First Reading: (Acts 6:8–15)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 119)
Response: Your decrees are my delight, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia.
No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia.
Gospel: (John 6:22–29)
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflection:
The readings present a powerful contrast between earthly pursuit and eternal truth.
In the First Reading, Stephen stands as a witness filled not with his own strength, but with divine grace. Even under accusation and hostility, his countenance reflects heaven itself, his face like that of an angel. Truth does not need force; it radiates.
In the Gospel, the crowd seeks Jesus, but for the wrong reason. They pursue Him for bread that satisfies temporarily, not for the truth that gives eternal life. Christ redirects them: do not labor for what perishes, but for what endures.
This “food that endures” is ultimately Christ Himself, given in the Eucharist, sustained through the life of the Church, and entrusted in a particular way to those called to serve.
The connection is clear:
Stephen gives witness to truth despite persecution.
The Apostles carry forward Christ’s mission.
The Church continues to be nourished through sacrificial service.
The call is not limited to a few. Every believer is invited to live in Christ. Yet there is a distinct calling, to serve, to shepherd, to nourish others spiritually.
The message is simple but demanding:
Seek not what satisfies temporarily.
Desire what transforms eternally.
Believe in the One who is sent.
Faith is not merely understanding, it is alignment of life with Christ.
And so the question remains:
Are we seeking Christ for comfort, or for conversion?
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