Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 275
Lectionary: 275
There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.
Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 66:1-3A, 4-5, 6-7A
R. (1) Let all
the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaSEE JN 6:40
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 6:35-40
Jesus said to the crowds,
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."
Meditation: "I will raise you up at the last
day"
Why did Jesus call himself the bread of life? The
Jews understood that God promised them manna from heaven to sustain them on
their journey to the promised land. Bread is the very staple of life. We could
not live without food for very long. Bread sustains us. But what is life?
Jesus clearly meant something more than mere physical existence. The life Jesus
refers to is connected with God, the author of life. Real life is a
relationship with the living God, a relationship of trust, love, obedience, peace,
and joy. This is what Jesus makes possible for us - a loving relationship with
God who created us for love with him. Apart from Jesus no one can enter that
kind of life and relationship. Are you satisfied with mere physical existence
or do you hunger for the abundant life which Jesus offers?
Jesus makes three claims here. First he offers himself
as spiritual food which produces the very life of God within us. Second, he
promises unbroken friendship and freedom from the fear of being forsaken or cut
off from God. Third, he offers us the hope of sharing in his resurrection.
Jesus rose physically never to die again. Those who accept Jesus as Lord and
Savior will be bodily raised up to immortal life with Jesus when he comes again
on the last day. Do you know the joy and hope of the resurrection?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your death brought life and
hope where there was once only despair and defeat. Give me the unshakable hope
of everlasting life, the inexpressible joy of knowing your unfailing love, and
the unwavering faith and obedience in doing the will of our Father in
heaven."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Possessing the Scriptures, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"When you understand anything in the Scriptures,
it is love that is manifesting itself to you. When you fail to understand, it
is love that is hiding itself from you. Those, therefore, who possess charity
possess both what is manifest in the divine words and what is hidden in
them." (excerpt from Sermon 350,2)
WEDNESDAY,
APRIL 18, JOHN 6:35-40
Easter Weekday
(Acts 8:1b-8; Psalm 66)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 8:1b-8; Psalm 66)
KEY VERSE: "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life" (v.40).
TO KNOW: Jesus revealed God's word to the people, yet some refused to believe in him. They failed to comprehend the meaning of the miraculous sign of the bread that Jesus gave them in the wilderness (v.30-31). They did not understand that Jesus was the fullness of God's revelation and the source of eternal salvation. Jesus insists that he not only gives the bread from heaven, he actually is the life-giving "bread" sent by God who would satisfy the people's hunger and thirst forever. Jesus did not reject anyone who came to him in faith. He was careful not to lose a single fragment of the miraculous loaves. So too, none of the souls God entrusted to him would perish. They would share eternal life with him.
TO LOVE: Do I take time to be nourished by God's word?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, feed me with your life-giving Sacrament so that I can live eternally with you.
Wednesday 18
April 2018
Acts
8:1-8. Psalm 65(66):8-9, 16-17, 20. John 6:44-51.
Let all
the earth cry out to God with joy—Psalm 65(66):8-9, 16-17, 20.
Whoever
eats of this bread will live forever.
We come to
Jesus because we feel drawn to him as the fullest expression of the love of the
Father. In our intimate experience of Jesus as ‘the bread of life’ we learn to
place our trust in him.
Jesus, in
the incarnation you ‘came down from heaven.’ In the Eucharist you give us food
for our lives. As you offer us your very self may we begin to renew our hope in
you. Come now to accompany us in our day. Help us to complete our mission on
earth. Encourage the entire body of the church to remember that you are present
within and among us. Let me discover that life forever with you has already
begun.
Blessed James Oldo
Saint of the Day for April 18
(1364 – April 18, 1404
Blessed James Oldo’s Story
You’ve heard rags-to-riches stories. Today, we celebrate the
reverse.
James of Oldo was born into a well-to-do family near Milan in
1364. He married a woman who like him, appreciated the comforts that came with
wealth. But an outbreak of the plague drove James, his wife, and their three
children out of their home and into the countryside. Despite those precautions,
two of his daughters died from the plague. James determined to use whatever
time he had left to build up treasures in heaven and to build God’s realm on
earth.
He and his wife became Secular Franciscans. James gave up his
old lifestyle and did penance for his sins. He cared for a sick priest, who
taught him Latin. Upon the death of his wife, James himself became a priest.
His house was transformed into a chapel where small groups of people, many of
them fellow Secular Franciscans, came for prayer and support. James focused on
caring for the sick and for prisoners of war. He died in 1404 after contracting
a disease from one of his patients.
James Oldo was beatified in 1933.
Reflection
The death of those we love brings a troubling awareness of our
own mortality. James had that experience when he gazed into a friend’s grave,
and it brought him to his senses. He determined to use whatever time he had
left to build up treasures in heaven and to build God’s realm on earth. Our
time is limited, too. We can use it well or foolishly: The choice is ours.
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 6,35-40
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Easter Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
God, our Father,
you are our faithful God,
even in days of trial for the Church
and for each of us personally;
you stay by our side, even if we are not aware of your presence.
Give us an unlimited trust in you
and make us ever more aware
that your Son Jesus is the meaning of our lives
and that he nourishes us with himself,
today and every day, for ever.
you are our faithful God,
even in days of trial for the Church
and for each of us personally;
you stay by our side, even if we are not aware of your presence.
