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Daily Reflection

Monday of the Third Week of Easter Acts 6:8-15 Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30 Jn 6:22-29 In the Acts of the Apostles, we are given snapshots of the young Church - its mission, its growth, and its early organization. Among these developments is the ordination of deacons, men appointed to serve the needs of the community so that the Apostles might devote themselves more fully to prayer and the ministry of the word. Stephen was among the first seven deacons upon whom the Apostles laid their hands. The office of the diaconate exists today; local bishops continue to ordain deacons (most of whom are married with families), who have completed rigorous studies and ultimately are assigned in support of priests, with both pastoral care and liturgical duties. Their contribution to the life of the Church, and the sacrifices they and their families make for this ministry, cannot be underestimated. In today’s reading, Stephen is described as being filled with grace and power, performing great signs and wonders among the people. Unable to withstand his wisdom, his adversaries falsely accuse him of blasphemy. There is a bitter irony here, in that these accusations come from Hellenists - the very people Stephen had been commissioned to assist. Stirred up by false testimony, the people bring him before the Sanhedrin. Sound familiar? As we will hear later this week, Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr, imitating Christ in his suffering. In time, others will follow Stephen’s example of humility, holiness, and faithful endurance - and will themselves become martyrs for Christ. In the Gospel reading, five thousand people have witnessed and benefited from the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, yet despite this, they continue to question Jesus. He reminds them that they are seeking understanding through worldly eyes rather than through the eyes of faith. They were satisfied with bread that perishes, but now they are being called to believe in the bread that endures - bread from heaven, which is Jesus himself. In this moment, Jesus is preparing them to receive his revelation concerning the Eucharist. Jesus also tells them that the work God desires is this: to believe in the one whom he has sent and upon whom he has set his seal. To accept that Jesus is the Son of God, sent by the Father, is an act of faith. During this Easter season, let us pray for a deepening of that faith and for the humility, holiness, and faithful endurance of Stephen.

April 20

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The Resurrection of Christ, which we continue to celebrate with great joy, is a defining moment in human history. Through the Resurrection human beings are gifted with a new dimension of life through the sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus assured His disciples that it was better for them that He leaves for unless He departed, the Holy Spirit would not come. And only through the presence of the Holy Spirit are we humans “fully alive.” Stephen, even amidst his persecution, was “fully alive.” Filled with the Holy Spirit Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. What do we celebrate during the Easter Season? We celebrate a historical event of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead two thousand years ago, but we celebrate much more. We celebrate the rebirth of human nature through the sending of the Holy Spirit. Paul refers to this new life as a “new creation”; John talks about being born again by water and the Spirit. Yes, for Christians, resurrected life begins here on earth and culminates in heaven. In this Easter Season we must look at the signs of this new life. The signs of this new presence are scattered throughout the New Testament. John gives us the first sign in today’s gospel, belief in Jesus, “I AM the bread of life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35) There are few things we share more with people than bread. Think of all the grains, rice, seeds, and nuts that have been pounded, pressed, baked, and broken to sustain us. Bread means life. Even flakes on the ground kept the Jewish people alive in the desert. No wonder God comes into our midst as the living bread. Today, however the Living Bread faces stiff competition. A slang term for money is bread. To have no bread means you are broke. Nowadays, money appears to be the power that sustains us. After all, with money we can buy almost anything and for some find everything they think they want up on the shelves. Even those who bake bread first go shopping. Most don’t look out their back window upon a field of grain. So, what will I choose, the true Bread of Life or the world’s false bread? Will I live “fully alive” cooperating with the Holy Spirit or simply be lulled into complacency by the culture, like Paul at the time of Stephen’s stoning. St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians gives the most comprehensive list of the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, endurance, kindness, generosity, faith. When we share these virtues with others we are living “fully alive” and sharing God’s glory with the world. We become fully alive to the degree we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us.

