Daily Readings - Sat May 10 2025
Acts
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.32As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.33There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.34"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up.35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor.37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.40Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
John
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.60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the power of faith and the transformative grace of God in our lives. In the First Reading from Acts, we see Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, performing miracles that bring healing and new life to those in need. Aeneas, paralyzed for eight years, rises at Peter’s command, and Tabitha, who had died, is restored to life through Peter’s prayer. These miracles are not just acts of wonder; they are signs of God’s presence and mercy, drawing people to faith in Jesus Christ. The early Christian community, though persecuted and fragile, is built up by the consolation of the Holy Spirit and grows in faith and numbers.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples with a difficult teaching: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you.” Many find this teaching hard to accept, and some even abandon him. Yet, in the midst of this crisis, Peter’s confession shines brightly: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Peter’s response reminds us that faith often requires us to trust in God even when we do not fully understand. Jesus’ words are spirit and life, and they call us to deepen our commitment to him, even when the journey is difficult.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith journey. Like the early Christians, we are called to trust in the power of God to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. Like Peter, we are called to stand firm in our faith, even when faced with challenges or misunderstandings. And like the disciples who remained with Jesus, we are reminded that true life comes not from the things of this world, but from the spiritual nourishment we receive in Christ. May we, like Peter, confess our faith with courage and trust in the words of eternal life that Jesus offers us.