Daily Readings - Mon May 02 2022
Acts
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.10But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.11Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."12And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,13and they set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,14for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us."15And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
John
22On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.23Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"26Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.27Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal."28Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, perseverance, and the true nature of our spiritual hunger. The first reading from Acts describes Stephen, a man filled with grace and fortitude, who performs miracles and speaks with wisdom. Despite this, he faces fierce opposition from those who cannot accept his message. They falsely accuse him of blasphemy and bring him before the council, where his serene and angelic demeanor in the face of adversity testifies to his deep faith in God.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses a crowd that has followed him, not because they have come to believe in him, but because they are seeking more of the physical bread that satisfied their hunger the day before. Jesus challenges them to look beyond temporal satisfactions and to seek instead the food that endures to eternal life. He reminds them that this eternal life is found in believing in him, the one sent by the Father. When the crowd asks what they must do to labor in the works of God, Jesus responds simply: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.”
These readings remind us that our faith is often tested by the world’s resistance to the truth. Like Stephen, we may face opposition when we stand firm in our beliefs, but our trust in God’s providence should give us the courage to persevere. Like the crowd in the Gospel, we are often tempted to seek comfort and satisfaction in the things of this world. Yet Jesus calls us to a higher hunger—one that yearns for the eternal life and fulfillment that only he can give. Let us ask ourselves today: Are we seeking God for who he is, or are we looking for temporary comforts? May we, like Stephen, radiate grace and peace in the face of challenges, and may we, like the crowd, turn our hearts toward the eternal bread that satisfies our deepest longings.