First Reading: Acts 9:31-42
Psalm: Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Gospel: Jn 6:60-69
Sat: Easter Weekday
Acts 9: 31-42/ Ps 116: 12-13. 14-15. 16-17/ Jn 6: 60-69
1st Reading: Acts 9:31-42
Meanwhile, the Church had peace. It was building up throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, with eyes turned to the Lord, and filled with comfort from the Holy Spirit.
As Peter traveled around, he went to visit the saints who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed, and had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And the man got up at once. All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
There was a disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which means Dorcas, or Gazelle. She was always doing good works and helping the poor. At that time, she fell sick and died. After having washed her body, they laid her in the upstairs room.
As Lydda is near Joppa, the disciples, on hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.”
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
Gospel: Jn 6:60-69
After hearing this, many of Jesus’ followers said, “This language is very hard! Who can accept it?”
Jesus was aware that his disciples were murmuring about this, and so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, not the flesh. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. But among you there are some who do not believe.”
From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray him. So he added, “As I have told you, no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
After this many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. Jesus asked the Twelve, “Will you also go away?” Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Reflection:
Cafeteria Catholics
I was scheduled to preach at a parish where I had never been before. I had prepared the homily based on insights emerging from all the three readings. Before the Mass began, while interacting with the lectors who were scheduled to read at the Mass, I was surprised to learn that they had changed the second reading (which was a passage from Paul). The reason? Because they did not agree with Paul’s ideas in that passage. They found his ideas there insulting. So, they dropped it and chose a more convenient reading! Come to think of it, this should not surprise us: Don’t we sometimes succumb to practicing such ‘cafeteria Catholicism’ where we pick and choose from our faith what is most convenient for us, sidestepping the difficult asks? Like some disciples who left Jesus, don’t we follow him in fits and starts?