Daily Readings - Thu Apr 30 2020
Acts
26And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.27And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
John
44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.46Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.48I am that bread of life.49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
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.