Author: diocesan-melbournebeach

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

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Reading 1 Acts 8:26-40

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,
“Get up and head south on the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”
So he got up and set out.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,
a court official of the Candace,
that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,
in charge of her entire treasury,
who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.
Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip,
“Go and join up with that chariot.”
Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said,
“Do you understand what you are reading?”
He replied,
“How can I, unless someone instructs me?”
So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
This was the Scripture passage he was reading:

Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will tell of his posterity?
For his life is taken from the earth.

Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,
“I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
About himself, or about someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.
As they traveled along the road
they came to some water,
and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water.
What is to prevent my being baptized?”
Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
When they came out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
and the eunuch saw him no more,
but continued on his way rejoicing.
Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news
to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20

R.(1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless our God, you peoples,
loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
and has not let our feet slip.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
praise was on the tip of my tongue.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia John 6:51

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

 

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Believe in Him / Creer en Él

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During my time writing reflections, I’ve come to see Sacred Scripture in a different light. These aren’t just words extracted from a page to discuss a certain theme at Mass, although we can certainly see parallels in the Mass readings, especially between the Old Testament readings and the Gospels. It’s something I had never really thought about before: Jesus is clear about who He is, and we need only accept it.

In today’s Gospel, He makes it clear who He is once again: “I am the bread of life.” In yesterday’s Gospel, the disciples asked Jesus to give them this “bread from heaven” always. In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes it clear that He is the Bread of Life. But Jesus then points out that they’ve seen Him and His signs, and they still don’t believe. 

We don’t need to be theological scholars, priests, or religious sisters to follow Him. We don’t need to understand things that go over our heads. We don’t need to have everything figured out today for tomorrow. We simply need to believe in Jesus and what He has done for the world and for us. Our spiritual hunger and thirst will be quenched if we turn to Him and His great gift of self in the Eucharist. 

Believe in Him, and watch Him fill you with every good gift. 

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Durante el tiempo que llevo escribiendo reflexiones, he llegado a ver la Sagrada Escritura bajo una luz diferente. No son sólo palabras extraídas de una página para hablar de un tema determinado en la Misa, aunque ciertamente podemos ver paralelismos en las lecturas de la Misa, especialmente entre las lecturas del Antiguo Testamento y los Evangelios. Es algo en lo que nunca había pensado antes: Jesús tiene claro quién es, y sólo tenemos que aceptarlo.

En el Evangelio de hoy, vuelve a dejar claro quién es: “Yo soy el pan de vida”. En el Evangelio de ayer, los discípulos le pidieron a Jesús que les diera siempre este “pan del cielo”. En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús deja claro que es el pan de vida, pero luego indica que lo han visto a Él y sus señales, y aún así no creen.

No tenemos que ser eruditos en teología, sacerdotes o hermanas religiosas para seguirlo. No tenemos que entender cosas que se nos pasan desapercibidas. No tenemos que tener todo resuelto hoy para mañana. Simplemente tenemos que creer en Jesús y en lo que ha hecho por el mundo y por nosotros. Nuestra hambre y sed espirituales serán saciadas si nos volvemos hacia Él y el gran don de sí mismo en la Eucaristía.

Cree en Él y observa cómo te colme de todo bien.

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Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles. 

Feature Image Credit: Christian_V, pixabay.com/photos/cup-believe-tree-garden-tea-5032232/

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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St. John of Beverley

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St. John of Beverley

Feast date: May 07

St. John of Beverley was the Bishop of Hexham, and later of York. He was born in Harpham, Yorkshire, and died in Beverley on May 7, 721.

As a youth, John manifested a strong desire to devote his life to God, and eventually left his native Yorkshire and traveled Kent where he studied at the famous ecclesiastical school of St. Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury.

He returned toYorkshire upon the completion of his studies, and joined a Benedictine monastery where he devoted himself to contemplation. He was called out of his monastic seclusion to be consecrated as bishop of Hexham in 687, a see he occupied for 18 years while still managing to devote time to contemplation and the study of Scripture.

