Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 2, 2017
First Reading: Acts 7.51 8.1a
51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Psalm 31
1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.2Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.4Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.5Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.6I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.7I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;8And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.9Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.11I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.12I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.13For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.14But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.15My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.16Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.17Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.18Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.19Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!20Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.21Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.22For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.23O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Gospel: John 6.30-35
30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected themes: the challenges of faith and the true nature of spiritual nourishment. The first reading from Acts describes a time of great turmoil for the early Church, where persecution leads to the dispersion of believers. This scattering, though it seems chaotic, becomes the catalyst for the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. The passage also reflects on the resistance to the Holy Spirit, a recurring theme in the history of God's people, highlighting the tension between faith and obstinacy.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Bread of Life, a discourse that follows the feeding of the 5000. Here, Jesus shifts the focus from physical bread to spiritual nourishment, emphasizing that He is the true bread from heaven. The people's request for a sign is met with Jesus' profound revelation of His divine role, inviting them to move beyond physical satisfaction to a deeper, eternal fulfillment.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God's presence in our lives. Like the early Christians, we may face challenges that test our faith, but these can also be opportunities for growth and spreading God's message. Jesus' identification as the Bread of Life reminds us to seek spiritual sustenance in Him, trusting in His providence even amidst life's uncertainties. Let us embrace the Holy Spirit's guidance and find our true fulfillment in Jesus, the Bread of Life.