Saturday of 3rd Week of Easter
The Eternal Life ( Jn 6:51.60-69)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 9:31-42
The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.”
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
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.”
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.
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.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 6:60-69
Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
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.
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.
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.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
SATURDAY III of Easter
(John 6:51.60-69)
The Real God’s Words
GOD’S TEACHINGS
Contemplation
Dear People of God,
Today, the Word of God continues to speak to people about the Bread of Life. Jesus himself is the bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats his Flesh and drinks his Blood will have Eternal Life. Between people, never eat each other’s meat. But with faith in God, who lives; and with the Spirit’s action of the Holy Spirit opens the hearts of those who, if they believe in the Word of Jesus Christ as the Truth, will have Eternal Life. As for those who rely on reason, free to think in a human way, it is very difficult to accept Jesus’ words. As in today’s Gospel, there were some of His disciples who did not believe in Jesus’ words affirming: “Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has Eternal Life.”
Today’s Word of God, there is the presence of the three Divine Persons united to talk about the “Living Bread”, which is the Eucharist. Those who come to Jesus Christ are drawn by the Father, and moved by the Spirit of the Holy Spirit; and whoever comes to Jesus Christ and receives him into his body has Eternal Life. And the words of Jesus speak are by the Spirit of the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. Jesus did not speak on his own, but in his preaching, there was always the presence of all three Divine Persons united together, to save people together. Besides, when Peter was convinced and confessed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, the Messiah who came to save the world. He was convinced, “Lord, to whom shall we go when we leave you? You have the words that give Eternal Life.”
Today, God also invites all His children to say to Jesus Christ as their Lord: “Who shall we know if we leave you” so that God can give us Eternal Life with God the Father.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
God bless you and peace be with you!
