Daily Readings - Thu Apr 30 2020
Acts
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place.27And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship28and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.29And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot."30So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"31And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.32Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."34And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.36And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"37See Footnote38And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
John
44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.45It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me--46not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.48I am the bread of life.49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the profound mystery of God’s initiative in our lives and the gift of faith that draws us to Him. In the first reading from Acts, we witness the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch, a high-ranking official, is reading from the prophet Isaiah but struggles to understand the passage. Philip, guided by the Holy Spirit, approaches him and explains the Scripture, revealing how it points to Jesus Christ. This encounter leads to the eunuch’s baptism, a moment of profound conversion and joy. The story highlights the importance of guidance, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the universal call to faith, as even those on the margins—like the eunuch—are brought into God’s family.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of Himself as the bread of life, emphasizing that no one can come to Him unless drawn by the Father. This teaching underscores the truth that faith is a gift from God, not something we can achieve on our own. Just as the eunuch needed Philip to explain the Scriptures, we too need the grace of God to open our hearts and minds to His truth. Jesus’ words also remind us that faith is not merely intellectual assent but a lived relationship with Him, nourished by His Word and His presence in the Eucharist.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own journey of faith. How often do we recognize the ways God is drawing us closer to Himself? Like the eunuch, we may find ourselves in moments of confusion or doubt, but God provides us with guides—through Scripture, the Church, and one another—to help us understand and deepen our faith. As we go about our daily lives, let us remain open to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, trusting in God’s plan and sharing the gift of faith with others. May we, like Philip, be instruments of God’s grace, and may we, like the eunuch, embrace the joy of conversion with open hearts.