Give us an unlimited trust in you
and make us ever more aware
that your Son Jesus is the meaning of our lives
and that he nourishes us with himself,
today and every day, for ever.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN
6,35-40
Jesus answered them: I am the bread of
life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will
ever thirst. But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not
believe. Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me; I will certainly
not reject anyone who comes to me, because I have come from heaven, not to do
my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me. Now the will of him who
sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, but that
I should raise it up on the last day. It is my Father's will that whoever sees
the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and that I should raise
that person up on the last day.
3) REFLECTION
• John 6, 35-36: I am the bread of life.
The people enthusiastic with the perspective of having bread from heaven of
which Jesus speaks and which gives life forever (Jn 6, 33), ask: “Lord, give us
always that bread!” (Jn 6, 34). They thought that Jesus was speaking about some
particular kind of bread. This is why, the people, interested in getting this
bread, ask: “Give us always of this bread!” This petition of the people reminds
us of the conversation of Jesus with the Samaritan woman. Jesus had said that
she could have had within her a spring of living water, welling up to eternal
life, and she in an interested way asks: “Lord, give me of that water!” (Jn 4,
15). The Samaritan woman is not aware that Jesus is not speaking about material
water. Just as the people were not aware that Jesus was not speaking of
material bread. Because of this, Jesus responds very clearly: “I am the bread
of life! No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me
will ever thirst”. To eat the bread of heaven is the same as believing in
Jesus. And to believe that he has come from heaven as a revelation of the
Father. It is to accept the way which he has taught. But the people, in spite,
of having seen Jesus, do not believe in him. Jesus is aware of the lack of
faith and says: “You have seen me and you do not believe”.
• John 6, 37-40: To do the will of him
who sent me. After the conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus had said to
his disciples: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me!” (Jn 4, 34).
Here, in the conversation with the people on the bread from heaven, Jesus
touches on the same theme: “I have come from heaven not to do my own will, but
to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me that
I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me; but that I should raise
it up on the last day”. This is the food which people should look for: to do
the will of the Heavenly Father. And this is the bread which nourishes the
person in life and gives him/her life. Eternal life begins here, a life which
is stronger than death! If we were really ready to do the will of the Father,
we would have no difficulty to recognize the Father present in Jesus.
• John 6, 41-43: The Jews complained.
Tomorrow’s Gospel begins with verse 44 (John 6, 44-51) and skips verses 41 to
43. In verse 41, begins the conversation with the Jews, who criticize Jesus.
Here we will give a brief explanation of the meaning of the word Jews in the
Gospel of John in order to avoid that a superficial reading of it, may nourish
in us Christians, the sentiment of anti-Semitism. First of all, it is well to
remember that Jesus was a Jew and continues to be a Jew (Jn 4, 9). His
disciples were Jews. The first Christian communities were all Jewish who
accepted Jesus as the Messiah. It was only later, little by little, that in the
communities of the Beloved Disciple, Greeks and Christians began to be accepted
on the same level of the Jews. They were more open communities. But this
openness was not accepted by all. Some Christians who came from the group of
the Pharisees wanted to keep the “separation” between Jews and Pagans (Acts 15,
5). The situation was critical after the destruction of Jerusalem in the year
70. The Pharisees became the dominating religious current in Judaism and began
to define the religious directives or norms for the whole People of God: to
suppress worship in the Greek language; to adopt solely the Biblical text in
Hebrew; to define or determine the list of sacred books, and eliminate the
books which existed only in the Greek translation of the Bible: Tobias, Judith,
Esther, Baruch, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus and the two Books of the Maccabees: to
segregate or separate the foreigners; not eat any food, suspected to be impure
or which had been offered to the idols. All these norms assumed by the Pharisees
had some repercussion on the communities of the Jews which accepted Jesus as
Messiah. These communities had already journeyed very much. The openness for
the Pagans was now irreversible. The Greek Bible had already been used for a
long time. Thus, slowly, a reciprocal separation grew between Christianity and
Judaism. In the years 85-90 the Jewish authorities began to discriminate those
who continued to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah (Mt 5, 11-12; 24,
9-13). Those who continued to remain in the faith in Jesus were expelled from
the Synagogue (Jn 9, 34). Many Christian communities feared this expulsion (Jn
9, 22) because it meant to lose the support of a strong and traditional
institution such as the Synagogue. Those who were expelled lost the legal
privileges that the Jews had conquered and gained throughout the centuries in
the Empire. The expelled persons lost even the possibility of being buried
decently. It was an enormous risk. This situation of conflict at the end of the
first century had repercussion in the description of the conflict of Jesus with
the Pharisees. When the Gospel of John speaks of the Jews he is not speaking of
the Jewish people as such, but he is thinking much more of those few Pharisee
authorities which were expelling the Christians from the Synagogues in the
years 85-90, the time when the Gospel was written. We cannot allow this
affirmation about the Jews to make anti-Semitism grow among Christians.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Anti-Semitism: look well within
yourself and try to uproot any remain of anti-Semitism.
• To eat the bread of heaven means to
believe in Jesus. How does all this help me to live the Eucharist better?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Acclaim God, all the earth,
sing psalms to the glory of his name,
glorify him with your praises,
say to God, 'How awesome you are! (Ps 66,1-3)
sing psalms to the glory of his name,
glorify him with your praises,
say to God, 'How awesome you are! (Ps 66,1-3)
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