Daily Readings - Thu Apr 19 2018

First Reading - Acts 8.26-40

²⁶Now an Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Rise up and go toward the south, to the way which descends from Jerusalem into Gaza, where there is a desert.²⁷And rising up, he went. And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, powerful under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasures, had arrived in Jerusalem to worship²⁸And while returning, he was sitting upon his chariot and reading from the prophet Isaiah²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Draw near and join yourself to this chariot.³⁰And Philip, hurrying, heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah, and he said, "Do you think that you understand what you are reading?³¹And he said, "But how can I, unless someone will have revealed it to me?" And he asked Philip to climb up and sit with him³²Now the place in Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter. And like a lamb silent before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth³³He endured his judgment with humility. Who of his generation shall describe how his life was taken away from the earth?³⁴Then the eunuch responded to Philip, saying: "I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?³⁵Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, evangelized Jesus to him³⁶And while they were going along the way, they arrived at a certain water source. And the eunuch said: "There is water. What would prevent me from being baptized?³⁷Then Philip said, "If you believe from your whole heart, it is permitted." And he responded by saying, "I believe the Son of God to be Jesus the Christ.³⁸And he ordered the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch descended into the water. And he baptized him³⁹And when they had ascended from the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore. Then he went on his way, rejoicing⁴⁰Now Philip was found in Azotus. And continuing on, he evangelized all the cities, until he arrived in Caesarea

Gospel - John 6.44-51

John

Chapter 6

⁴⁴No one is able to come to me, unless the Father, who has sent me, has drawn him. And I will raise him up on the last day⁴⁵It has been written in the Prophets: ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has listened and learned from the Father comes to me⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God; this one has seen the Father⁴⁷Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me has eternal life⁴⁸I am the bread of life⁴⁹Your fathers ate manna in the desert, and they died⁵⁰This is the bread which descends from heaven, so that if anyone will eat from it, he may not die⁵¹I am the living bread, who descended from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, he shall live in eternity. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that illuminate God's universal invitation and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from Acts recounts the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, a moment where the Spirit's guidance leads to an unexpected encounter. Philip, directed by the Spirit, approaches the eunuch who is pondering Isaiah's prophecy. Through Philip's explanation, the eunuch comes to faith and is baptized, exemplifying the early church's mission to spread the Gospel to all, regardless of background. The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Bread of Life, emphasizing that faith is a gift from God. Jesus teaches that no one comes to Him unless drawn by the Father, highlighting the divine initiative in our salvation. He invites all to partake in His flesh, given for the life of the world, promising eternal life to those who believe. These readings connect through themes of divine call and inclusion. The Spirit's role in Acts and the Father's drawing in John underscore God's active engagement in bringing people to faith. Both narratives show that God's plan is for all, embracing diversity and breaking down barriers. In our lives, this means being open to the Spirit's promptings and recognizing God's call in unexpected places. We are invited to embrace the faith that leads to eternal life, just as the eunuch did, and to share this gift with others, trusting in God's universal love. As we reflect, let us remember that faith is a response to God's grace, and our lives should mirror the inclusive love of Christ. May we, like Philip, be ready to share the Gospel, and may we, like the eunuch, joyfully embrace God's invitation, living as witnesses to His transformative power.