Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 273
Lectionary: 273
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.
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
Psalm119:23-24, 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.
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.
AlleluiaMT 4:4B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 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.”
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.”
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 he performed the miracle
of the multiplication of the loaves and the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-15).
Were they simply hungry for things which satisfy the body or for that which
satisfies the heart and soul?
Only
God can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience
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 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.
Believe
in Jesus Christ who alone can satisfy us now and forever
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?
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".
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: God is our landlord, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Our
wish, you see, is to attain to eternal life. We wish to reach the place where
nobody dies, but if possible we do not want to get there via death. We would
like to be whisked away there while we are still alive and see our bodies
changed, while we are alive, into that spiritual form into which they are to be
changed when we rise again. Who wouldn't like that? Isn't it what everybody
wants? But while that is what you want, you are told, Quit. Remember what you
have sung in the psalm: 'A lodger am I on earth'” If you are a lodger, you are
staying in someone else's house; if you are staying in someone else's house,
you quit when the landlord bids you. And the landlord is bound to tell you to
quit sooner or later, and he has not guaranteed you a long stay. After all, he
did not sign a contract with you. Seeing that you are lodging with him for
nothing, you quit when he tells you to. And this, too, has to be put up with,
and for this, too, patience is very necessary." (excerpt from Sermon
359A,8)
MONDAY, APRIL 27, JOHN 6:22-29
EASTER WEEKDAY
(Acts 6:8-15; Psalm 119)
EASTER WEEKDAY
(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).
TO KNOW: 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 were like Israel in the desert after their escape from Egypt. Alone, afraid, without food, they clamored for the manna that Moses 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 spiritual needs. No one could work for this gift, deserve it, nor earn it. The only way to receive it was to believe in Jesus, the one whom God had sent to them.
TO LOVE: What can I do to feed someone who is spiritually hungry?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, you are the life-giving nourishment that I desire.
TO KNOW: 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 were like Israel in the desert after their escape from Egypt. Alone, afraid, without food, they clamored for the manna that Moses 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 spiritual needs. No one could work for this gift, deserve it, nor earn it. The only way to receive it was to believe in Jesus, the one whom God had sent to them.
TO LOVE: What can I do to feed someone who is spiritually hungry?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, you are the life-giving nourishment that I desire.
Monday 27 April 2020
Acts 6:8-15. Blessed are they who walk in the way of the
Lord! – Psalm 118(119):23-24, 26-27, 29-30. John 6:22-29.
‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’
‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’
Today’s Gospel reminds us that our true work as Christians is to
believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus offers ‘the food that endures for eternal life.’
He encourages and challenges us as we seek sustenance and direction for our
lives. We will find peace through believing in him and receiving his presence
into our hearts.
The first reading gives us an example of what can happen if we
do believe and open ourselves to the presence and power of the risen Jesus. In
Stephen we see a person grasped by the Spirit, full of grace and power, whose
words are bold and unafraid in the face of opposition.
Lord Jesus, I believe! Help my unbelief! Help me to open myself
to your Spirit, allowing the Spirit to work in me. Purify my faith so that I
may love and serve you in others!
Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort
Saint of the Day for April 27
(January 31, 1673 – April 28, 1716)
 |
| Stained glass of Saint Louis de Montfort | G. Freihalter |
Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort’s Story
Louis’s life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine
devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church. Totus
tuus (“completely yours”) was Louis’s personal motto; Pope
John Paul II chose it as his episcopal motto.
Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes, France,
as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his Baptism instead of his
family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians,
he was ordained a diocesan priest in 1700.
Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western
France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live
very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with Church authorities. In his
preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis
recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion—not the custom then!—and
imitation of the Virgin Mary’s ongoing acceptance of God’s will for her life.
Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, for
priests and brothers, and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the
sick. His book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin has become
a classic explanation of Marian devotion.
Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, where a basilica has been
erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947. His Liturgical Feast Day
is April 28.
Reflection
Like Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow
Jesus. Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis
knew with Saint Paul, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is
anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Any attempt
to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying the Good News of
Jesus. Mary is “the first and most perfect disciple,” as the late Sulpician
Father Raymond Brown described her.
Lectio Divina: John 6:22-29
Lectio Divina
Monday, April 27, 2020
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
Our living God,
we hunger for lasting life and happiness
and the fulfillment 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.
we hunger for lasting life and happiness
and the fulfillment 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
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.”
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 at Capernaum, He
had a long conversation with them, called the Discourse of the Bread of Life.
It is not really a discourse, but it is 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
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. 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, fewer 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 begins to demand commitment, many people
withdraw and 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 which was
hidden in that. What do I seek more in my life: a miracle or a sign or the
meaning?
• Keep silence within you for a moment and ask yourself: “To believe in Jesus: What does this mean for me specifically in my daily life?”
• What do I really work for in my life? Food that perishes or food that endures? Am I not committed and do a little of both, “just in case”?
• Keep silence within you for a moment and ask yourself: “To believe in Jesus: What does this mean for me specifically in my daily life?”
• What do I really work for in my life? Food that perishes or food that endures? Am I not committed and do a little of both, “just in case”?
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)
teach me Your wishes.
Show me the way of Your precepts,
that I may reflect on Your wonders. (Ps 119:26-27)
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