With the death of St. Bosa, archbishop of York, John was transferred to York and served there until his retirement from ill health in 717.  He spent his last four years in a monastery that he built at Beverley.

John was renowned for the miracles that he performed, both during his life and those that took place after his death. Most famously, he cured a young man who was dumb and had reportedly never spoken a word in his life, and obtained from him the ability to speak. He took the young man under his wing and patiently taught him the alphabet and the fundaments of the language.

After his death in 721, owing to the many miracles that occurred through his intercession, his burial site at Beverley became one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in England. He was canonized by Pope Benedict IX in 1037.

The renowned English mystic, Julian of Norwich, and the martyred bishop, St. John Fisher, who was from Beverley, had a great devotion to St. John.

St. Rosa Venerini

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St. Rosa Venerini

Feast date: May 07

On May 7, the Church celebrates the recently-canonized Italian educator Saint Rosa Venerini, who founded Catholic schools for girls and young women during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Her work is continued today by the “Venerini Sisters.”

St. Rosa (also known as St. Rose) was declared a saint in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI, who spoke in his canonization homily of her courageous work for “the spiritual elevation and authentic emancipation of the young women of her time.”

He noted that St. Venerini “did not content herself with providing the girls an adequate education, but she was concerned with assuring their complete formation, with sound references to the Church’s doctrinal teaching.”

Born in the central Italian city of Viterbo on February 9, 1656, Rosa Venerini was the daughter of an accomplished doctor, Goffredo, who raised four children with his wife Marzia. At a young age, Rosa vowed to consecrate her life to God, though this resolution was tested during her adolescence.

Rosa briefly joined a Dominican women’s community during 1676, but returned home to comfort her mother after Goffredo’s unexpected death. One of Rosa’s brothers, Domenico, also died at age 27. Marzia was heartbroken and died within months.

In the wake of these family crises, Rosa invited local women to her home to pray the Rosary in a group. However, she was soon dismayed by the deficiencies she saw in their education and religious formation. This eye-opening experience shaped Rosa’s future, pointing her toward her ultimate vocation in the field of teaching.

In 1685, with the help of two friends and the approval of her local bishop, Rosa opened Italy’s first public school for girls. It was supported by some Church and state officials, though others resisted an educational model that was, for its time, unconventional.

Many of these critics were silenced by the school’s clear success in uplifting the character of young women. Rosa left Viterbo and founded ten schools in the Diocese of Montefiascone between 1692 and 1694. She also trained a local successor, the future Saint Lucia Filippini.

Only after several years, and one disappointing failed attempt, did Rosa manage to start a school in Rome, during 1713. Three years later, Pope Clement XI paid a visit accompanied by eight cardinals. Witnessing the work of Rosa Venerini’s teachers, the Pope personally thanked her, declaring: “With these schools you will sanctify Rome.”

The acceptance of Rosa’s work also increased her daily responsibilities. She undertook difficult journeys for the sake of her work, while maintaining a strong prayer life that kept her oriented toward God’s will in all of her undertakings. Spiritual direction from Jesuit priests helped her to combine an active apostolate with a life of contemplative prayer. She cultivated a close daily relationship to God while working to found over 40 schools.

St. Rosa Venerini’s last illness came to an end during the evening of May 7, 1728. Her religious congregation, known in Italian as the “Maistre pie Venerini,” maintains an international presence.

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

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Reading 1 Acts 8:1b-8

There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.
Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.

Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia See John 6:40

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Trust in His Word / Confía en Su Palabra

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“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. You always oppose the Holy Spirit. . . . You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it” (Acts 7:51, 53). The people Stephen spoke these words to were not ready for the coming of Christ. They received the Mosaic Law and they heard the preaching of Christ, but their heart and ears remained closed off to what they received and heard. 

The crowd that met Jesus in our Gospel seemed to have a different posture. “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?” (John 6:30). They wanted to believe in Jesus and stood ready to listen to what He had to say and believe in Him. But is it really that different? “What sign can you do?” “What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert” (John 6:31). It’s not that they were ready to listen to Jesus and believe Him already. It’s that they needed a sign from Him to know that He was trustworthy. They didn’t trust His word.

