MAY 05, 2014 : MONDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTER

Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 273

Reading 1ACTS 6:8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they instigated some men to say,
“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words
against Moses and God.”
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,
accosted him, seized him,
and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
They presented false witnesses who testified,
“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.
For we have heard him claim
that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place
and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Responsorial Psalm PS 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

R. (1ab) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Though princes meet and talk against me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel JN 6:22-29

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you. 
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

www.usccb.org

Meditation:  Labor for the food which endures to eternal life

What do you most hunger for - wealth, peace, health, love, the good life? Jesus addressed this issue with those who sought him after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. Were they simply hungry for things which satisfy the body or for that which satisfies the heart and soul? Jesus echoes the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy" (Isaiah 55:2)? There are two kinds of hunger - physical and spiritual. Only God can satisfy the hunger in our heart and soul - the hunger for truth, for life, and for love.

Jesus also spoke about the works of God and what we must do to be doing the works of God, namely to believe in God' Son whom he has sent into the world. Jesus offers a new relationship with God which issues in a new kind of life: A life of love and service, and the forgiveness of others which corresponds to God's mercy and kindness; a life of holiness and purity which corresponds to God's holiness; and a life of submission and trust which corresponds to the wisdom of God. This is the work which Jesus directs us to and enables us to perform in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you hunger for the bread which comes down from heaven and thirst for the words of everlasting life?

"Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest longing and hunger in our hearts. May I always hunger for the imperishable bread, that I may be satisfied in you alone as the True Bread of Heaven. Nourish and strengthen me that I may serve you with great joy, generosity, and zeal all the days of my life".

www.dailyscripture.net

EASTER WEEKDAY, MONDAY, MAY 5, JOHN 6:22-29
(Acts 6:8-15; Psalm 119)

KEY VERSE: "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life" (v 27).
READING: After the miraculous multiplication of loaves, the crowd noticed that Jesus' disciples had departed by boat across the Sea of Galilee. Assuming that Jesus was nearby, they waited impatiently for his return. Failing to find him, they went in search of him across the lake to Capernaum. When they found him, Jesus said that they were looking for him for the wrong reasons. They desired the bread that he gave them in the wilderness, but they missed the true meaning of the sign, food that "endures for eternal life" (Jn 6:27). Jesus told the crowd that food appeased hunger momentarily. They should look to God to satisfy their eternal spiritual needs. No one could work for this gift, nor earn it. The only way to receive it was to believe in Jesus, the one who God sent to them.
REFLECTING: What can I do to feed someone who is spiritually hungry?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, you are the life-giving nourishment that I desire.

CINCO DE MAYO

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, the 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some recognition in other parts of the Mexico. It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Purpose in Life

St. Francis and Pope Francis do share a common vision: You can find meaning, purpose, and passion in life, and the way to do that is through friendship with God.

— from Saint Francis, Pope Francis 

Blessed are they who walk in the way of the Lord

They took Stephen by surprise and arrested him.
You would expect that someone who was listening to people tell such lies about them would be angry, hurt, upset, but Stephen stands there with the face of an angel. Could we stand there and be as still? For many of us, this is something we struggle with. We rather want to justify ourselves, to say that they cannot talk to us like that. When we are treated unjustly, we do not need to justify ourselves: we are in the right. We need to believe in ourselves, to know that God is with us and loves us. Our relationship with people who oppose us is not important: what is, is our relationship with our God and hence our love of ourselves. If we know that God loves us and that we love ourselves, nothing other people say will touch us.

www.pray.com.au

May 5
St. Hilary of Arles
(400-449)

It’s been said that youth is wasted on the young. In some ways, that was true for today’s saint.

Born in France in the early fifth century, Hilary came from an aristocratic family. In the course of his education he encountered his relative, Honoratus, who encouraged the young man to join him in the monastic life. Hilary did so. He continued to follow in the footsteps of Honoratus as bishop. Hilary was only 29 when he was chosen bishop of Arles.

The new, youthful bishop undertook the role with confidence. He did manual labor to earn money for the poor. He sold sacred vessels to ransom captives. He became a magnificent orator. He traveled everywhere on foot, always wearing simple clothing.

That was the bright side. Hilary encountered difficulty in his relationships with other bishops over whom he had some jurisdiction. He unilaterally deposed one bishop. He selected another bishop to replace one who was very ill–but, to complicate matters, did not die! Pope St. Leo the Great kept Hilary a bishop but stripped him of some of his powers.

