DAILY- HOMILY

April 21, 2015 TUESDAY, 3rd Week of Easter    

St. Anselm, Bishop and Doctor of the Church                      

White    

Acts 7:51 – 8:1a / Jn 6:30 - 35

[Born in Italy, St. Anselm (1033 - 1109) became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 and was named Primate of England. He is called the Father of Scholastic Theology.]

Reading: Acts 7:51 – 8:1a

     But you are a stubborn people, you hardened your hearts and closed your ears. You have always resisted the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did. Was there a prophet whom your ancestors did not persecute? They killed those who announced the coming of the Just One whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the Law through the angels but did not fulfill it."

     When they heard this reproach, they were enraged and they gnashed their teeth against Stephen. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God's right hand, so he declared: "I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God."

     But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and said in a loud voice: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he died.

     Saul was there, approving his murder. 

Gospel: Jn 6:30 - 35

     They then said, "Show us miraculous signs, that we may see and believe you. What sign do you perform? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert; as Scripture says: They were given bread from heaven to eat."

     Jesus then said to them, "Truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread God gives is the One who comes from heaven and gives life to the world. And they said to him, "Give us this bread always."

     Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never be hungry, and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty."

Reflection:

     Today's Gospel reading is about our Lord as "the bread of life."  Jesus' discourse on the bread of life was given in the context of the Jews asking Jesus for a "sign" that they "may see and believe in him." 

     Signs. At some point in our lives, we have most probably asked for the "proverbial sign," have we not? We have asked for a sign so that we can be assured that our prayer was heard or better yet, that we will be answered in the manner that we hope to be answered or even just to prove to us that God is real, especially when we begin to falter in our faith. 

     We have asked for signs that are hopefully uncommon so that if and when we see them, we will know that we have been answered by God: a rose, a dove, or something just as unexpected so that there can be no mistake when you see the "sign." 

     Why do we ask for such "signs"? The simple answer is because we want reassurance that our prayers have been heard. We want to know in advance, if we will be answered according to our hopes and prayers. So what causes us to ask for signs again?  We ask for signs because we lack faith in God.

     Maybe we believe that we have unshakeable faith in God, and maybe we do. But what normally gets us to worry or doubt or even wonder if we've been heard, much less, answered is our own impatience. Maybe we don't doubt God so much as wish that he would answer us right away.

     What would it take for you to "believe" that, regardless of the "when," our prayers will be answered according to what is best for us and that the answer will be "on time"?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     JOAQUIN TAN

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     RUDOLPH & LIGAYA NG

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the thanksgiving & special intentions of Beny Chua.

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

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

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