Jesus tells us that He does not just give us the bread from heaven: He is the bread from heaven. In order to receive the sign that they are looking for, they have to believe in Him and follow Him. The order is reversed: they had hoped to see a sign so that they might believe, but they had to believe in order for the sign to be possible.

Perhaps this is the same thing that happened with the people Stephen was speaking to. They had received the message of God, but they were waiting for a sign to give it credence. Yet God was asking them to trust His authority on the strength of His word — only then would they receive the blessings from following the Law and heeding the prophetic message.

Trust in the strength of His word. This is what we are asked to do when Jesus proclaims that He is the Bread of Life. We should expect great blessings from the Lord, but we should not feel that we are owed them for any reason. It is not our right to receive signs from God, and we shouldn’t follow Him simply in order to receive blessings. The blessings will come, but the trust and obedience are what come first.

This is easy to accept in theory, especially when we have heaps of evidence regarding the authority of God from the Bible alone, but it is difficult in practice. We are called to trust God at all times, remaining detached from signs and wonders. They will come, but we do not know when. Instead, we follow Him both day and night, both when we can see His path and when everything around us remains uncertain.

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“Hombres de cabeza dura, cerrados de corazón y de oídos. Ustedes resisten siempre al Espíritu Santo… Recibieron la ley por medio de los ángeles y no la han observado” (Hechos 7,51 y 53). Las personas a las que Esteban dirigió estas palabras no estaban preparadas para la venida de Cristo. Recibieron la Ley Mosaica y oyeron la predicación de Cristo, pero su corazón y sus oídos permanecieron cerrados a lo que recibieron y oyeron.

La multitud que se encontró con Jesús en el Evangelio parecía tener una postura diferente. “¿Qué signo vas a realizar tú, para que lo veamos y podamos creerte?” (Juan 6,30). Querían creer en Jesús y estaban dispuestos a escuchar lo que tenía que decir y creer en Él. Pero, ¿es realmente tan diferente? “¿Qué signo vas a realizar tú?” “¿Qué puedes hacer tú? Nuestros antepasados ​​comieron el maná en el desierto” (Juan 6,31). No es que ya estuvieran preparados para escuchar a Jesús y creerle. Es que necesitaban una señal de Él para saber que era digno de confianza. No confiaban en Su palabra.

Jesús nos dice que no sólo nos da el pan del cielo: Él es el pan del cielo. Para recibir la señal que están buscando, tienen que creer en Él y seguirlo. El orden es al revés: ellos habían esperado ver una señal para poder creer, pero tuvieron que creer para que la señal fuera posible.

Quizás esto es lo mismo que sucedió con la gente a la que hablaba Esteban. Habían recibido el mensaje de Dios, pero estaban esperando una señal que le diera credibilidad. Sin embargo, Dios les estaba pidiendo que confiaran en Su autoridad y en la fuerza de Su palabra; sólo entonces recibirían las bendiciones de seguir la Ley y prestar atención al mensaje profético.

Confiar en la fuerza de Su palabra. Esto es lo que se nos pide que hagamos cuando Jesús proclama que Él es el Pan de Vida. Debemos esperar grandes bendiciones del Señor, pero no debemos sentir que se nos deben por ninguna razón. No tenemos derecho a recibir señales de Dios, y no debemos seguirlo simplemente para recibir bendiciones. Las bendiciones vendrán, pero la confianza y la obediencia son lo primordial.

Esto es fácil de aceptar en teoría, especialmente cuando tenemos montones de evidencias sobre la autoridad de Dios que provienen únicamente de la Biblia, pero es difícil en la práctica. Estamos llamados a confiar en Dios en todo momento, sin apegarnos a las señales y los prodigios. Vendrán, pero no sabemos cuándo. En cambio, lo seguimos día y noche, tanto cuando podemos ver su camino como cuando todo alrededor nuestro sigue siendo incierto.

