Friday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary:
277
Reading
Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of
the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues inDamascus ,
that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back toJerusalem
On his journey, as he was nearingDamascus
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him toDamascus
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple inDamascus
and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man fromTarsus
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones inJerusalem
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children ofIsrael
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples inDamascus
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to
On his journey, as he was nearing
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in
and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
Responsorial PsalmPS 117:1BC, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and
tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
GospelJN 6:52-59
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue inCapernaum
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in
Meditation: "He who eats this
bread will live forever"
Why did Jesus
offer himself as “food and drink”? The Jews were scandalized and the disciples
were divided when Jesus said "unless
you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." What a hard saying, unless you
understand who Jesus is and why he calls himself the bread of life. The miracle of
the multiplication of the loaves (John 6:3-13), when Jesus said the blessing,
broke and distributed the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude,
is a sign that prefigured the superabundance of the unique bread of the
Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper. The Gospel of John has no account of the Last
Supper meal (just the foot washing ceremony and Jesus' farewell discourse).
Instead, John quotes extensively from Jesus' teaching on the bread of life.In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in a thanksgiving sacrifice as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to the Creator as the giver and sustainer of life. Melchizedek, who was both a priest and king (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1-4), offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. His offering prefigured the offering made by Jesus, our high priest and king (Hebrews 7:26; 9:11; 10:12). The remembrance of the manna in the wilderness recalled to the people of Israel that they live – not by earthly bread alone – but by the bread of the Word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3). At the last supper when Jesus blessed the cup of wine, he gave it to his disciples saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was pointing to the sacrifice he was about to make on the cross, when he would shed his blood for us – thus pouring himself out and giving himself to us – as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. His death on the cross fulfilled the sacrifice of the paschal (passover) lamb whose blood spared the Israelites from death in
Jesus chose the time of the Jewish Feast of Passover to fulfill what he had announced at
"Lord Jesus, you nourish and sustain us with your very own presence and life-giving word. You are the bread of life – the heavenly food that sustains us now and that produces everlasting life within us. May I always hunger for you and be satisfied in you alone."
 Seeking to Have Your Heart Filled |
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Friday of the Third Week of Easter
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Father James
Swanson, LC John 6: 52-59 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here and now as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give you my life and my love in return. Petition: Lord, help me to face challenges and continue to follow you in faith. 1. What is it I Truly Seek? On the preceding day Jesus multiplied loaves and fishes to feed the multitude. The Jews realize there is something special here, that Jesus may be the Messiah, or at least a prophet. They are curious enough to continue following him and asking him questions. They have liked everything he has said up till now. Some of it they have not understood completely or correctly, but it has been close enough to what they are used to hearing that it causes them no great difficulty. They continue to ask questions, looking for understanding, especially understanding they can be comfortable with. What is my attitude when I question Our Lord about events and challenges in my life? Am I seeking to understand so I can embrace God’s plan better, or does my response depend on how much I comprehend? 2. Opening Our Horizons: Now Jesus has said something truly shocking. He wants them to eat his flesh and drink his blood! Up to this point, most of the crowd has been willing to accept him as a bread-provider. He fed them yesterday. Maybe, if they hang around long enough, he will do it again. Their ideas about the Messiah are too materialistic, based only on the re-establishment of David’s Kingdom at the expense of the Romans. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to take them to a new level. He wants to take them into the mystery of the loving generosity of God. As good as the manna in the wilderness was, he wants to give something much better. As wonderful as David’s Kingdom was, he wants to give a greater kingdom. This is so far beyond what they are looking for, they will not be able to understand what he is offering. It will have to be accepted in faith. 3. Great Gifts Come in Small Packages: We can understand many things, even many spiritual things. In his goodness, God has given us intelligence so that we can understand some of the truths about him. But these simpler truths don’t reveal the full glory of God. They are not as fulfilling as some of the more important truths about him. Jesus wants to give his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. He reveals this to the crowds, and since they lack faith, they don’t understand. Some straggle off to find another “wonder-worker”. Others, looking for understanding, go off to look for a “teacher” who makes sense to them. Hopefully, some are looking for the revelation of the mysteries of God, the greatest gifts that God can offer. They are not looking to fill their stomachs or their minds. They are looking to fill their hearts. These are the kinds of gifts that Jesus intends to give – and in abundance. Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, so often I am looking for material gifts from you. Help me to realize that the greatest gifts you give may be beyond my understanding. Yet, if I am willing to accept them on faith, they will fill my heart. Perhaps with time, it will be possible for me to understand something of them as well, but greatness of faith lies in my trusting in you.
