Easter 3rd Week - Weekday Reflections

Apr 27- May 2: Monday: John 6:22-29: 22 On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 However, boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Easter 3rd Week, Tuesday, Apr 28

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. According to the story, it wasn’t until they docked in New York that they discovered that the meals on the ship were included in the price of their tickets.

A prayer during the time of COVID-19

A prayer during the time of COVID

When human life is disturbed, disrupted, and threatened by the novel coronavirus, we pray to you, God of life. Grant us the compassion, humility and self-discipline to value, care about and protect each life.

Easter, 3rd Week, Monday, Apr 27

Acts 6:8-15 / John 6:22-29 

Jesus speaks about hunger: “Spiritual hunger demands spiritual food.”

There are over four billion people in the world. About a half billion of these people suffer from chronic physical hunger and malnutrition. We have heard this statistic so often that it no longer makes a great impact on us. But there is a more frightening statistic about hunger that is never mentioned. It’s the statistic that of the four billion people in the world, perhaps three billion or more are suffering from chronic spiritual hunger and malnutrition. This is the point Jesus makes in today’s gospel. That’s why he tells the people to seek not just “body” food but also “soul” food—“food that endures for eternal life.”

Largest Oxygen Source in Nature - Phytoplankton

Much of the oxygen that we breathe in comes from a tiny plant in the ocean - phytoplankton. Want to know more about it? Watch the video.

Our God, and God of all people: Covid Prayer

Our God, and God of all people:

God of the rich and God of the poor;

God of the healthy and God of the afflicted;

God of those with healthcare, and God of the uninsured;

God of the hoarder, and God of the helper;

God of those who have no God.

God of refuge, we seek your Protection - Covid Prayer

God of refuge, we seek your Protection

Protect the vulnerable from illness: Those who are old and frail, weakened by years and struggle, those who care for others, expending their energy and love; those for whom inability to work means hardship and poverty.

Psalm 23 adapted for this time of Covid

The Lord is our shepherd who guides us and so we don't lack and never will lack anything. He leads us to places of rest and care; and to drink waters of trust. He renews our strength so we do not abandon the path of solidarity because it is there, in our empathy with others where we honour his name.

Easter, 2nd Week, Saturday, Apr 25

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. What confuses the person is that during the most trying times in life only one set of footprints appears. When the person asks the Lord why he left during these most trying times, the Lord says, “I would never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

Easter 2nd Week, Friday, Apr 24

Acts 5:34-42 / John 6:1-15 

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?”