“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (JN 6: 58)
In the beginning of the world, our ancestors—Adam and Eve—received the Tree of Life—which bore the fruit of immortality. They didn’t respect God’s order and brought original sin upon us. God sent us the Bread of Life, which tradition calls the “medicine of immortality.” With this Bread we become immortal, and we should meditate daily about our real home in Heaven, which is our final destination. We are born to be in Heaven.
“Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood, remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.” (JN 6: 51)
Our bodies need food to survive and to grow, just for living. Our souls also need a special “food.” Our Lord as “the living bread that came down from heaven” is the answer for this need and is able to help us to grow and reach Heaven. With this “living bread,” we are strong, and we have strength to respond to a variety of challenges which comes to us every day.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” (JN 6: 39-40)
When we think about God’s will, we generally think about God’s expectations, about things we should do and goals we should achieve, and we are afraid to disappoint God. God’s will is not based on what we should do, but what we should be. We are human beings, not human doers. “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.” God’s will is in seeing us alive, loved and with Him forever.
“Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“‘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.’” (JN 6: 30-33)
As God’s children we can receive every day “the true bread from Heaven, which gives life to the world.” Our Lord, as the “bread from heaven,” keeps us alive and is an answer for all kinds of our hungers: the hunger to be loved, the hunger to be important to someone, the hunger for meaning, for respect, or just for attention. We can bring Him all our emptiness, and He will answer. “Whoever comes to me will never hunger.”
“I am the bread of life, says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger.”
„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.” (ACTS 6: 8-10)
We are God’s beloved children, and when we are sent on a mission, we can always expect His support and help. Stephen „was working great wonders and signs among the people” as a result of being „filled with grace and power,” rather than his own devotion.
„One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (ACTS 6: 2-4)
The Church is a community with talents and gifts, structured hierarchically: „It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.” The most important work in the Church is to proclaim the Good News, „prayer, and the ministry of the word.” It doesn’t mean that the “service at the table” is in opposition to prayer or spiritual life: they „select seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom.” In every society we have different services; when they are based on „the Spirit and wisdom,” they support each other and serve to the same end.
„Christ is risen, who made all things; he has shown mercy on all people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” (ACTS 5: 38-39)
This rule applies to so many situations in the life of the Church, not only at the beginning—like the Apostles’ time, but also today. Every initiative meets some difficulties, some rejection or criticism; it is so important to distinguish—”if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin or if it comes from God.” Patience, humility, dependence and fidelity while carrying out the mission received from Him will bring even more fruits.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” (ACTS 5: 29-32)
The Holy Spirit is always assisting those who are in mission to proclaim the Good News. “We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit” serves as a constant experience in the lives of so many of us: when giving advice to a friend, when preaching or teaching, when praying or meditating—the Holy Spirit “is given to those who obey God.”
“You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!”
„But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, ‚Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.’” (ACTS 5: 19-20)
„Tell the people everything about this life” said „the angel of the Lord” to the imprisoned Apostles. Only this life, the gift of God’s only-begotten Son, can give us eternal life. They received, with the gift of freedom, a great responsibility to proclaim the Good News. They did not receive freedom to relax or hide; they received freedom to serve: „Go and take your place in the temple area,” where again they would be in danger. The goal is absolutely worthy of this danger: „that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life.”
„God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.”
„The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.” (ACTS 4: 33)
The beginning of the Church is based on the Apostles’ „witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” This is the main activity of the Apostles, and everything is a just a result of this: „The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”
„The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
