They went from place to place proclaiming the Word.
From the Acts of the Apostles At 8,1b-8
On that day, violent persecution broke out against the Church of Jerusalem; all, with the exception of the apostles, dispersed in the regions of Judea and Samaria.
Pious men buried Stephen and mourned him greatly. Saul meanwhile was trying to destroy the Church: he entered houses, took men and women and had them put in prison.
But those who had scattered went from place to place proclaiming the Word.
Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached to them the Christ. And the crowds unanimously paid attention to Philip's words, hearing him speak and seeing the signs he performed. In fact, from many demoniacs came out impure spirits, uttering loud cries, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
A. Cheer God, all of you of the earth. Or: R. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Cheer God, all of you of the earth, sing the glory of his name, give him glory with praise. Tell a God: «Terrible are your works!».R.
"Let the whole earth bow down to you, I sing hymns to you, I sing to your name." Come and see the works of God, terrible in its action on men.R.
He changed the sea into dry land; they crossed the river on foot: therefore we rejoice in him. With his strength he rules forever.R.
Gospel acclamation
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Who believes in Son has eternal life, says the Lord, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Cf. Jn 6:40)
Alleluia.
Gospel
This is the will of the Father: that anyone who sees the Son and believes in him has eternal life.
The Word of April 26, 2023 4
From the Gospel according to John Jn 6:35-40
At that time, he said Jesus to the crowd: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty! But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you do not believe.
All that the Father gives me, he will come to me: whoever comes to me I will not cast out, for I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me: that I lose nothing that he has given me, but that I raise it up again on the last day.
Indeed, this is the will of the Father mine: that anyone who sees the Son and believes in him has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day".
This is the thought that Our Lord in his humanity expressed, to give us a model to imitate, when he said: "Father mio, se è possibile, passi da me questo calice!
But not as I want, but as you want!" (Mt 26,39) Yet his will was not different from that of Father. "For he came to save what was lost and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt 18:11; 20:28). Of his life, he himself says: "No one takes it from me, but I offer it of myself, for I have the power to offer it and the power to take it again" (Jn 10:18). On the continuous unity of will that reigned between the Father e lui, il santo re Davide gli fece dire nel salmo 40 (v. 9): “Che io faccia il tuo volere.
My Godthis is what I desire". We read, true, regarding the Father"God in fact, he loved the world so much that he gave his own Son only begotten” (Jn 3:16) But we find with regard to the Son this word: "He gave himself up for our sins" (Gal 1:4). It is said of Father: “He did not spare his own Son, ma lo ha dato per tutti noi” (Rm 8,32).
But it is said of the Son: “He offered himself because he wanted it” (Is 53,7 Vulg.). The union of will between the Father and the Son è così espressa dovunque, fino al mistero della Risurrezione, dove vediamo che entrambi ebbero una sola medesima operazione.
The Father who, according to the blessed apostle, raised the body of the Son: “… by means of GodFather who raised him from the dead" (Gal 1:1). But the Son afferma anche che rialzerà il tempio del suo corpo: “Distruggete questo tempio e in tre giorni lo farò risorgere” (Gv 2,19).
Instructed by the example of the Lord, we must conclude all our prayers with a vow similar to his, and add this word to all our requests: "But not as I want, but as you want!" (Mt 26:39)
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Jesus ci ricorda che il vero significato del nostro esistere terreno sta alla fine, nell’eternità, sta nell’incontro con Lui, che è dono e donatore, e ci ricorda anche che la storia umana con le sue sofferenze e le sue gioie deve essere vista in un orizzonte di eternità, cioè in quell’orizzonte dell’incontro definitivo con Lui.
E questo incontro illumina tutti i giorni della nostra vita. Se noi pensiamo a questo incontro, a questo grande dono, i piccoli doni della vita, anche le sofferenze, le preoccupazioni saranno illuminate dalla speranza di questo incontro. «Io sono il pane della vita; chi viene a me non avrà più fame e chi crede in me non avrà sete, mai!» (v. 35).
And this is the reference to the Eucharist, the greatest gift that satisfies the soul and the body. Meet and welcome in us Jesus, "bread of life", gives meaning and hope to the often tortuous path of life. (Angelus, August 2, 2015)
