Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
Jesus, The Bread Of Life, Lives On His Disciples
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
Opening Prayer
you have given us your Son Jesus,
that we may relive with him
his passion and his resurrection.
Through Jesus, give us the courage
to place ourselves into your hands
in the trials of life and in death,
that one day, we may see your glory
and at your right hand your Son, Jesus Christ,
who lives with you for ever.
First Reading
Final Invective
But you are a stubborn people. You have hardened your hearts and closed your ears. You have always resisted the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did.
Was there a prophet whom your ancestors did not persecute? They killed those who announced the coming of the Just One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered;
you who received the law through the angels but did not keep it.
Death of Stephen
When they heard this reproach, they became furious and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand;
so he declared:
“I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”
But they shouted, covered their ears with their hands, and rushed at him.
They took him out of the city and stoned him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, saying:
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he knelt down and said loudly:
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
After saying this, he died.
Saul was there, approving the murder.
Persecution and Preaching in Samaria
This marked the beginning of intense persecution against the Church in Jerusalem. Everyone except the apostles was scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab
R. (6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
whoever comes to me will never hunger.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
They then said:
“What sign can you do that we may see and believe in you. What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert; as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
Jesus then said to them:
“Truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
The bread God gives is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
So the people said to him:
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them:
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For people who search for the meaning of life and who hunger for what is right and good, that they may find Jesus, we pray:
– For those whose faith is tested in persecutions, that the Lord may give them the strength to remain faithful, we pray:
– For our Christian communities, that they may never be deprived of the Eucharist, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, eternal Father,
in these signs of bread and wine,
you give us your Son, Jesus Christ.
May we eat him and never be hungry,
believe in him, and never thirst.
May he be to us the bread of immortality
that sustains us on the road of life,
until we reach your eternal home
where we can live with you for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord, loving God,
your Son has nourished us
with the bread of life of himself.
Give us this bread always.
Let Jesus still our deepest hungers,
for all that is beautiful, true and good,
that we may be to everyone we touch
bread given for the life of the world,
together with your Son, Jesus Christ
who lives with you and with us for ever.
Blessing
“Give us this bread always,” said the crowd. Christ is our bread, our food, our riches, the meaning of our lives, who accompanies us on the journey of life. May he always keep nourishing us with himself. We ask God to bless us, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Be not tricked by junk food!
Reflecting on today’s Gospel passage, Pope Francis wrote, “We have grown used to consuming the stale bread of disinformation and have ended up as prisoners of dishonour, labels, and disgrace. We believed that conforming to the values of the world would quench our thirst, but we ended up only drinking indifference and insensitivity. We nourished ourselves with dreams of greatness and ended up consuming distraction, isolation, and loneliness. We indulged in networking and lost the sense of brotherhood. We sought quick and secure results, only to find ourselves overwhelmed by impatience and anxiety. As prisoners of a virtual reality, we lost the taste and essence of what is truly real.”
This is when Jesus's voice brings us all the consolation we need: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Our hunger and thirst extend beyond our physical needs. We yearn for meaning, purpose, and connection. Jesus, as the living bread, satisfies these deeper longings. When we partake in the Eucharist, we receive not mere symbols but the very essence of Christ. His love nourishes our souls, transforming us.
Fr. Richard Rohr adds that our closeness to Jesus correlates with our spiritual hunger and motivates us to serve others. Just as bread sustains our bodies, encountering Christ sustains our spirits. We become channels of grace, sharing the Bread of Life with a hungry world.
In contemplating John 6:30-35, let us recognise our hunger for God’s presence. May we approach the Eucharist with reverence, knowing that in partaking, we receive the eternal sustenance that quenches our deepest thirsts.
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John 6: 30-35
The Bread of Life
In our journey of faith, we encounter many signs that illuminate our path. These divine markers are not mere coincidences but God's gentle guidance, revealing our purpose. As pilgrims on earth, we must attune our hearts to recognise these sacred signposts that direct us toward heaven.
"I am the bread of life," Christ proclaimed. These words echo through centuries, offering a desire and love for our hungry souls. Like the Israelites who received manna in the desert, we too are given heavenly sustenance for our spiritual journey. But our manna surpasses theirs—we receive Christ himself in the Holy Eucharist, the true Bread from Heaven.
When doubts assail us—when suffering, death, and uncertainty challenge our faith—we naturally question and sometimes even direct our anger toward God. In these moments of spiritual drought, we must remember to view life's glass in its entirety, not merely focusing on what seems empty. Count the blessings, recall the graces, and remember the path God has guided you along thus far.
The history of the early Church and the stories from persecuted churches of all time tell us about Christians who, amid persecution, nurtured domestic churches within their homes. Today, we too are called to sanctify our households, transforming them into sacred spaces where prayer and worship flourish. Whether kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament or having our whole family seated together in prayer, our devotion remains authentic when our hearts are sincere.
The Eucharist remains our essential spiritual nourishment. In it, Christ gives Himself completely—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—strengthening us for life's journey. Without Christ, the Bread of Life, we cannot truly live. With Him, no obstacle—not pain, not distance, not even poor internet connections—can separate us from His love and presence. In Him alone, we find the strength to persevere.