Daily Readings - Tue May 07 2019
Acts
51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.54When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
John
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 profound lessons of faith and divine providence. The first reading from Acts recounts the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the first deacons of the Church. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, courageously confronts the people for their resistance to God's truth, echoing the prophets of old. Despite the violent response, Stephen's final act is one of forgiveness, praying that God not hold their sin against them. This moment of grace not only highlights Stephen's deep faith but also sets the stage for the spread of Christianity, as persecution scatters the believers, leading to the Gospel reaching new regions.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the "Bread of Life," offering a spiritual nourishment that transcends the manna of the wilderness. Jesus emphasizes that He is the true sustenance from heaven, satisfying the deepest hungers of the soul. This teaching invites us to reflect on our own trust in God's providence, just as the early Christians had to trust in God's plan amidst persecution.
These readings call us to live with unwavering faith and forgiveness. Like Stephen, we are to stand firm in our beliefs, even in the face of adversity, and to forgive those who wrong us. Jesus reminds us that true fulfillment comes from Him, urging us to trust in His divine plan. Let us strive to embody this faith in our daily lives, seeking to be vessels of God's grace and forgiveness in a world that often resists His truth.