Hilary died at 49. He was a man of talent and piety who, in due time, had learned how to be a bishop.

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 6,22-29

Lectio: 

 Monday, May 5, 2014  

Easter Time

1) OPENING PRAYER

Our living God,
we hunger for lasting life and happiness 
and the fulfilment of all our hopes.
Satisfy all our hungers
through your Son Jesus Christ,who is our bread of life.
And when he has filled us with himself,
may he lead and strengthen us
to bring to a waiting world
the food of reconciliation and joy,
which you alone can give to the full.
We ask this thorough Christ our Lord.

2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN 6,22-29

Next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side saw that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten.

When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, 'Rabbi, when did you come here?'

Jesus answered: In all truth I tell you, you are looking for me not because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat. Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.

Then they said to him, 'What must we do if we are to carry out God's work?' Jesus gave them this answer, 'This is carrying out God's work: you must believe in the one he has sent.'

3) REFLECTION

• In today’s Gospel we begin the Discourse on the Bread of Life (Jn 6, 22-71), which is extended during the next six days, until the end of the week. After the multiplication of the loaves, the people follow Jesus. They had seen the miracle; they had eaten and were satiated and wanted more! They were not concerned about looking for the sign or the call of God that was contained in all of this. When the people found Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum, he had a long conversation with them, called the Discourse of the Bread of Life. It is not really a Discourse, but it treats of a series of seven brief dialogues which explain the meaning of the multiplication of the bread, symbol of the new Exodus and of the Eucharistic Supper.

• It is good to keep in mind the division of the chapter in order to understand better its significance:

6, 1-15: the great multiplication of the loaves

6, 16-21: the crossing of the lake, and Jesus who walks on the water

6, 22-71: the dialogue of Jesus with the people, with the Jews and with the disciples

1st dialogue: 6, 22-27 with the people: the people seek Jesus and find him in Capernaum

2nd dialogue: 6, 28-34 with the people: faith as the work of God and the manna of the desert

3rd dialogue: 6, 35-40 with the people: the true bread is to do God’s will.

4th dialogue: 6, 41-51 with the Jews: the complaining of the Jews

5th dialogue: 6, 52-58 with the Jews: Jesus and the Jews.

6th dialogue: 6, 59-66 with the disciples: reaction of the disciples

7th dialogue: 6, 67-71 with the disciples: confession of Peter

• The conversation of Jesus with the people, with the Jews and with the disciples is a beautiful dialogue, but a demanding one. Jesus tries to open the eyes of the people in a way that they will learn to read the events and discover in them the turning point that life should take. Because it is not enough to follow behind miraculous signs which multiply the bread for the body. Man does not live by bread alone. The struggle for life without mysticism does not reach the roots. The people, while speaking with Jesus, always remain more annoyed or upset by his words. But Jesus does not give in, neither does he change the exigencies. The discourse seems to be a funnel. In the measure in which the conversation advances, less people remain with Jesus. At the end only the twelve remain there, but Jesus cannot trust them either! Today the same thing happens. When the Gospel beings to demand commitment, many people withdraw, go away.

• John 6, 22-27: People look for Jesus because they want more bread. The people follow Jesus. They see that he did not go into the boat with the disciples and, because of this, they do not understand what he had done to reach Capernaum. They did not even understand the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. People see what has happened, but they cannot understand all this as a sign of something more profound. They stop only on the surface; in being satisfied with the food. They look for bread and life, but only for the body. According to the people, Jesus does what Moses had done in the past: to feed all the people in the desert. According to Jesus, they wanted the past to be repeated. But Jesus asks the people to take a step more and advance. Besides working for the bread that perishes, they should work for the imperishable food. This new food will be given by the Son of Man, indicated by God himself. He brings life which lasts forever. He opens for us a new horizon on the sense of life and on God.

• John 6, 28-29: Which is God’s work? The people ask: what should we do to carry out this work of God? Jesus answers that the great work of God asks us to “believe in the one sent by God”. That is, to believe in Jesus!

4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS

• The people were hungry, they eat the bread and they look for more bread. They seek the miracle and do not seek the sign of God who was hidden in that. What do I seek more in my life: the miracle or the sign?

• Keep silence within you for a moment and ask yourself: “To believe in Jesus: What does this mean for me concretely in my daily life?”

5) CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, I tell you my ways and you answer me;
teach me your wishes.
Show me the way of your precepts,
that I may reflect on your wonders. (Ps 119,26-27)

www.ocarm.org