Thursdat of the third Week in Easter

Thursday April 29, 2009 of the third week in Easter

Readings: ACTS 8: 26-40 Psalm 66: 8-9, 16-17-20 John 6: 44-51
Psalm Response: “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy!”

This Philip wasn’t the Apostle but one of the Greek speaking Deacons appointed by Peter to see to it the widows and orphans of the Greek speaking world would be cared for and fed. By his example, the service to the widows and orphans was accomplished. Therefore, the Holy Spirit had other work for him and directed him on an evangelical mission.
By explanation of the reading from Isaiah and the interpretation of Jesus as the One Who was to come, the Ethiopian Official became convinced, believed and insisted on being Baptized. Thereby, the Africans became the first fruits of evangelization.

In John’s rendition of the Good News, we do not find the typical Eucharistic institution.
In its place, Johns 6th Chapter lays out the formula for becoming God’s disciple and attaining eternal life. Jesus reiterates the assurance we have when we believe His words of His presence in the bread and wine. He repeats the admonition four times, including a repetition after some of His disciples gagged and left because It was hard to swallow.
The formula is repeated in each of the synoptic Gospels and Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 11: 23-26.

When we are enjoined to take Christ’s words in John 6 as symbolic by some Christian
preachers, it is then we should rely on the uninterrupted belief of the Fathers and leaders of the Catholic Church for the first 14 centuries of Christian teaching.