The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to allow our relationship with Christ to reveal our gift of fullness of life that is beyond the restrictions of our senses.
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda and restores Tabitha to Life.
* [9:31–43] In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Paul’s activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 116 responds to divine rescue from mortal danger.
* [Psalm 116] A thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds to divine rescue from mortal danger (Ps 116:3–4) and from near despair (Ps 116:10–11) with vows and Temple sacrifices (Ps 116:13–14, 17–19). The Greek and Latin versions divide the Psalm into two parts: Ps 116:1–9 and Ps 116:10–19, corresponding to its two major divisions. (Psalms, PSALM 116 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of John presents the portion of the Bread of Life Discourse addressed to members of the Johannine community who found it difficult to accept the high christology.
* [6:60–71] These verses refer more to themes of Jn 6:35–50 than to those of Jn 6:51–58 and seem to be addressed to members of the Johannine community who found it difficult to accept the high christology reflected in the bread of life discourse.
* [6:62] This unfinished conditional sentence is obscure. Probably there is a reference to Jn 6:49–51. Jesus claims to be the bread that comes down from heaven (Jn 6:50); this claim provokes incredulity (Jn 6:60); and so Jesus is pictured as asking what his disciples will say when he goes up to heaven.
* [6:63] Spirit,flesh: probably not a reference to the eucharistic body of Jesus but to the supernatural and the natural, as in Jn 3:6. Spirit and life: all Jesus said about the bread of life is the revelation of the Spirit. (John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
George Butterfield comments that the Gospel reading comes at the end of Jesus’ teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Many of his disciples are shocked by this.
The saying is too hard, and they cannot accept it. They return to their former way of life and stop following Jesus. Jesus could have run after them and said, “Hey, it’s only a metaphor. Where are you going?” He didn’t do that. Why? Because they totally understood what he was saying. If our acceptance of Jesus’ words is based upon everything we have as flesh and blood, we will walk away from him, too. It is not the flesh that gives life; it is the Spirit of the living God.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” (Butterfield, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Eat Life - Drink Life,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"'Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you shall not have life in you,' says the Lord. Eat life - drink life. You will then have life, and life is complete. Then the Body and Blood of Christ will be life for each person under this condition: what is eaten visibly in the Sacrament be spiritually eaten and spiritually drunk in truth itself." (excerpt from Sermon 102,2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 9:31-42 comments that we should recognize and celebrate all the good that is happening among God’s people. And not just to counter the bad news! Looking for the good news also buttresses our faith. It convinces us that the Lord is still working miracles among his people and is still building his kingdom. And that conviction helps us keep our own hearts open to the Spirit. It fills us with hope and moves us to keep looking for ways we can make a positive difference. Each of us has an important part to play in dispelling the darkness around us, but we’re less likely to play our part if we are focused only on how difficult things are.
Jesus came to heal our spiritual blindness. He came to open our eyes to his glory, his presence, and his goodness. He came to show us that his mercy can triumph over even the greatest of sins. So lift up your eyes! Lift up your heart! Let the good news of God’s power at work in the world—even today—fill you with joy. Let it send you out into this world eager to proclaim the love of Christ and determined to keep building the kingdom of God right where you are!
“Jesus, help me keep my heart focused on your good news!” (Meditation on Acts 9:31-42, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the miraculous signs that accompanied Peter while spreading the Gospel in the passage from Acts. At the conclusion of the Bread of Life Discourse some are discouraged and may be leaving Jesus over confusion about cannibalism. Friar Jude notes the dominant role of Baptism and Eucharist in our acceptance of the spiritual reality of our relationship with Christ.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer and her poem “Letter to the Parts of Me I Have Tried to Exile” that expresses a healing journey of welcoming all aspects of ourselves.
I’m sorry. I thought banishing you
was the way to become better,
more perfect, more good, more free.
The irony: I thought if I cut you off
and cast you out, if I built the walls
high enough, then the parts left would be
more whole. As if the sweet orange
doesn’t need the toughened rind,
the bitter seed. As if the forest
doesn’t need the blue fury of fire.
It didn’t work, did it, the exile?
You were always here, jangling
the hinges, banging at the door,
whispering through the cracks.
Left to myself, I wouldn’t have known
to take down the walls,
nor would I have had the strength to do so.
That act was grace disguised as disaster.
But now that the walls are rubble,
it is also grace that teaches me to want
to embrace you, grace that guides me
to be gentle, even with the part of me
that would still try to exile any other part.
It is grace that invites me
to name all parts beloved.
How honest it all is. How human.
I promise to keep learning how
to know you as my own, to practice
opening to what at first feels unwanted,
meet it with understanding,
trust all belongs, welcome you home. (Rohr, n.d.)
We call upon the Spirit to guide us to love in our response to the shocking events of our life as we ponder our gift of life beyond the limits placed on God by society that suffers fails to seek fullness of life.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/9?31
Butterfield, G. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/051025.html
John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?
Meditation on Acts 9:31-42. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/05/10/1270292/
Psalms, PSALM 116 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/116?12
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/loving-in-a-time-of-exile-weekly-summary/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Have the Words of Everlasting Life. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 10, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=may10
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