Daily Readings - Fri Apr 24 2020
Acts
34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.35Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
John
1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up,9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of faith and trust in God’s providence. The first reading from Acts describes a pivotal moment in the early Christian Church. Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, advises the council to refrain from persecuting the apostles, suggesting that if their work is of God, it cannot be stopped. His words of caution and discernment lead the council to release the apostles, who then continue their mission with renewed vigor, undeterred by the warnings they received. This passage reminds us of the importance of discernment and trust in God’s plan, even in the face of uncertainty or opposition.
The Gospel reading from John presents the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus, seeing the vast crowd following him, tests Philip by asking how they might feed so many people. Despite the seeming impossibility of the situation, a young boy offers his five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus takes this small offering, gives thanks, and multiplies it to feed the entire crowd. This miracle is not just about the provision of food; it is a revelation of Jesus’ divine nature and his ability to take our small, insignificant offerings and turn them into something extraordinary. It invites us to trust in God’s abundance and to step out in faith, even when our resources seem inadequate.
Both readings call us to trust in God’s plan and providence. In Acts, we see the apostles rejoicing in their suffering because they trusted that God was at work. In John’s Gospel, we see Jesus taking a small offering and using it to accomplish something far beyond human expectation. These stories encourage us to approach life with faith, knowing that God can take our limited efforts and turn them into something greater. Let us, like the apostles and the boy with the loaves, offer what little we have to God, trusting that he will use it to accomplish his will. In doing so, we may find that even in the face of challenges, we can rejoice in the knowledge that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.