Reading 1 Acts 8:1b-8
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 Psalm PS 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
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.
Alleluia See 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.
Gospel Jn 6:35-40
“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.”
WHO WILL DIE?
"Those who listened to his words were stung to the heart." –Acts 7:54
At the first Christian Pentecost, many of those who heard Peter preach "were stabbed in the heart" by his words and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37, our transl). Three thousand of them repented, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:38, 41).
After Stephen preached, the people hearing him "were cut to the heart" (Acts 7:54, our transl). Nevertheless, they did not repent. Rather, "they ground their teeth in anger at" Stephen (Acts 7:54). "The onlookers were shouting aloud, holding their hands over their ears as they did so. Then they rushed at him as one man, dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him" (Acts 7:54, 57-58).
"God's word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb 4:12). God's Word resists our resistance and demands a response. As our hearts begin to burn (Lk 24:32) when they are penetrated by God's Word (Heb 4:12), we will either crucify our flesh "with its passions and desires" (Gal 5:24) or kill the Lord's prophets and thereby continue "crucifying the Son of God" and "holding Him up to contempt" (Heb 6:6).
What will you do? Even if you try to hide from God's Word, His prophets may find you. What will you do when you are confronted with the life-changing demands of God? Say with Mary: "Let it be done to me according to Your word" (Lk 1:38, our transl).
| PRAYER: | "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59). |
| PROMISE: | "God's bread comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." –Jn 6:33 |
| PRAISE: | Fatima's family disowned her when she converted to faith in Jesus, but God gave her a new family, the Body of Christ. |
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