Today's Mass readings 16th April 2013 - Stephen and Saul

Reading 1 Acts 7:51—8:1a

Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes:
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,
you always oppose the Holy Spirit;
you are just like your ancestors.
Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute?
They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one,
whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
You received the law as transmitted by angels,
but you did not observe it.”

When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”;
and when he said this, he fell asleep.

Now Saul was consenting to his execution.

Responsorial Psalm PS 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.

Gospel Jn 6:30-35

The crowd said to Jesus:
“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.”

So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”

So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

 

Stephen was a brave hero who stood up for what he believed was the right thing to do. He got stoned to death but at least he died like a man and his story is still being told. Saul (who later became St Paul) was the coward who held the jackets of the men who stoned him. The gutless wonder who approved of the execution. He later met Jesus (in a spiritual way) and he repented. God used him later to spread the Good News and he redeemed himself, even surviving a few stonings himself. Saul is proof that its never too late to change. Stop holding the robes of those who are doing the punishing and start standing up for right. Oppose those frauds who are pretending to be virtuous by shutting down everyone who criticises them.

The men who were doing the stoning of Stephen were religious leaders, condemning the innocent and defending the guilty. Nothing has changed...

In the Gospel Jesus tells us that He is the living Bread that we ought to work hard to receive.
Try and make an effort and receive it more frequently. Instead of using the excuse that there are no good priests around, get in your vehicle and start "shopping around" until you find one..There are still some good ones left. I would recommend highly Fr Pat Hurley at Good Shepherd Hoxton Park.

He is very holy and humble and calls himself Brother Pat, not Father. And he sits in the pews and listens to the readings with the congregation instead of seating himself on a throne like the other imposters who have replaced Jesus with themselves..

They see themselves as worthy of everyone's gaze during Mass instead of letting the focus be on the Tabernacle or the Crucified image of Jesus...