Daily Readings - Thu Apr 27 2023

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

In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that highlight the essence of faith and evangelism. The first reading from Acts 8:26-40 tells the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip, guided by the Spirit, interprets the prophecy from Isaiah, leading the eunuch to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. This moment of conversion is swift and profound, culminating in baptism. It underscores the early church's missionary zeal and the Spirit's role in spreading the Gospel. The Gospel from John 6:44-51 shifts our focus to Jesus, who describes Himself as the "bread of life." He emphasizes that faith is a divine gift, drawn from the Father. This teaching follows the feeding of the 5000, contrasting physical nourishment with the eternal life offered through faith in Him. Jesus' words remind us that our spiritual journey is initiated by God, who invites us to partake in His divine plan. Both readings beautifully intertwine, illustrating the Holy Spirit's role in conversion and the necessity of faith. Philip's obedience to the Spirit and the eunuch's openness to God's word mirror Jesus' teaching on divine invitation. In our daily lives, these passages encourage us to be attentive to the Spirit's guidance, to share the Good News with others, and to trust in God's initiative. They remind us that faith is a gift and that our response to it is crucial. Let us embrace this call with openness and trust, allowing the Spirit to lead us in our mission of love and evangelism.