brings healing and unity to the people. This narrative highlights the resilience of faith and the Church's mission to spread God's word even in adversity.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus' declaration as the bread of life, emphasizing that those who come to Him will find eternal sustenance. Jesus assures that all given to Him by the Father will be welcomed and raised on the last day. This discourse underscores the central Christian belief in Jesus as the source of eternal life and the importance of trusting in God's plan.
These readings remind us that our faith, like that of the early Christians, must persevere through life's challenges. Just as Philip trusted God's guidance to Samaria, we too can face our trials with courage, knowing that our ultimate hope lies in Jesus. Let us draw strength from His promise, trusting that He will see us through every difficulty, and may our lives reflect the same unwavering commitment to sharing God's love.