Faith in the Resurrection
Apr. 16: Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
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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.
Jesus had said to the Sanhedrin during his trial,1 “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” When Stephen reminds them of this, they cover their ears and stone him to death.
You’d think they would’ve learned their lesson after executing Jesus, but nope.
Now, obviously, Stephen won’t rise from the dead under his own power, but he does have faith in the resurrection of the dead on the last day. In addition to that, he believes in redemption—he follows Jesus’ example down to copying His last words.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 7b and 8a, 17 and 21ab
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
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.
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.
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.
The psalmist feels overwhelmed by evil people but still trusts in God. Men are plotting against him, but Stephen continues to trust even to the point of death.
Alleluia
Jn 6:35ab
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the bread of life, says the Lord;
whoever comes to me will never hunger.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
He means it.
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."
God sent the Israelites bread from Heaven.
It’s an important part of their history, which they’ve never forgotten. So Jesus is deliberately calling this cultural memory to mind when He calls Himself “the bread of life.”
Notice how nicely this pairs with the first reading. Simon is dying, but he has faith in the resurrection Jesus promised. The Sanhedrin don’t remember (or don’t learn from) their own past actions, and so they’re stuck.