Daily Readings - Fri Apr 20 2018
Acts
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.6"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!Yes, Lord," he answered.11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.20Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
John
52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Sermon
The readings today present us with profound moments of transformation and spiritual truth. In the first reading from Acts, we witness the dramatic conversion of Saul, a fierce persecutor of Christians, who encounters the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. This moment of divine intervention transforms Saul into Paul, a zealous apostle for Christ. The reading highlights the power of God’s grace to change even the hardest of hearts and the importance of obedience to God’s call. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, a teaching that puzzled many of his listeners. He explains that this is not merely a symbolic act but a deeply spiritual one, where we receive eternal life and abide in him.
The connection between these two readings lies in their emphasis on transformation and the necessity of faith. Saul’s conversion is a vivid example of how God can bring light to those in darkness, while Jesus’ words in the Gospel remind us that true life comes from union with him. Just as Saul was called to a new way of life, we are invited to embrace the life-giving presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Both readings challenge us to open our hearts to God’s grace and to trust in his plan, even when it seems difficult or mysterious.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on our own journey of faith. Are there areas where we, like Saul, need to let go of our own understanding and surrender to God’s will? How do we respond to the invitation to deepen our union with Christ through the Eucharist? Let us pray for the courage to follow God’s call, even when it leads us into unknown territory, and for the grace to truly abide in Christ, that we may live as his disciples in the world.