Friday, April 19, 2024

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 9:1-20; John 6:52-59)

For over fifty years dialysis has extended the lives of countless patients with compromised kidneys.  Like the kidneys, dialysis purifies the blood of contaminants that would bring about death if unchecked.  The gospel reading today tells how the Flesh and Blood of the Eucharist similarly extends the spiritual lives of Christians.

The matter has always been controversial as the opening phrase indicates: “The Jew quarreled among themselves…” The Reformed Church split with the Catholic Church largely over this issue in the sixteenth century.  By accepting that Eucharistic bread becomes the Body of Christ and Eucharistic wine becomes his Blood, the Catholic Church sees partaking in this food and drink as nourishing the eternal life planted in Baptism.  Without this enrichment, the baptized person is likely to lose the faith, hope, and charity initially imparted by the Spirit.

We must take care not to trivialize the Eucharist.  The Church calls us to partake of it every Sunday so that Christ’s life might grow within us.  We should no more skip Mass than a kidney patient should skip dialysis.

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 8:26-40; John 6:44-51)

Humans often take signs very seriously.  If you cross a red light in front of the police, you will pay dearly. The sign of Baptism should carry such weight.  It is more than an indication of the soul being cleansed from sin.  Like with the exchange of marriage vows, it indicates that the baptized has committed him or herself to God.  St. Paul described the dynamic of Baptism as dying and rising with Christ to a new life of grace.

In the reading from Acts the Ethiopian could not become Christian without undergoing the Baptismal ritual.  He could have read Isaiah day and night without committing himself to Jesus Christ, whom the prophet describes in the verse given in the reading.  To prove to himself and to the world that he intends to follow Christ, he must be baptized.

Our times, worried as we are about exceptions, have tended to downplay the ritual of the sacraments.  We need to take another look at them.  We should find in every sacrament a deep commitment to Jesus.  He gave us the sacraments to assure his everlasting presence to us.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 8:1b-8; John 6:35-40)

People sometimes call a subject worth pondering “food for thought.” Jesus presents his teaching in today’s gospel in this way.  His words are not only worth pondering but, even more cogently, bid one’s following.

This is the first part of the great “Eucharistic Discourse” of John’s gospel.  In the second part Jesus’ references to the “Bread of Life” will reveal him as Eucharistic food. The two – wisdom and food – are meant to complement one another.  As the Word of God in the first part of the Mass gives perspective to the sacrifice and sacrament of the second part so Eucharistic wisdom and food go together.

In trying to understand how Jesus is present in the Eucharist, some have considered the bread as a symbol.  For them the bread inspires thoughts of love and fortitude.  However satisfying this idea is to modern sensibilities, it is not what the gospel teaches. Especially John’s gospel instructs that Jesus is physically present in the bread and wine.  When we consume these elements worthily, we become part of him. We too have conquered sin and will live eternally.

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 7:51-8:1a; John 6:30-35)

In today’s gospel Jesus makes one of his “I am” statements.  As God revealed His name to Moses as “I am who am,” Jesus reveals himself here as God who nourishes His people for eternal life.

Jesus calls himself “the bread of God.” By this he means more than the Eucharistic food.  He is speaking of himself as the word of God that instructs, comforts, and chastises if necessary so that the people follow his righteous ways.  The words of Second Isaiah are at the front of his mind: “For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down…giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth… (Is 55,10-11a).

Jesus Christ, the Word of God, feeds us both physically and spiritually.  We can count on him.  As Stephen calls out to Jesus as he is being stoned, let us call to him in our every need.  We will find it much more productive than fretting about “bad luck” or even single-minded calculating about what we are to do.

Monday, April 15, 2024

 Monday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 6:8-15; John 6:22-29)

Saints Peter and Paul seem to dominate the Acts of the Apostles.  Yet the story is not primarily about them.  Much less does is it dominated by the work of the apostles as a whole.  Above all, the Acts of the Apostles features the Holy Spirit.  The one whom is to be called the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity is at work throughout the story.  He develops the Christian community and moves its center from Jerusalem.  The Spirit, not Paul or chance, brings the gospel to Rome.  From there it will be dispersed throughout the world. 

Stephen has been chosen for the work of the apostles precisely because he has the Spirit.  Jesus once promised that the Spirit will enable his disciples to defend themselves (Luke 12:12).  In today’s passage the Spirit is seen performing this task.  Stephen’s preaching with the Spirit surpasses the arguments of his interlocutors.  Resenting his mastery, the defeated debaters go to the authorities to silence Stephen.  The Spirit does not spare Stephen martyrdom, but he gives him a unique reputation.  No other person in Scripture is said to have “the face of an angel.”

We have received the same Spirit.  He moves us to speak the truth including that of our own shortcomings.  The Spirit, most of all, enables us to make sacrifices for the benefit of others.  In doing the latter, we too will have - to some extent at least - “the face of an angel.”