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3rd Week of Easter

Acts 6: 8-15 Psalm 119 John 6:22-29 Today’s gospel is fantastic when we consider the meaning of the apparent simple words spoken by Jesus, and those written by John. If I am so fortunate as to make it to heaven, one of the first questions I will have for Jesus is the feeding of the five thousand men and their families with the loaves and fish…how did You do that? But anyway…. To understand the beautiful meaning of the gospel, give particular consideration to the verse: “Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks.” Only the High Priest would have been able allowed to give thanks for the bread, and then others would eat. There is recognition even here that Jesus was the highest of priests. And what happens when Jesus gives thanks for the bread? “…you are looking for me…because you ate the bread and were filled.” Jesus is foretelling the Eucharist! When we come to the Eucharist we engage Jesus in a very special way because it is as personal an experience of Jesus as we can get in this life. With that Eucharist, Jesus is telling us we will have all that we need…Him! That nourishment provides us the sustenance to do what His disciples desired, and that we need to desire, that is, the works of God! That should be incredibly exciting for us! How wonderful! How beautiful! It is a promise Jesus has given and He always keeps His promises. Get to the Eucharist as often as you can – more than just on Sunday. Put in the effort, it is worth it! How soon can you get to a Mass? Go!! Go smile at God today! He wants you to be happy!

April 15

FOCUS: This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.

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As we continue through the Acts of the Apostles in our first reading, we hear the intriguing story of the stoning of St. Stephen after he rebukes the religious leaders for their false accusations against him. Like the other Apostles before him, he would not back down from proclaiming the good news and working wonders among the people. This man with “the face of an angel” confronts the Sanhedrin by telling them that, like their ancestors, they continue to oppose the Holy Spirit of God. Rather than save himself for another day, Stephen speaks aloud what he already has seen in his heart, the vision of seeing “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” The Sanhedrin knew he was referring to Jesus, whom they crucified. They seized him and led him out of the city to be stoned. We then are made aware of the presence of Saul, who watched the cloaks of the those who threw stones at Stephen. Little did Saul know that he would have his own encounter with the Risen Lord. But first we are told Saul was consenting to the execution of Stephen. But the most intriguing thing about today’s passage is Stephen’s last words, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." With his last breath, he mirrors the words of Jesus on the cross. His faith in Jesus is so complete that he asks forgiveness for all involved in his death. He dies with the confidence of a saint who knows he is going home to eternal joy with the Father. Even the author of Acts indicates this by telling us, “when he said this, he fell asleep.” There is so much for us to reflect on with this reading. Do others see in us the “face of angel?” Is our faith so strong that the power of the Holy Spirit illuminates our physical being with a joyful presence? Can we take hope, knowing that even if we persecute others with our thoughts and attitudes, Jesus is ready to meet us in the midst of our sin and transform us into a faithful disciple? What power is available to us through our loving God and His Holy Spirit? God’s love is so powerful we can willingly forgive those who persecute us and cause us much suffering! Like Stephen, we are called to leave this world fully converted, filled with the love and mercy that enables us to imitate Jesus, even in his death on the Cross. Let us continue our personal conversion by praising the Lord for His love and mercy throughout this Easter season. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection Who can we raise up to the Lord in prayer today, asking His forgiveness for the pain and suffering they may have caused us to bear?

April 16

FOCUS: Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

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Our readings today reveal the power of God to bring about good from evil. In today’s Gospel, as Jesus begins the Bread of Life discourse, two themes, namely, doing the will of the Father and coming to faith in Jesus, are exemplified in today’s first reading. First, God willed that the Gospel message be proclaimed in the whole world and to all nations. This would be the only way to “not lose anything” that the Father had given to Jesus to redeem the world that “God so loved..” (cf. John 3:16). The persecution of the first Christians begins to scatter them outside of Jerusalem and they become missionaries of the Gospel, even while the Apostles remained in Jerusalem at that time. Second, the will of the Father is that everyone comes to believe in the Son. The signs that Philip accomplishes and his preaching in Samaria about Jesus as the Christ are invitations to faith in the one the Father sent. By believing in the Son and partaking of his Body and Blood, we receive eternal life. Death is not the final word because we will be raised with Christ to life on the last day and be welcomed into the promised land of heaven. While the Apostles remained in Jerusalem during the persecution, one of the seven Hellenist deacons, Philip, was forced to flee and took the word of God to the region of Samaria and proclaimed the Gospel that Jesus is the royal Messiah. Philip worked great signs: he cast out demons and healed the paralyzed and crippled. Signs like these were done by Jesus to bring the people to faith in him as the Messiah. In like manner, his disciples accomplished similar works and sought to bring the people to encounter Jesus. The preaching of the Good News by Philip and the miracles he worked filled the people with great joy. Through our Baptism, and our acceptance of our vocation as disciples of Christ through Confirmation, we too have been called to bring people to encounter Jesus. We can only do this effectively if indeed we are filled with joy and inspired by the gospel message. What impact does the gospel message: that Jesus has willingly obeyed the Father and become human to rescue us from the power of Satan, sin, and death have on your daily life? The gospel message is meant to give you the power to respond as disciples and help others encounter Jesus. Has the extraordinarily Good News changed your life? Do not let this message be just a security blanket that keeps you warm and comfortable! Allow it to change your life and lead you to respond to Jesus’ call. Be like Philip and bring joy to others! Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection Do you know, and live in, the joy and hope of the resurrection?

