Good morning good people,
May the Risen Lord give you peace and blessings.
It is 06th May 2025. We reflect on Acts 7:51–8:1 and John 6:30–35.
St. Peter Julian Eymard reassures us, “The soul that receives Communion frequently with faith and love will never hunger again, for Christ will be its all.”
There once was a young girl named Maria who grew up in a small village in Italy. Poor in material things but rich in faith, she would go every morning to daily Mass, saying, “I need Jesus to be kind.” One day, she was attacked by a man who had tried to tempt her into sin. She refused, crying out, “No! It is a sin! God does not want it!” In her final moments, she forgave him. This was St. Maria Goretti, a child-martyr whose faith in the Bread of Life gave her strength beyond her years. Years later, her attacker repented and received the Eucharist with tears—because the bread Maria had eaten gave her the strength to forgive.
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Each one of us carries a hunger—some known, some unspoken. While we work tirelessly to satisfy our physical and emotional appetites, there lies within us a deeper longing—a spiritual hunger that nothing in this world can fill. This hunger is a yearning for meaning, for peace, for God. And only God can satisfy it.
Often, we devote a lifetime to feeding the body and soothing the emotions, while the soul grows faint with neglect. Yet Jesus stands before us and gently promises, “Come to Me—not in pieces, not in passing—but fully, and I will feed you.” The Holy Eucharist, the Bread of Life, is the visible, living sign of this divine promise, given to us through the Church.
The story of St. Stephen echoes this longing. He was a man whose spirit was already filled, and yet he thirsted for more of God. He found his fulfillment not in comfort, but in surrender. “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” he prayed as stones rained upon him. And from that place of deep spiritual nourishment, forgiveness flowed. That prayer, uttered through pain, ignited the heart of Saul—who would become Paul, a tireless apostle of Christ.
True satisfaction comes when we no longer live for ourselves but for the good of others. When we serve, when we forgive, when we offer ourselves for the sake of the Gospel, we taste heaven. We become bread for the world.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)
The Psalm captures the spirit of Stephen: “Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit.” This is the cry of a soul content in God.
Let us echo the plea of the crowd: “Sir, give us this bread always.” May our souls be filled with Christ, and may we help satisfy the hunger of others—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—through acts of charity and love.
May your day be filled with this Bread of Life. Be nourished, and be a nourishment for others. God bless you!