Reading 1
Acts 6:8-15
Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they instigated some men to say,
“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words
against Moses and God.”
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,
accosted him, seized him,
and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
They presented false witnesses who testified,
“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.
For we have heard him claim
that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place
and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30
Responsorial Psalm R. (1ab)
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Though princes meet and talk against me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 6:22-29
[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“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.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
Meditation: John 6:22-29
“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal Iife.” (John 6:27)
Ignatius of Loyola was a sixteenth-century Spanish knight who loved fighting battles and wooing beautiful women. At least that was the case until a cannonball shattered his leg and forced him to spend months in bed recuperating. He was bored, and the only books available were a life of Christ and the lives of the saints. As he read, Ignatius noticed something interesting: When he thought about chivalry and fighting victorious battles, he would be happy for a time, but when he thought about Christ and the saints, the happiness that he felt was deeper and didn’t fade.
Isn’t that the case in our own lives? Perhaps we are initially happy with the latest electronic gadget or a new outfit. But soon it loses its attraction. Despite what advertisers tell us, our lives are much richer when we invest ourselves in things that endure. God created us for love, not just to acquire things. He created us to love him and to love one another, not to love things that we can buy.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that God wants us all to live like ascetics. Especially if we have families, we have to be concerned about providing for their needs. What’s more, God doesn’t want to deprive us of the things of this world. Rather, he wants to make sure we are focusing on him first. That’s what makes all the difference!
Today, think about how you spend your time and your money. Think about the way you use your gifts and talents. A quick glance at your check book can give you a good glimpse into your priorities. But that’s not the only thing to look at. Take a look also at the things that preoccupy you.
Jesus told us that wherever our treasure lies, there our hearts lie as well. Are you seeking his kingdom first? Where can you do better? If you see a need for change, ask his Spirit to help you. And don’t worry. Through the food of the Scriptures and the Eucharist, Jesus can show you the path to life!
“Lord, want to invest myself in the things that last forever. Help me to make you first in every area of my life.”
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