Saturday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 272
Lectionary: 272
As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word."
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the Apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
"It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word."
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the Apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
R. (22) Lord,
let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Christ is risen, who made all things;
he has shown mercy on all people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ is risen, who made all things;
he has shown mercy on all people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 6:16-21
When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea,
embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum.
It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."
They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore
to which they were heading.
embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum.
It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."
They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore
to which they were heading.
Meditation: Jesus said: "It is I - do not be
afraid"
Does the Lord Jesus ever seem distant to you? When
John recounted the scene of the apostles being alone at sea in a storm he
described the situation as "dark" (John 6:17). It was dark not only
physically but spiritually as well. Although they were experienced fishermen,
they were fearful for their lives. The Lord's sudden presence - and his
supernatural ability to walk towards them on top of the rough waves of the sea
- only made them more fearful! John says they were frightened. And Jesus had to
calm them with a reassuring command: "Do not be afraid because I am here
with you!"
The Lord Jesus is a very present help in trouble
Aren't we like the apostles when we experience moments of darkness, fear, and trials? While the Lord may at times seem absent or very distant to us, he, nonetheless, is always present and close-by. The Scriptures remind us that the Lord is "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Whatever storms may beset us, he promises to "bring us to our desired haven" and place of calm rest and safety (Psalm 107:29-30). The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help?
Aren't we like the apostles when we experience moments of darkness, fear, and trials? While the Lord may at times seem absent or very distant to us, he, nonetheless, is always present and close-by. The Scriptures remind us that the Lord is "a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Whatever storms may beset us, he promises to "bring us to our desired haven" and place of calm rest and safety (Psalm 107:29-30). The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help?
Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we
put our trust in him and in his great love and care for us. When calamities or
trials threaten to overwhelm you, how do you respond? With faith and hope in
God's love, personal care, and presence with you?
"Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your saving help
and your watchful presence in my life, especially in times of trouble. Fortify
my faith with courage and give me enduring hope that I may never waver in my
trust in you."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Christ our physician, by Augustine of
Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"God sent the human race a physician, a savior,
One Who healed without charging a fee. Christ also came to reward those who
would be healed by Him. Christ heals the sick, and He makes a gift to those
whom He heals. And the gift that He makes is Himself!" (excerpt from Sermon 102,2)
SATURDAY, APRIL 14, JOHN 6:16-21
Easter Weekday
(Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "It is I. Do not be afraid" (v.20).
TO KNOW: After the miraculous multiplication of loaves in the wilderness, Jesus' disciples sailed to the village of Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius, named for the second Roman Emperor). It was Passover time, the time of the full moon (Jn.6:4), and Jesus was up on the hillside praying. When a sudden storm came up threatening to capsize the small craft of his terrified disciples, Jesus appeared walking on the water toward them, calming them with his divine presence, and bringing them safely to shore. Whether in hunger or distress, Jesus continues to be with his people to deliver them from all evil.
TO LOVE: How can I be a source of peace to someone who is fearful?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to know that you are with me in all the storms of my life.
www.togetherwithgodsword.com
Saturday 14
April 2018
Acts
6:1-7. Psalm 32(33):1-2, 4-5, 18-19. John 6:16-21.
Lord, let
your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you—Psalm 32(33):1-2, 4-5, 18-19.
Lord, let
your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
John’s
Gospel story tells us that Jesus walked on water. Could this story be true?
Perhaps the lake was frozen? Or was Jesus on a sandbar? Had the disciples had a
little too much wine with their loaves and fishes?
But
Christianity is all about the implausible, the unlikely and the improbable. And
we are asked to move beyond belief towards action. To fight for causes that
seem impossible, like closing the gap between the rich and poor. To love our
neighbours—whatever country they are from, whatever religion they follow and
whatever language they speak. To trust God’s plan for us when it doesn’t match
up with our own hopes and dreams.
What might
‘walking on water’ mean for me?
Blessed Peter Gonzalez
Saint of the Day for April 14
(1190 – April 15, 1246)
 |
| Statue of Saint Telmo (Pedro González Telmo) in Frómista, province of Palencia, Spain | photo by Lucien leGrey |
Blessed Peter Gonzalez’s Story
Saint Paul had a conversion experience on the road to
Damascus. Many years later, the same proved true for Peter Gonzalez, who
triumphantly rode his horse into the Spanish city of Astorga in the 13th century
to take up an important post at the cathedral. The animal stumbled and fell,
leaving Peter in the mud and onlookers amused.
Humbled, Peter reevaluated his motivations—his bishop-uncle had
secured the cathedral post for him—and started down a new path. He became a
Dominican priest and proved to be a most effective preacher. He spent much of
his time as court chaplain, and attempted to exert positive influence on the
behavior of members of the court. After King Ferdinand III and his troops
defeated the Moors at Cordoba, Peter was successful in restraining the soldiers
from pillaging, and persuaded the king to treat the defeated Moors with compassion.
After retiring from the court, Peter devoted the remainder of
his life to preaching in northwest Spain. Having developed a special mission to
Spanish and Portuguese seamen, he is considered their patron.
Peter Gonzalez died in 1246 and was beatified in 1741.
