Daily Readings - Wed May 07 2025
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
The first reading from Acts describes a time of great trial for the early Church, as persecution forces the disciples to scatter across Judea and Samaria. Yet, even in the midst of suffering, the Gospel spreads. Philip, one of the early followers of Christ, preaches in Samaria, and the people are drawn to his message of hope and healing. The signs and miracles he performs open hearts to the Good News, showing how God’s power can transform even the most difficult circumstances. This passage reminds us that persecution and hardship do not stop the spread of the Gospel; instead, they often accelerate it.
In the Gospel, Jesus declares Himself the bread of life, promising to satisfy the deepest hungers of those who come to Him. He emphasizes that faith is a gift from the Father, and whoever believes in Him will be raised on the last day. This teaching underscores the mysterious and gracious will of God, who desires that none be lost but all have eternal life. Just as Philip in the first reading trusted in God’s plan and shared the Word with others, Jesus invites us to trust in His Father’s will and to seek our ultimate fulfillment in Him.
These readings call us to reflect on our own trust in God’s plan and our willingness to share the Gospel in our lives. Like Philip, we are called to be instruments of hope and healing, even in challenging times. And like those who listened to Jesus, we are reminded to seek our true fulfillment in Him, the bread of life. May we, in our daily lives, trust in God’s will, share His love with others, and find our ultimate satisfaction in His eternal promise.