3rd Week of Easter, Tuesday, April 20
Acts 7:51 -
8:1 / John 6:30-35
Jesus speaks about the Eucharist; "I am the bread of life. "
There's a story about a poor immigrant family in the 1800s who spent almost their entire life's savings for boat tickets to the United States. To save what little money they had left, they ate cheese and bread in their cabin rather than go to the ship's dining room with its more expensive food.
3rd Week of Easter, Monday, May 2nd
Acts 6:8-15 / John 6:22-29
Stephen is arrested; Stephen was the Church's first martyr.
2nd Week of Easter, Saturday, April 17
Acts 6:1-7 /
John 6:16-21
The disciples run into trouble; The Lord was with them in their trouble.
There's a famous poem called "Footprints." It's about a person, in a dream, walking along a beach with the Lord. Suddenly, across the sky, scenes appear from the person's life. For each scene, two sets of footprints appear in the sand: one belonging to the Lord, the other to the person.
2nd Week of Easter, Friday, April 16
Acts 5:34-42
/ John 6:1-15
From today and until next Saturday (8 days), the Eucharistic discourse of Jesus, as given in John 6 from the multiplication of bread. Jesus confronts us with the question: “Why are you looking for me?” Why are we looking for God, for Jesus? Is it merely for the things he gives us? We receive much from God, but do we look for Jesus himself, for what he means in our lives? Let us look to get closer to him and to become more like him. He asks us for faith in his person and mission.
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Jesus feeds 5,000 people; He multiplied five loaves.
Almost a century ago, two men were on a train in France. The older man was reading the Bible story of the multiplication of the loaves. Noticing this, the younger man said, "Pardon me, sir, but do you really believe what you're reading?" "Yes," said the older man, "don't you believe it?"
2nd Week of Easter, Thursday, April 15
Acts 5:27-33 / John 3:31-36
Jesus
speaks about eternal life; Whoever believes has eternal life.
Most people who turn on a television set can't tell you how the magic box works. But they don't deny that it works. The picture on the screen tells them that. Most people who drive an automobile can't tell you how the magic motor works. But they don't deny that it works. The movement of the car tells them that.
Easter 2nd Week: April 12-17:
April 12 Monday: The context: Today’s Gospel describes the night visit of Nicodemus made to Jesus. Nicodemus was a rich Jewish rabbi and one of the seventy members of Sanhedrin. Later in his Gospel, John shows us how Nicodemus argued for a fair trial for Jesus (7:51) and how he cooperated with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus (19:38). Nicodemus came to Jesus convinced that obeying the Mosaic Law and offering the prescribed sacrifices were enough for one’s eternal salvation.
Acts 4:32-37 / John 3:7-15
Jesus continues his instruction; "We must be born of the spirit. "
A town drunk and loafer underwent a religious conversion. Some of his old cronies ridiculed him. One said sarcastically, "Surely you haven't begun to believe all that stuff about changing water into wine?" The ex-drunk replied, "I can't tell you whether Jesus turned water into wine in Cana.
To the disciples gathered as a community
Jesus appeared and wished them peace.
To all of you gathered here
as the community of the Lord,
we wish you Jesus' own greeting:
"Peace be with you." . R/ And also with you.
Saturday within Octave of Easter, April 10
The capital of Texas is named after Stephen Austin, an early pioneer who founded numerous settlements in Texas. Austin didn't like preachers and tried to keep them out of his towns.