COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO OPEN WIDE THE GATES OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM TO THOSE REBORN OF WATER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, POUR OUT ON YOUR SERVANTS AN INCREASE OF THE GRACE YOU HAVE BESTOWED, THAT, HAVING BEEN PURGED OF ALL SINS, THEY MAY LACK NOTHING THAT IN YOUR KINDNESS YOU HAVE PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 7:51-8:1a; Ps 30:3-4,6-8,17,21; and Jn 6:30-35.
Today’s portion from the Acts of the Apostles is about the martyrdom of Stephen as he boldly and fearlessly witnessed to the Risen Christ before the people and elders of the Jews. They were infuriated to hear what Stephen told them. While Stephen was being stoned to death he prayed asking the Lord Jesus to forgive them. The portion from the Gospel of John is a continuation of Jesus' interaction and discourse with the people who sought him after the miracle of the loaves and fish. The people insist that Jesus give a sign as Moses gave manna in the desert, to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus explains that God sends manna from heaven that “gives life to the world” by these words: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst”.
The people’s agitation to receive a sign from Jesus before they could believe confirms what Jesus told them yesterday that “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” (Jn 6:26). At his temptation, Jesus’ answer to the first temptation (to command a stone to turn into bread) was that “One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4b). It is true that we do not only go through physical hunger and thirst in this life. We hunger and thirst for many things that physical food and natural water cannot satisfy or quench. The food and water that may satisfy and quench such hungers and thirsts is the word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us on earth. He suffered, was crucified and buried but rose on the third day from the dead, ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand side of God the Father. He is real food and drink that comes from heaven above. This satisfaction and quench will only be possible if we believe in him. Indeed, if we believe in him, he will always work signs and miracles in our lives and we will always see them with our eyes of faith.
Stephen believed in the Lord and therefore the Lord worked a lot of miracles and signs in his life, and through him, in the lives of many people. Stephen, with the eyes of faith ‘saw the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’. In his pain, torture, persecution and martyrdom, Stephen was hungry and thirsty for deliverance, encouragement, consolation, strength and assurance, that he was fighting and dying for a just cause. He was probably satisfied and his thirst quenched when he saw the Risen Lord standing at God’s right hand side. Truly, only one with the heart and eyes of faith will go through the ‘Stephen-like’ experience.
Once again, if we believe in the Lord, he will always perform signs and miracles in our lives. He will also always perform signs, wonders and miracles in people’s lives through us. He will never let us suffer hunger and thirst (be it physical or spiritual) in our lives in vain. Let us always believe in him and trust him that he will take care of us. God bless you and have a fruitful day.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, TUESDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “LOOK WITH KINDNESS UPON YOUR PEOPLE, O LORD, AND GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT THOSE YOU WERE PLEASED TO RENEW BY ETERNAL MYSTERIES MAY ATTAIN IN THEIR FLESH THE INCORRUPTIBLE GLORY OF THE RESURRECTION. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!