Daily Readings - Fri May 05 2017

First Reading - Acts 9.1-20

¹Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest²and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem³And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him⁴And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?⁵And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.⁶And he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?⁷And the Lord said to him, "Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do." Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one⁸Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus⁹And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he said, "Here I am, Lord.¹¹And the Lord said to him: "Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.¹²(And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.¹³But Ananias responded: "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem¹⁴And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.¹⁵Then the Lord said to him: "Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel¹⁶For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.¹⁷And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.¹⁸And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized¹⁹And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days²⁰And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God

Gospel - John 6.52-59

John

Chapter 6

⁵²Therefore, the Jews debated among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?⁵³And so, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day⁵⁵For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him⁵⁷Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so also whoever eats me, the same shall live because of me⁵⁸This is the bread that descends from heaven. It is not like the manna that your fathers ate, for they died. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever.⁵⁹He said these things when he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on transformation and the divine presence in our lives. The first reading from Acts recounts the dramatic conversion of Saul, a fierce persecutor of Christians, who encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus. This transformative event, marked by a blinding light and a call from Jesus, leads Saul to become Paul, a steadfast apostle of Christ. The Gospel from John presents Jesus' discourse on the Bread of Life, where He offers His flesh and blood as true food and drink, emphasizing the Eucharist as a source of eternal life and union with Him. These readings are set against the backdrop of early Christianity, where the church faced persecution, and Jesus' teachings challenged the understanding of His followers. Saul's conversion highlights God's power to transform even the most unlikely hearts, while Jesus' discourse in John underscores the deep, intimate relationship we are called to have with Him through the Eucharist. Both narratives illustrate the transformative power of God's grace. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to remain open to moments of conversion and to deepen our faith through the Eucharist. Just as Saul was transformed by his encounter with Jesus, we too can experience conversion in our hearts. The Eucharist, as John's Gospel reminds us, is not just a ritual but a living encounter with Christ that sustains us. As we reflect on these readings, let us embrace the transformative grace of God and seek to live as witnesses of His love, trusting in His power to guide and sustain us.