TUESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the bread of life, says the Lord.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst. JN 6:35

ACTS 7:51-8:1 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The martyrdom of Stephen took place over 2000 years ago and Luke has given us a detailed account of all that happened so vividly. Those who refuse to be touched by grace are the ones who resist the Holy Spirit. The elders and scribes are practically frothing at the mouth when Stephen calls them stubborn people with pagan hearts and ears.  The truth about ourselves is almost always unpalatable especially when we are proud, haughty, and self-righteous. Good, holy, saintly people are anathema to those who refuse to submit to God and embrace His will with childlike docility. Our hearts were created by God and this is why whether we know the true God or not there is a longing in our hearts for Him but we can stifle our desire for You, Lord, by giving into the passing distractions that the world offers. We can choose to embrace a spirituality that does not make any real demands of us. A spirituality that does not demand that we have to carry our cross daily and follow You closely if we desire to know You, love You, and serve You in this life so we can live with You eternally in heaven.

Stephen knew the cost of speaking the truth to those who hated him. He called them Your betrayers and murderers. He accused them of breaking the Law that was given to them by God Himself. They were furious with Stephen for showing them up for the hypocrites they were and in their rage they in turn falsely accused Stephen of blasphemy,  took him out of the city, and stoned him.  

One of the witnesses to the stoning to death of Stephen was a young man Saul. He heard Stephen pray this prayer aloud, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ He then knelt down and said aloud, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep. This passage ends with the words, Saul entirely approved of the killing. Stephen's prayer for his murderers and for those who aided and abetted them was heard by You, O Lord and the fruit of this generous prayer gave us not only the most unlikely Apostle but the greatest Apostle of all time - Saul who would later be called Paul. There is hope for all my Lord, and my God this is why we must never lose heart but pray unceasingly with faith, hope, and love and God will hear and answer.

PSALM 30(31):3-4,6,8,17,21 ©

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
As for me, I trust in the Lord:
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plotting of men.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

JOHN 6:30-35 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

When we keep demanding signs from God before we believe then no sign will ever be enough. The greatest sign of all has already been given and when we reject it and ask for more we will never truly believe. These crowds had already been witnesses to many miracles of healings, raising from the dead, and now the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish that fed 5000 people, and yet they say, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’

The miracle of the loaves and fish was only a prelude to the greatest miracle of all that was soon to come. The institution of the Holy Eucharist. You answered the crowd saying: 

‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’

They did not understand and said, 'Sir, give us that bread always.' They thought You were speaking of earthly bread. You replied: 

‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’

You were speaking of the true bread, the super essential bread we need to live lives holy and pleasing to God always, the Holy Eucharist. Beloved, so many of us can go to Holy Mass daily, yet we don't. The 4th Commandment obliges us to go for Holy Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligations. We know full well that it is a grave sin to break this commandment unless we have a valid reason, and yet we somehow convince ourselves that it is not a big deal.

O Lord, ignorance of the true magnificence of the celebration of the Holy Mass keeps many of the faithful from coming as often as they can. Bless those who spend their lives preaching and teaching and making known the beauty and the necessity of this Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving so dear to the Father. By the power of the Holy Spirit may our prayers for our loved ones move their hearts to repent, believe, and bring them back to living a sacramental life of fullness and grace in the Catholic Church.