Daily Retreat 04/28/09
2009 Apr 28 Tue:Easter Weekday/ Peter Chanel, p, r, ms, mt/ Louis Mary de Montfort, p
Acts 7:51 -- 8:1a/ Ps 30(31):3cd-4. 6 and 7b and 8a. 17 and 21ab/ Jn 6:30-35
From today’s readings: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.... Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.... 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.”
The Loyal Follower of Jesus
Stephen’s martyrdom closely parallels the death of Christ: both make reference to the Son of Man in Heavenly glory (Luke 22:69, Acts 7:56), both executions occur outside the city (Luke 20:15, Luke 23:33, Acts 7:58), both include a plea for forgiveness of persecutors (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60), and a surrender of spirit (Luke 23:46, Acts 7:59).
Especially in his martyrdom, Stephen was thus a most faithful disciple of the Lord. Those details can help you and me to examine our own lives, which we should always strive to live, as did St. Stephen, in the imitation of Christ!
NB During Easter season, in addition to reading through almost the entire Acts of the Apostles in the daily lectionary, we also re-visit the Lord’s “Bread of Life” discourse, chapter six of the Gospel of St. John. These reflections, for this year, continue to focus more on the first readings, (not implying, of course, that the Gospel is ever less important - only that we need to pay attention to the first reading as well!), but I still encourage you to read chapter six of John’s Gospel in its entirety - one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible!
Acts 7:51 -- 8:1a/ Ps 30(31):3cd-4. 6 and 7b and 8a. 17 and 21ab/ Jn 6:30-35
From today’s readings: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.... Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.... 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.”
The Loyal Follower of Jesus
Stephen’s martyrdom closely parallels the death of Christ: both make reference to the Son of Man in Heavenly glory (Luke 22:69, Acts 7:56), both executions occur outside the city (Luke 20:15, Luke 23:33, Acts 7:58), both include a plea for forgiveness of persecutors (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60), and a surrender of spirit (Luke 23:46, Acts 7:59).
Especially in his martyrdom, Stephen was thus a most faithful disciple of the Lord. Those details can help you and me to examine our own lives, which we should always strive to live, as did St. Stephen, in the imitation of Christ!
NB During Easter season, in addition to reading through almost the entire Acts of the Apostles in the daily lectionary, we also re-visit the Lord’s “Bread of Life” discourse, chapter six of the Gospel of St. John. These reflections, for this year, continue to focus more on the first readings, (not implying, of course, that the Gospel is ever less important - only that we need to pay attention to the first reading as well!), but I still encourage you to read chapter six of John’s Gospel in its entirety - one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible!
posted by FrPitstick | 4/26/2009
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