DAILY- HOMILY

April 20, 2015 MONDAY, 3rd Week of Easter

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Acts 6:8 – 15 / Jn 6:22 - 29

Reading: Acts 6:8 – 15

     Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Some persons then came forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. As they were unable to face the truth, they bribed some men to say, "We heard him speak against Moses and against God."

     So they stirred up the people, the elders and the teachers of the Law; they took him by surprise, seized him and brought him before the Council. Then they produced false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking against our Holy Place and the Law. We even heard him say that Jesus the Nazarean will destroy our Holy Place and change the customs which Moses handed down to us." And all who sat in the Council fixed their eyes on him, and his face appeared to them like the face of an angel.

Gospel: Jn 6:22 – 29

     Next day the people who had stayed on the other side realized that only one boat had been there and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples; rather, the disciples had gone away alone. Bigger boats from Tiberias came near the place where all these people had eaten the bread. When they saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

     When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Master, when did you come here?"

     Jesus answered, "Truly, I say to you, you look for me, not because you have seen through the signs, but because you ate bread and were satisfied. Work then, not for perishable food, but for the lasting food which gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give it to you, for he is the one the Father has marked."

     Then the Jews asked him, "What shall we do? What are the works that God wants us to do?" And Jesus answered them, "The work God wants is this: that you believe in the One whom God has sent."

Reflection:

     Due to our all too human imperfections, we are frequently confronted with self-doubt, apprehensions and anxiety in many aspects of our daily lives. We are oftentimes confused, lost in the haze of numerous options, burdened with uncertainty. Rare indeed is the person that possesses the conviction that one is on the right track, with all thoughts and actions leading to the achievement of one's goals.

     Our Lord Jesus offers an unequivocal answer to our fears and concerns: Believe in Him. Simply open our hearts to the One whom God has sent. Trust in Jesus that He has our best interest at heart and that through Him, we will know right from wrong. 

     Does this mean we shall always have an easy path? Of course not! 

     In the First Reading, people jealous of his wisdom and his eloquence derived from the Holy Spirit, falsely accused Stephen. And yet, through it all, he remained resolute, having the face of an angel amidst harm and suffering while steadfastly declaring his belief in the one true God. 

     Today's Gospel reading speaks as well of the struggle of the Jews in searching for Jesus in their desire to sate physical hunger. When they found Him, Jesus provides instead the means to allow man to be able to bask in God's eternal glory.

     Let us pray that we learn to humbly, courageously and happily accept and surrender to the warm embrace of our loving God. 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     CECILE C. SISON

     FR. RUFINO SESCON JR.

     NINA C. SANTAMARIA

     BRO. STANLEY YU-MING GOH, SJ

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

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