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David Dashiell is a freelance author and editor in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He has three children, a degree in theology, and enjoys writing about philosophy, theology, culture, music, and comedy. You can find his personal blog, Serious Daydreams, on Substack. He is also the editor of the anthology Ever Ancient, Ever New: Why Younger Generations Are Embracing Traditional Catholicism, available through TAN Books.

Feature Image Credit: Städel Museum, Public Domain, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/the-martyrdom-of-saint-stephen-6409/

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

The post Trust in His Word / Confía en Su Palabra appeared first on Diocesan.

St. Evodius of Antioch

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St. Evodius of Antioch

Feast date: May 06

Evodius was one of the 72 disciples of Christ, and Catholic tradition has always held that he was the first bishop of Antioch after St. Peter. However, we are not sure in what year he assumed the position.

As bishop of Antioch, he was the first to coin the word “Christian” to refer to the disciples of Jesus. He probably died between the years 64-67, when he was then succeeded by St. Ignatius of Antioch.

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

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Reading I 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 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 John 6:35ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
whoever comes to me will never hunger.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 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.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Who Do You Work For? / ¿Para quién trabajas?

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It’s a standard networking question: “Who do you work for?” or probably more commonly “Where do you work?” Today’s Gospel makes me wonder what Jesus would say if I responded with a list of clients or former companies I’ve worked for. On the flip side, I wonder how a person would reply if I answered, “God,” or “anywhere God needs me.” I imagine the result might be a chuckle, with a casual, “Yeah, me too, but no really, who do you work for?” But today, I’m asking myself – am I working for myself or am I working for God?

Jesus is clear in today’s Gospel, when we work, it should be for the eternal, for food that endures, for eternal life. That work shouldn’t be about us, it should be about God. What does He need to accomplish through us? What do we need to be doing so that our relationship with Him deepens? What do we need to be doing so that more people might open their hearts to Him?

It’s a different perspective to be about eternal things rather than things of this world. When the people push Jesus for how to accomplish the works of God, He tells them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” That is the eternal food: Believing in Jesus. If we TRULY believe in Jesus, we should live differently. It should impact how we live, how we love and how well we can let go of anything other than God.

Ambition may seem like a way to work for things of this world, but rightly ordered ambition with belief in Jesus can be for the eternal as well. Are you working for a promotion for the mere power of it or are you working to be in a position to help other people? Jesus understood how to be about the Father’s work in His position, not only by healing a physical ailment, but also by teaching people, by healing their hearts, by recognizing their dignity, by loving them and ultimately, by dying for them and us.

Jesus tells the people in today’s Gospel that they were searching for Him because they had eaten the loaves and were filled. Will we do the same, or will we seek the food that endures for eternal life? Will we allow Him to fill us through His Word and the Eucharist? If we do, we will find ourselves searching for and finding Him in our families, in others, in our work and in our homes. And the more we find Him, the more we will realize it is not about ourselves but about Him. Let us all spend our lives working for God.

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Una pregunta típica en las redes sociales es: “¿Para quién trabajas?” o quizá más comúnmente “¿Dónde trabajas?”. El Evangelio de hoy me hace preguntarme qué diría Jesús si le respondiera con una lista de clientes o empresas para las que he trabajado. Por otro lado, me pregunto cómo respondería una persona si yo respondiera “Dios” o “en cualquier lugar donde Dios me necesite”. Me imagino que el resultado podría ser una risa, con un “Sí, yo también, pero, en serio, ¿para quién trabajas?”. Pero hoy me pregunto: ¿estoy trabajando para mí o estoy trabajando para Dios?

Jesús es claro en el Evangelio de hoy: cuando trabajamos, debe ser por lo eterno, por el alimento que perdura, por la vida eterna. Ese trabajo no debe ser acerca de nosotros, debe ser acerca de Dios. ¿Qué necesita lograr a través de nosotros? ¿Qué debemos hacer para que nuestra relación con Él se profundice? ¿Qué debemos hacer para que más personas puedan abrirle sus corazones?

