It is my Father’s will, says the Lord,
that whoever believes in the Son shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day. JN 6:40
ACTS 8:1-8
My Soul's Beloved,
When trials come, we generally complain or are confused, we look at it as a punishment and believe we have offended You, but oftentimes it is through trials, persecutions, and suffering that You can carry out designs. Believers fled Jerusalem out of fear because of the great persecution that was being visited on them, and they carried the Gospel with them wherever they went and preached it. This is how the Good News reached those who would otherwise not have heard it. We ask for this grace, O Lord, to bear all our crosses patiently,y for it is through them that You are able to work in us and through us.
The Apostles did not flee, at least not yet. But a time would come when they too would have to leave Jerusalem. Each went to different parts of the world just as you commanded, carrying the Good News of our salvation to all who would receive it.
Even when I do not understand why, Lord, grant me the faith, grace, and confidence to know that in all things You work for good in my life and in the lives of those I love and pray for. Thank You, Lord.
Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.
Those who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.
PSALM 65(66):1-7
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
Cry out with joy to God all the earth,
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!
Because of the greatness of your strength
your enemies cringe before you.
Before you all the earth shall bow;
shall sing to you, sing to your name!’
Come and see the works of God,
tremendous his deeds among men.
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the river dry-shod.
Let our joy then be in him;
he rules for ever by his might.
His eyes keep watch over the nations:
let rebels not rise against him.
Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
JOHN 6:35-40
My Soul's Beloved,
It is no secret, Lord, that God desires that all come to the knowledge of Truth and be saved. What is Truth? Truth is You, Lord, You are the embodiment of Truth. You were sent by the Father to become the means by which all who believe that the Father sent You are saved. When we hear the Good News that saves, we must freely accept or reject it. Only by believing are we saved. Once we believe in You, our lives are transformed. We become Your brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God, and temples of the Holy Spirit by virtue of being baptized and grafted into Your Body.
You ensure that we are fed and nourished, for without this spiritual food, we would die. You give us Your own Flesh to eat and Your own Blood to drink, and these well up to eternal life in us. Nourished by Your Body and Blood, the Holy Spirit pours grace upon grace into our souls, and we receive the strength to align our will to Yours in all things. It is only in embracing Your will, Beloved that we can turn our backs to evil and choose to walk the narrow Way that leads to Eternal Life.
Jesus said to the crowd:
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
But, as I have told you,
you can see me and still you do not believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away;
because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will,
but to do the will of the one 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,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
But, as I have told you,
you can see me and still you do not believe.
All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away;
because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will,
but to do the will of the one 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,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’
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