After being fed with free fine bread the previous day, the crowd looks for Jesus the next day. And Jesus is in no doubt that those who followed him did so with a variety of motivations. Yet when some asked what they must do to become capable of doing the ‘works of God,’ his answer was ‘BELIEVE’.
Physical rewards can lead to genuine faith. But after genuine faith is received as a gift from God, it does not care for physical comforts or safety at all.
As someone filled with faith in Jesus, Stephen stood fearless in the council in the face of all the false accusations that were brought forth. My faith is not tested by my capacity to perform miracles. My faith is tested when I have to face unfair allegations, betrayals and ingratitude. Stephen had the nerve to withstand them because of his deep faith in Christ. Is my faith strong enough to shine through me when faced with persecution and suffering?
Thamajoy Reang csc - Readings: Acts 7: 51 – 60; Jn 6: 39 - 35 The first reading speaks about Stephen, the first martyr in Christian history. Stephen, the true witness of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit, brings us the message of forgiveness through love, which we are to…
Newton Basumatari csc - Readings: Acts 6: 1-7; Jn 6: 16-21 In the second week of the Easter season, through the readings, we are reminded of Jesus’ ability to calm our fears and provide us with the strength to navigate life’s storms. We see in the first reading that Stephen…
By Anthony Jayaraj, CSC - Readings: Acts 13:26-33; Jn 14:1-6 The Gospel reading encourages me to strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ. As the pandemic spread of Covid-19 is creating anxiety, fear, confusion, and uncertain situations across the world, the liturgy of the word offers hope in life. Jesus in…
