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Catholic Reflections Daily: Today’s Mass readings Acts 9:31-42; John 6:60-69. Gospel Theme of the day is Words of Eternal Life
Table of Contents
Catholic Daily Readings For Today
First Reading
Acts 9:31-42
31 The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.
32 As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” He got up at once. 35 And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 37 Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Response: How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or: Alleluia.
Gospel
John 6:60-69
60 Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? 62 What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”
66 As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. 67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Powerful Catholic Reflections Daily
Title: Words of Eternal Life
Focus: The way of the Lord is always challenging. It is beset with trials and afflictions. There is all the possibility to be frightened and discouraged. But those who are committed to the Lord will never give up
1. The words of Jesus are unminced and his demands are uncompromising. The truth that he is and that he calls for will be so distasteful to many. This was exactly the same situation in Jesus’ time. Jesus affirmed, “I am the bread of life; those who do not eat of my flesh and do not drink my blood will not live”.
2. Many resented those words, saying, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” Many began to grumble against him and desert him. They fail to understand the depth of Jesus’ words. They were not ready to enter into a deep personal relationship with him. They remain very peripheral and superficial. They fail to realise and experience “the words of Jesus are spirit and life”.
3. But in contrast, we find the Twelve totally clinging to Jesus. They declare, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed”. The whole world may forsake Jesus and go away. Many may turn disloyal to him. But the true disciples of Jesus like the Twelve will ever be steadfast in their fidelity to the Lord.
4. The mission of the apostles in the Acts of the Apostles is a vivid testimony of this unflinching zeal and loyalty for the Lord. Their sole and whole focus was “walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit”. They were committed to “building the believing communities”.
5. Their mission was accompanied by miracles. Peter healed the paralysed Aeneas and brought to life the dead Tabitha. This is the real beauty of the mission of the apostles: a perfect integration of preaching and healing. The miracles were not substitutes for their preaching or dominants over their proclamation. Rather, their whole mission was a witnessing blend of word and deed.
Direction: The Lord asked his Twelve, “Do you also want to leave me and go away?” Can we respond like them, “To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life”?
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