Mary Of The Angelus Association

20-4-2010 TUESDAY of the Third Week of Easter Year II

MEDITATION: Based on the readings for today’s Mass.  These readings can be found in your bible or daily missal.

FIRST READING: From the Acts of the Apostles chapter 7: verse 51 – chapter 8: verse 1

“As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’.” Stephen was quoting his Lord who at his own death quoted from Psalm 30, the ancient song of trust in God.  “Then he knelt down and said aloud”, as also did Jesus  “ ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep.   Saul entirely approved of the killing. “

This account of the death by stoning of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr is not for the faint hearted.  As Stephen pointed out to his persecutors, “Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted?  In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers.” 

Those words were not designed to get Stephen out of trouble and save his life.  Rather, Stephen spoke out the truth without compromise, calm.  The young man Saul Paul who witnessed and approved Stephen’s death, later died a martyr’s death out of love for that same Lord.  Can we like Jesus and Stephen forgive those who harm us?  Can we live a holy life as a witness to the love of Jesus for us?

RESPONSE TO THE PSALM:  Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit.

PSALM: 30 (31): 3-4. 6-8.17. 21.

It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

As for me, I trust in the Lord:

Let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

GOSPEL: From St. John chapter 6: 30-35

“I am the bread of life.

Those who come to me will never be hungry;

Those who believe in me will never thirst. “

The crowds had just been fed with the multiplication of a few  loaves and fishes in the miracle of the five thousand.  Now they are still asking for a sign. The bread Jesus now offers to the crowd is true bread, the Bread of Life.  The bread that their ancestors ate was not from Moses, but from God. The bread Jesus offers sustains our eternal soul, rather than our mortal body.