Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 20, 2021
First Reading: Acts 7.51 – 8.1a
51"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.52Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,53you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.58Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."60And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Psalm 31
1In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!2Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!3For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;4you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.5Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.6I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.7I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,8and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.10For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.11Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.12I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.13For I hear the whispering of many--terror on every side!--as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.14But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."15My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!16Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!17O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.19Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!20In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.21Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.22I had said in my alarm, "I am cut off from your sight." But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.23Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.24Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!
Gospel: John 6.30-35
30So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"32Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."34They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments in the early Christian story that invite us to reflect on faith, persecution, and the ultimate source of our strength. The first reading from Acts recounts the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the first deacons of the Church. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, stands before his accusers and boldly proclaims the truth of God’s plan, even as he sees the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of the Father. Despite the hatred and violence directed toward him, Stephen forgives his persecutors and entrusts his spirit to the Lord. His death marks the beginning of a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem, scattering the believers but also spreading the Gospel to new regions. Meanwhile, in the Gospel, Jesus reveals himself as the “bread of life,” the true nourishment that satisfies our deepest hunger. He contrasts the manna given to the Israelites in the desert with the eternal life he offers, emphasizing that he is the gift from heaven who gives life to the world.
These readings are deeply connected. Stephen’s martyrdom exemplifies the cost of following Jesus, while Jesus’ words in the Gospel remind us of the eternal life and strength we receive through him. Stephen’s ability to forgive and trust in God, even in the face of death, flows from his belief in the risen Christ, who is the bread of life. The scattering of the early Church after Stephen’s death, though it seems like a setback, becomes the means by which the Gospel spreads. This shows us that even in times of trial, God’s plan prevails, and his Word continues to nourish and sustain his people.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s providence, even when the path ahead seems uncertain or difficult? Do we turn to Jesus, the bread of life, for the strength and grace we need to live as his disciples? Stephen’s example teaches us that faith is not about avoiding suffering but about remaining faithful and forgiving, even in the face of persecution. Jesus’ promise of eternal life reminds us that our ultimate fulfillment is not found in this world but in him. Let us strive to live with the courage and trust of Stephen, and let us seek spiritual nourishment in the bread of life, that we may bear witness to God’s love in all we do.