Resolution: What spiritual gift I am most in need of?
Faith? Charity? Humility? Something else? Today I will set aside some time to
ask God in prayer to grant me that gift.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Easter Weekday
JOHN 6:52-59
(Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 117)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day" (v 54).
REFLECTING: Am I aware of Christ's true presence when I participate in the Eucharist?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, feed me at your table of eternal life.
Go out
to all the world, and tell the Good News
‘Those who
eat this bread will live forever.’In today’s gospel, Jesus is speaking not only to his disciples but also to ‘the Jews’, probably meaning both sincere listeners and people who could not accept his teaching. People who accept Jesus are constantly strengthened by their awareness of him with us not only in the Eucharist, as presented in the gospel today, but also in his abiding presence in the depths of our hearts.
By faithful prayer we deepen our sense of that presence in our hearts. In our prayer time, let us follow the promptings of the Spirit as we thank, praise, ask, and present to God whatever else arises in us.
April 28
Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna
(d.1260)
Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna
(d.1260)
Luchesio and his wife Buonadonna wanted
to follow St. Francis as a married couple. Thus they set in motion the Secular
Franciscan Order.
Luchesio
and Buonadonna lived in Poggibonzi where he was a greedy merchant. Meeting
Francis—probably in 1213—changed his life. He began to perform many works of
charity.At first Buonadonna was not as enthusiastic about giving so much away as Luchesio was. One day after complaining that he was giving everything to strangers, Buonadonna answered the door only to find someone else needing help. Luchesio asked her to give the poor man some bread. She frowned but went to the pantry anyway. There she discovered more bread than had been there the last time she looked. She soon became as zealous for a poor and simple life as Luchesio was. They sold the business, farmed enough land to provide for their needs and distributed the rest to the poor.
In the 13th century some couples, by mutual consent and with the Church’s permission, separated so that the husband could join a monastery (or a group such as Francis began) and his wife could go to a cloister. Conrad of Piacenza and his wife did just that. This choice existed for childless couples or for those whose children had already grown up. Luchesio and Buonadonna wanted another alternative, a way of sharing in religious life, but outside the cloister.
To meet this desire, Francis set up the Secular Franciscan Order. Francis wrote a simple Rule for the Third Order (Secular Franciscans) at first; Pope Honorius III approved a more formally worded Rule in 1221.
The charity of Luchesio drew the poor to him, and, like many other saints, he and Buonadonna seemed never to lack the resources to help these people.
One day Luchesio was carrying a crippled man he had found on the road. A frivolous young man came up and asked, "What poor devil is that you are carrying there on your back?" "I am carrying my Lord Jesus Christ," responded Luchesio. The young man immediately begged Luchesio’s pardon.
Luchesio and Buonadonna both died on April 28, 1260. He was beatified in 1273. Local tradition referred to Buonadonna as "blessed" though the title was not given officially.
Comment:
It is easy to mock the poor, to trample on their God-given dignity. Mother Teresa ofCalcutta
It is easy to mock the poor, to trample on their God-given dignity. Mother Teresa of
Quote:
Francis used to say, "Whoever curses a poor man does an injury to Christ, whose noble image he wears, the image of him who made himself poor for us in this world" (1 Celano, #76).
Francis used to say, "Whoever curses a poor man does an injury to Christ, whose noble image he wears, the image of him who made himself poor for us in this world" (1 Celano, #76).
LECTIO: JOHN 6,52-59
Lectio: Friday, April 19, 2013
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
Our living
and loving God,
how could we
know the depth of your love
if your Son
had not become flesh of our flesh
and blood of
our blood?