Reflection
How often we have heard stories about some misfortune or
disaster only to hear later on that it was now seen as a good thing. Not every
“disaster” is truly bad in its consequences for the Lord can bring good out of
what appears to be a misfortune. Such was the case for Blessed Peter. His being
dumped in the mud by a falling horse turned out to be a good thing in his life.
Blessed Peter Gonzalez is the Patron of:
Spanish and Portuguese sailors
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 6,16-21
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Easter Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord God,
also in our day we need men and women
filled with the Spirit of love and service
who are attentive to the needs of people.
Let them listen even to the unspoken cries
of people too timid to voice
their poverty and distress
and help without condescension
their brothers and sisters of Christ,
for He is our Lord for ever. Amen.
also in our day we need men and women
filled with the Spirit of love and service
who are attentive to the needs of people.
Let them listen even to the unspoken cries
of people too timid to voice
their poverty and distress
and help without condescension
their brothers and sisters of Christ,
for He is our Lord for ever. Amen.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN
6:16-21
When it was evening, the disciples of
Jesus went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to
Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The
sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about
three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the
boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, "It is I. Do not
be afraid." They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat
immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.
3) REFLECTION
• Today’s Gospel narrates the episode of
the boat on the agitated sea. Jesus is on the mountain, the
disciples in the sea, and the people on the land. By
his way of describing the facts, John tries to help the communities discover
the mystery which envelops the person of Jesus. He does it by recalling texts
from the Old Testament which refer to the Exodus.
• At the time when John wrote, the small
boat of the communities had to face a contrary wind both on the part of the
converted Jews who wanted to reduce the mystery of Jesus to prophecies and
figures of the Old Testament, and on the part of some converted Gentiles who
thought that it was possible to have an alliance between Jesus and the Empire.
• John 6:15: Jesus on the
mountain. Having seen the multiplication of the loaves, the people conclude
that Jesus is the awaited Messiah, because according to the hope of the people
of the time, the Messiah would have repeated the gesture of Moses: feeding the
people in the desert. For this reason, according to the official ideology, the
crowds thought that Jesus was the Messiah, and, because of this, they wanted to
make Him king (cf. Jn 6:14-15). This request of the people was a temptation for
Jesus as well as for the disciples. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus obliges the
disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the lake
(Mk 6:45). He wanted to prevent them from getting contaminated with this
ideology. This is a sign that the “yeast of Herod and of the Pharisees” was
very strong (Mk 8:15). Jesus faces the temptation with prayer on the mountain.
• John 6:16-18: The situation of
the disciples. It was already night. The disciples went down near the
sea; they got into the boat and headed toward Capernaum, on the other side of
the sea. John says that it was already dark and that Jesus had not arrived as
yet. On the one hand he recalls the Exodus: to cross the sea in the midst of
difficulties. On the other, he recalls the situation of the communities in the
Roman Empire: with the disciples, they were living in the dark, with a contrary
wind, and the sea was agitated, and Jesus seemed to be absent!
• John 6:19-20. Change of the
situation. Jesus approaches them walking on the water of the sea of
life. The disciples are afraid. As happens in the story of Emmaus, they did not
recognize Him (Lk 24:28). Jesus gets close to them and says, “It is I!
Do not be afraid!” For those who know the story of the Old Testament,
here again John recalls some very important facts: (a) He recalls the crowd,
protected by God, crossing the Red Sea without fear. (b) He recalls that God,
when calling Moses, declares His name, saying, “I am!” (Ex
3:15). (c) He recalls also the Book of Isaiah which presents the return from
exile as a new Exodus, in which God repeats many times, “I am!” (cf.
Is 42:8; 43:5, 11-13; 44:6, 25; 45:5-7).
• For the People of the Bible, the sea
was the symbol of the abyss, of chaos, of evil (Rev 13:1). In Exodus the people
go across toward liberty, facing and conquering the sea. God divides the sea
with His breath and the crowds cross the sea, which is dry land. (Ex 14:22). In
other passages the Bible shows God who conquers the sea (Gen 1:6-10; Ps 104:6-9;
Prov 8:27). The sea was an immense part of nature, more powerful than man, and
at any time or turbulence could swallow up those on it. To conquer the sea
means to have control over even the most powerful nature on earth. In this
passage Jesus reveals His divinity by dominating and conquering the sea,
preventing the boat and His disciples from being carried away by the waves.
This way of evoking or recalling the Old Testament, of using the Bible, helped
the communities to recognize the presence of God in Jesus and in the
facts of life. “Do not be afraid”!
• John 6:22. They reached the
desired port. They want to take Jesus into the boat, but it was not
necessary, because the boat touched the shore where they were headed. They
reached the desired port. The psalm says, “He reduced the storm to calm, and
all the waters subsided. He brought them overjoyed at the stillness, to
the port where they were bound.” (Ps 107:29-30).
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• On the mountain: Why does Jesus seek
to be alone to pray after the multiplication of the loaves? What is the result
of His prayer?
• How is life like the sea? Does it
scare us?
• Is it possible today to walk on the water of the sea of life? How?
• Is it possible today to walk on the water of the sea of life? How?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Shout for joy, you upright;
praise befits the honest.
Give thanks to Yahweh on the lyre,
play for Him on the ten-stringed lyre. (Ps 33:1-2)
praise befits the honest.
Give thanks to Yahweh on the lyre,
play for Him on the ten-stringed lyre. (Ps 33:1-2)
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