April 21

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Our Gospel today is Jesus’ declaration that he is the Bread of Life. The promises contained in this proclamation are meant to bring us joy but require a lifestyle choice. Our first reading reveals the consequences we can expect based on that choice. What is this Bread of Life that Jesus claims will wipe away our hunger and thirst? Jesus clearly meant something more than mere physical existence. The life Jesus refers to relates to 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. 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. Our first reading, an account of the persecution of the Hellenist Jews after the martyrdom of Stephen, highlights the faithful actions of Philip in spreading the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection. Philip is living in that relationship with the living God that Jesus promises in the Gospel. Philip is so filled with the Spirit of God that he performs many of the same miracles that Jesus accomplished in his ministry. The people of Samaria believe in the message and receive the blessings of the miracles Philip performs. Despite the widespread persecution taking place, Samaria becomes a city filled with great joy. Jesus doesn’t promise a life of great riches or unending food and drink. The bread He provides, his very body and blood, provides us an eternal connection to His divine love and mercy. Let us follow Philip in choosing this life and creating great joy for others. Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection Are you satisfied with mere physical existence or do you hunger for the abundant life which Jesus offers?? Source for today’s reflection: https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2026&date=apr22

April 22

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April 23

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Today’s first reading from Acts is the account of the conversion of St. Paul. As a Pharisee, Saul believed that the covenant in Deuteronomy had been violated by Israel, and this is why Israel was experiencing the curses of that covenant, especially the curse of oppression by the Gentiles (Deuteronomy 28). Saul feared that deviation from the Deuteronomic Law would bring further divine punishment and sought strict observance of the Law to repair the covenant. Saul, who was present as Stephen was stoned to death, sought and received permission from the high priest to go to Damascus and bring the new followers of “The Way” back to Jerusalem in chains. All of this changed for Saul with his encounter with the risen Jesus. He understood that Jesus was the Messiah and that he needed to spread that message. Saul was passionate by temperament, learned in Sacred Scripture, and a man of conviction. God wanted all these talents to be placed at the service of the Gospel. A few days after his baptism, Saul began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. This manifested the grace of Christ at work. Saul used to go from synagogue to synagogue, persecuting the Body of Christ; now he goes from synagogue to synagogue, building up the Body of Christ. Saul lost no time in fulfilling his new mission to witness to Jesus. During the period in which he remained with the disciples in Damascus, he began at once to preach and proclaim the Jesus whose followers he had previously persecuted. He directly confronted the Jews, his former allies, in the synagogues, announcing that Jesus is the Son of God. As a Pharisee, Saul had been convinced that Jesus could not be the Messiah because he had died the death of crucifixion and was under its curse (cf. Deut. 21:23). By seeing Jesus alive, he was compelled to accept that Jesus is indeed the Messiah who has freely taken our curse upon himself. Most think of St. Paul as a model of the power of evangelizing others. But today’s reading shows us that he is a model of the conversion to new life that God can bring into our lives. Our conversion begins with Baptism when God’s Holy Spirit is permanently placed within us. While our Baptism doesn’t protect us from committing future sins, the power of the Holy Spirit is always ready to turn our lives away from sin to the Truth that awaits us in Jesus. Today’s Questions for Prayer and Reflection How am I building up the Body of Christ? What talents and gifts is God asking me to place at the service of his kingdom? Source for today’s reflection: https://epriest.com/reflections/view/3410

April 24

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Today is Saturday, April 25th. It is the Saturday of the Third Week of Easter. There seems to be two very different themes in the readings for today which appear to be in stark contrast to each other. The First Reading, which is from the first Letter of St. Peter, states this, “Beloved: Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble. So, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” Humility is the clear theme of Saint Peter’s letter. The passage from the Gospel of Mark has this directive, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Echoes of mission and boldness resonate in my ears, when I read that sentence from the Gospel. We see the following words when we read further in today’s Gospel, “In my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Power is the clear theme of this Gospel passage. Without power, how does one drive out demons, handle serpents and cure the sick! Humility and Power – Is it an either/or or is it both? Humility and Power – Can they co-exist or they mutually exclusive? The command to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Is crystal clear and comes from Christ himself. That command, that mission, extends to us today. However, it is incumbent upon us to remember WHOSE mission it is – It is God’s mission, not ours. We are the messengers, we are not the Word. It is imperative we remember WHERE the power comes from, not from us but from the Gospel. If we remember that, then not only can Humility and Power coexist, but they can actually compliment each other in the fulfillment of Christ’s mission.

April 25

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