How could we
ever have the courage
to live for
one another and if necessary to die
if he had
not given up his body
and shed his
blood for us?
Thank you
for letting him stay in the eucharist with us
and making
himself our daily bread.
Let this
bread be the food that empowers us
to live and
die as he did,
for one
another and for you,
our living
God, for ever and ever.
2) Gospel Reading
Then the
Jews started arguing among themselves, 'How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?'
Jesus
replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the
Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Anyone who does eat my
flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on
the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person. As the
living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will
also draw life from me. This is the bread which has come down from heaven; it
is not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats
this bread will live for ever.
This is what
he taught at Capernaum
3) Reflection
• We are
almost at the end of the Discourse of the Bread of Life. Here begins the part
of the greatest polemic. The Jews close themselves and begin to discuss on the
affirmations of Jesus.
• John 6,
52-55: Flesh and Blood: the expression of life and of the total gift. The Jews
react: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” The feast of the Passover
was close at hand. After a few days everybody would have eaten the meat of the
paschal lamb in the celebration of the night of the Passover. They did not
understand the words of Jesus, because they took them literally. But Jesus does
not diminish the exigencies, he does not withdraw or take away anything of what
he has said and he insists: “In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the
flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Anyone
who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise
that person up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real
drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that
person”. (a) To eat the flesh of Jesus means to accept Jesus as the new Paschal
Lamb, whose blood liberates us from slavery. The Law of the Old Testament, out
of respect for life, prohibited to eat the blood (Dt 12, 16.23; Acts 15.29).
The blood was the sign of life. (b) To drink the Blood of Jesus means to
assimilate the same way of life which marked the life of Jesus. What gives life
is not to celebrate the manna of the past, but rather to eat this new bread
which is Jesus, his flesh and his blood. Participating in the Eucharistic
Supper, we assimilate his life, his surrender, his gift of self. “If you do not
eat the flesh of the Son of Man and you do not drink his Blood you will not
have life in you”. They should accept Jesus as the Crucified Messiah, whose
blood will be poured out.
• John 6,
56-58: Whoever eats my flesh, will live in me. The last phrases of the
discourse of the Bread of Life are of the greatest depth and try to summarize
everything which has been said. They recall the mystical dimension which
surrounds the participation in the Eucharist. They express what Paul says in
the letter to the Galatians: “It is no longer I, but Christ living in me (Ga 2,
20). And what the Apocalypse of John says: “If one of you hears me calling and
opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person’s side” (Rev 3,
20). And John himself in the Gospel: “Anyone who loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him and we shall come to him and make a home in him”
(Jn 14, 23). And it ends with the promise of life which marks the difference
with the ancient Exodus: “This is the bread which has come down from heaven. It
is not like the bread our ancestors ate, they are dead, but anyone who eats
this bread will live for ever.”
• John 6,
59: The discourse in the Synagogue ends. The conversation between Jesus and the
people and the Jews in the Synagogue of Capernaum ends here. As it has been
said before, the Discourse of the Bread of Life offers us an image of how the
catechesis of that time was, at the end of the first century, in the Christian
communities of Asia Minor . The questions of
the people and of the Jews show the difficulties of the members of the
communities. And the answer of Jesus represents the clarifications to help them
to overcome the difficulties, to deepen their faith and to live more intensely
the Eucharist which was celebrated above all in the night between Saturday and
Sunday, the Day of the Lord.
4) Personal questions
• Beginning
with the Discourse on the Bread of Life, the celebration of the Eucharist
receives a very strong light and an enormous deepening. Which is the light that
I see and which helps me to advance?
• To eat the
flesh and blood of Jesus is the commandment that he leaves. How do I live the
Eucharist in my life? Even if I cannot go to Mass every day or every Sunday, my
life should be Eucharistic. How do I try to attain this objective?
5) Concluding Prayer
Praise
Yahweh, all nations,
extol him,
all peoples,
for his
faithful love is strong
and his
constancy never-ending. (Ps 117,1-2)
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