April 17

FOCUS: Take nourishment from the Lord first.

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Acts 8: 26-40 Psalm 66 John 6: 44-51 Following in our gospel messages this week, Jesus delivers two messages that divided His disciples, chasing some of them away; and delivering a message that was declared blasphemy by those who did not see Him as He was and is. The words in our gospel continue to divide Christians today. The Eucharist is at the center of our faith. It is what secures us to Jesus. When Jesus declares that He will raise up those who come to Him, and speaks as being the one who fulfills prophecy, He was equating Himself with the Father. The words in John Chapter 6 of the gospel are strong throughout, and began the plotting to eliminate Jesus. I can only imagine the number of people who turned away from Him that day because it was just too much to believe. As this passage continues in John’s gospel writing, Jesus will ask the Apostles if they will leave Him too. Peter responds and declares that Jesus is the way and they must follow Him. That is beautiful because even though the Apostles did not understand everything Jesus was teaching, they trusted. We are called to do the same, we are called to be the ones who “…have not seen and yet believe…” Coming to the Eucharist is truly life changing. When we have a sound belief and understanding of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, our whole perspective on life changes. We begin to understand the very personal relationship Jesus wants to have with us individually and as a community. Take time today to consider signing up for a weekly hour at the Adoration Chapel. Can you give Him that hour each week? Go smile at God today! He wants you to be happy!

April 18

FOCUS: The Holy Spirit continues to draw us ever closer to the Son and Father.

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Our readings today provide two fabulous stories for reflection. First we hear the conversion story of Saul from persecutor to the Apostle to the Gentiles. In our Gospel, Jesus concludes the Bread of Life Discourse, establishing the Eucharist as the source of communion with the Father and Son for eternal life. Our first reading shows us the power of God to transform even the most “anti-Christian” person into a faithful disciple. Saul was passionate by temperament, knowledgeable in Sacred Scripture, and a man of conviction. God wants all these talents to be placed at the service of the Gospel. Saul was chosen by God to “open the eyes of the people so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith” (Acts 26:18). We know two thousand years later that Paul had great success in fulfilling God’s will. It all starts with a personal encounter with Jesus. Have you had that personal encounter that caused you to decide to change your life and serve the Lord? If so, God has great plans for you. Saul’s conversion, while dramatic, followed the same path we all must follow to become faithful disciples. He first encounters Jesus, which brings him to faith and obedience. He was then baptized into the family of God. The final piece, which is almost overlooked as we read today’s passage, is that “He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus…”. Having been a scholar of the Hebrew scriptures and hearing the early disciples like Stephen proclaim Christ’s resurrection, these days would have allowed him to learn even more from the firsthand accounts of the disciples. We too, need to spend time with other disciples, sharing our stories and encouraging each other for our mission as disciples. Who are your small group of fellow disciples to whom you give and receive support and encouragement? Lastly, we must never forget the message of today’s Gospel. It is the Eucharist, Christ’s own body, blood, soul, and divinity, that is our spiritual food and sustenance. The Eucharist is the primary source of eternal life. As the Catechism teaches, “Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet” (CCC, 1391). Jesus gives us His life in the Eucharist which is the life given Him by the Father. This holy meal is our direct connection and union with the Father and Son. In it we are strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us via our Baptism. Can we ever say that we believe in and obey Jesus if we don’t participate in the Eucharistic Banquet offered to us every Sunday? What could be more important than this opportunity to be fed by the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection What talents and gifts are God asking you to place at the service of his kingdom?

April 19

FOCUS: We are all the Lord’s instruments – trust in his plan.

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Acts 9:31-42 Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Jn 6:60-69 We are at the end of the Bread of Life Discourse in the reading from the Gospel of John today, where we see that being believers in Jesus and his works is one thing but believing that we must eat his body and drink his blood is entirely another. Previously, Jesus bluntly told his followers that they must eat his body and drink his blood in order to have life. His language ensures that they understand that he is not speaking metaphorically and so, today, we see that many walk away, muttering, “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” The interesting thing is that Jesus does not try to stop them or soften his language. He simply turns to his disciples and asks if they will leave also. It is Peter, on behalf of all of us, who accepts what Jesus says, and makes his profession of faith – “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.’ Do we continue to follow Christ, even though his message is unacceptable to many, just as it was to most of his followers 2,000 years ago? We may seem radical, because we believe that Jesus is truly present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in the Eucharist; because we believe that when we receive the Eucharist, we are eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It is hard to understand, yes, but it is not hard to accept, because Jesus himself, told us, repeating it, several times in the previous verses. Like the Apostles, we have been born to new life in Baptism, received the Eucharist, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper and we have received the Holy Spirit, as they did on Pentecost. We, too, are sent as missionaries to bring to others the love of God, and the message of salvation through the body and blood of Jesus, broken and poured out for us. Every day we have a decision to make. Going against the current is hard work. It is a daily struggle to live as Jesus wants us to live. Jesus knew who the unbelievers would be. We are believers; we cannot walk away. To whom shall we go, if not to Jesus?

April 20

FOCUS: With eyes that see God’s presence, we turn to the Lord.

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