Es una perspectiva diferente la de estar centrado en las cosas eternas en lugar de las cosas de este mundo. Cuando la gente le presiona a Jesús decirles cómo pueden cumplir las obras de Dios, les dice: “La obra de Dios consiste en que crean en aquel a quien él ha enviado”. Ese es el alimento eterno: creer en Jesús. Si REALMENTE creemos en Jesús, deberíamos vivir de manera diferente. Debería influir cómo vivimos, cómo amamos y nuestra capacidad de dejar de lado cualquier cosa que no sea Dios.

La ambición puede parecer una forma de trabajar por las cosas de este mundo, pero la ambición correctamente ordenada con la fe en Jesús también puede ser por lo eterno. ¿Estás trabajando por un ascenso por el mero hecho de tener más poder o estás trabajando para estar en una posición en la que puedas ayudar a más personas? Jesús entendió cómo estar centrado en la obra del Padre en Su posición, no solo sanando una dolencia física, sino también enseñando a las personas, sanando sus corazones, reconociendo su dignidad, amándolas y, en última instancia, muriendo por ellas y por nosotros.

Jesús les dice a las personas en el Evangelio de hoy que lo buscaban porque habían comido los panes y se habían saciado. ¿Haremos lo mismo nosotros o buscaremos el alimento que perdura para la vida eterna? ¿Le permitiremos que nos llene a través de su Palabra y la Eucaristía? Si lo hacemos, nos encontraremos buscándolo y encontrándolo en nuestras familias, en los demás, en el trabajo y en el hogar. Y cuanto más lo encontremos, más nos daremos cuenta de que no se trata de nosotros sino de Él. Dediquemos toda la vida a trabajar para Dios.

Comunicarse con la autora

Nicole Berlucchi is a faith and family blogger (www.nicoleberlucchi.com) and Catholic blog contributor. She has worked in a number of roles in the nonprofit world, but helping people realize their vision and make an impact, seems to be her sweet spot. Nicole owns Coley B. Creative, LLC, a marketing company providing support to small businesses. She is also the author Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life. A native of Philadelphia, she now resides in the Nashville area with her husband, Joe, and their four children. She’s a big fan of brilliant skies, salted caramel with chocolate, books and more books. She loves sharing her journey with Jesus so that others might: Come and see.

Feature Image Credit: stock image, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/do-not-work-for-food-that-perishes-but-for-the-food-that-endures-for-eternal-life-1933/

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Blessed Edmund Rice

Posted on by diocesan-melbournebeach

Blessed Edmund Rice

Feast date: May 05

May 5 is the feast of Blessed Edmund Rice, an Irish businessman who was so moved by the plight of children in the port city where he worked that he founded schools and eventually a religious order to serve them.

Edmund was born in 1762 in Callan, Ireland. As a young man, he moved to Waterford and began to work for his uncle in the shipping business. He became quite wealthy, and when his uncle died, he took over as head of the company.

When his wife passed away and his daughter grew up, Edmund began to contemplate the next direction he should take in life. He thought about leaving everything behind and joining a monastery. However, one day, as he was talking about his vocation and his future with a friend, a ragged group of poor boys walked by on the street. Inspired by the sight, his friend exclaimed: “What! Would you bury yourself in a cell on the continent rather than devote your wealth and your life to the spiritual and material interest of these poor youths?”

Edmund took the conversation as a sign from God. He took on the mission of improving the lives of poor children through education. He founded his first school in Waterford, Ireland in 1802 with the intention of helping poor boys to “become good Catholics and good citizens.”

Selling his business, he immersed himself fully in this mission, and in 1808, he founded the Presentations Brothers, an order of men dedicated to education, and the first order of men to be founded in Ireland. The rule of the community was approved in 1821 by the Pope, and the name was changed to the Christian Brothers. By 1825, Edmund and his 30 Christian Brothers were providing free education, clothing, and food to about 5,500 boys in 12 different towns.

Edmund served as the superior general of the community from its inception until 1838, when he retired at the age of 76. He died in 1844, and was beatified in 1996 by Pope John Paul II, who called him “an outstanding model of a true lay apostle.”