Reading 1
Acts 7:51—8:1a
Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
you always oppose the Holy Spirit;
you are just like your ancestors.
Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?
They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,
whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
You received the law as transmitted by angels,
but you did not observe it.”
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”;
and when he said this, he fell asleep.
Now Saul was consenting to his execution.
Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab
Responsorial Psalm R. (6a)
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Jn 6:30-35
The crowd said to Jesus:
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”
So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Meditation: John 6:30-35
“Give us this bread always.” (John 6:34)
The crowd was excited. Jesus had just used a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread to feed thousands! Now, having eaten their fill, you can almost hear them thinking: “Maybe we could get him to keep on providing for us just as Moses kept giving our ancestors manna. We would never have to worry about food again!”
But Jesus had come to the earth to be much more than a divine breadbasket! He tried to tell this to the people, but his conversation with them seemed to be happening on two different planes. The people were thinking about their material needs, but Jesus wanted to raise their thoughts to the things of heaven. He had just cautioned them not to work for the food that perishes but for the food that leads to eternal life, but they still seemed focused on their pressing needs (John 6:27).
Jesus knows that we need food and drink. He didn’t think it beneath himself to feed his listeners when they got hungry. But he also knows that whether we are starving or satisfied or anywhere in between, we are always hungering for peace, security, forgiveness, and dignity. He knows that whatever our physical state may be, the bread that he offers can meet our inner needs. His bread, the bread of life, can empower us to face any situation. It can fill us with the strength and clarity that come from knowing we belong to him.
Sharing donuts after Mass can be a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and a good way to have a morning snack, but Jesus offers us something even more life-giving. Every day, he offers himself to us on the altar. Every day, he seeks to draw us deeper into his life so that we can be transformed. As we receive him in the Eucharist, he can satisfy our deepest hunger. He can give us the wisdom and courage we need to meet any challenge. He can fill us so much, in fact, that we have plenty left over to share with the people around us. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the bread come down from heaven, giving life to those who receive it!
“Lord Jesus, I want to pursue you for who you are—the lover of my soul, the One who can satisfy the deepest longings of my heart!”
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