April 28, 2004 - Wednesday, 3rd Week of Easter

PERSECUTION, BREAD OF LIFE

Readings:
Acts 8:1-8; Ps 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a; Jn 6:35-40

Introduction

The fervor of the young Church is so contagious that even in persecution Christians use the occasion of the persecution itself to preach the risen Christ. Indeed, God does not abandon the Church, even in moments of trial. The reading from Acts says that there was even great joy over the signs of the Lord's presence.

There is also great joy in the gospel where we hear Jesus say that he is our bread of life: not only will he later give himself as bread to eat, but his word and message are for us real bread of life, something to live by and to live for.

Opening Prayer

God, our Father,
you are our faithful God,
even in days of trial for the Church
and for each of us personally;
you stay by our side,
even if we are not aware of your presence.
Give us an unlimited trust in you
and make us ever more aware
that your Son Jesus is the meaning of our lives
and that he nourishes us with himself,
today and every day, for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Acts 8:1b-8

There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
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

R (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
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 (1) 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 (1) 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 (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R Alleluia.

Gospel Reading: Jn 6:35-40

Jesus said to the disciples, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never be hungry, and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty. Nevertheless, as I said, you refuse to believe, even when you have seen. Yet, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I shall not turn away. For I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me.

"And the will of him who sent me is that I lose nothing of what he has given me, but instead that I raise it up on the last day. This is the will of the Father, that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall live with eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day."

Commentary

IN a bookshop recently I saw the old penny catechism, which I hadn't seen in many years. The last time I saw it, it was being beaten into me with a stick! Someone with an excess of nostalgia had it republished. It was strange to turn those pages again. The words were familiar, and somehow terrible-less for what they said than for what they didn't say. In the first section, which dealt with God, God was described as Creator and Lord of all things, who rewards the good and punishes the wicked. He was well positioned to do this, since he "sees our most secret thoughts and actions." There was no suggestion that God was love. I was suddenly aware of how damaged I had been by that catechism. There was no knowledge of God in it. "Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1Jn 4:8). Mischief isn't only in what you say, it is also in what you fail to say. To fail to say, in a section specifically on God, that God is love, is to show oneself to have been untouched by the Gospel. "Whoever comes to me shall never be hungry," said Jesus. That catechism left me starving, and it is not in the least surprising that many starved to death spiritually. Today's gospel reading merits long meditation.

General Intercessions

- That by the way they live their faith Christians may show the beauty and joy of the message of Christ to those who seek, we pray:

- That the Church may accept people the way they are and not drive them away because of mistakes, we pray:

- That we may all be openhanded to many who are hungry today for food and love, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Our faithful God,
you are our God of the covenant.
Make us understand the covenant more deeply
as your lasting commitment to us
at your own initiative.
In these signs of bread and wine
allow us to express that we too
want to be faithful to you not only
in moments of happiness and joy
but also when we are groping in the dark.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Our faithful God,
we rejoice that in your Son Jesus
and his message of life
you have given us something
and someone to live for.
Thank you very much for making him
our bread of life
who will never drive us away
but will keep accepting us
and making us grow in his life
until it blossoms forth in eternal life.
All thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

"I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink," says Jesus. May you always keep recognizing Jesus in the needy, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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