The BreadCast

(Acts 6:1-7; Ps.33:1-2,4-5,18-19,22; Jn.6:16-21) "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope for His kindness." Alleluia. As the apostles set out to cross the lake, "it was dark, and Jesus had still not joined them; moreover, with a strong wind blowing, the sea was becoming rough." As they struggled to row and keep afloat, "they sighted Jesus approaching the boat, walkin...

(Acts 5:34-42; Ps.27:1,4,13-14; Jn.6:1-15) "I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living." Seeing the vast crowd following Him up the mountain as He seeks to sit with His disciples, Jesus asks the one without guile, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat." In honesty Philip answers, essentially, "It is impossible." Ah, but nothing is impossible with God. B...

(Acts 5:27-33; Ps.34:2,7,9,17-20; Jn.3:31-36) "The One whom God has sent speaks the words of God; He does not ration His gift of the Spirit." And thus it is that Peter and the apostles, sent by the Lord to speak His words, can boldly proclaim to the Sanhedrin's chastisement for continuing "to teach about that name": "Better for us to obey God than men!" In no way do they ration the Spirit as they...

(Acts 5:17-26; Ps.34:2-9; Jn.3:16-21) "He who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God." Jesus is "the light [that] came into the world," and "happy the man who takes refuge in Him." None shall fear anymore who love the Lord, for He shall answer all his cries. And newness of life shall be ours. The Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection of the dea...

(Acts 4:32-37; Ps.93:1-2,5; Jn.3:7-15) "The community of believers were of one heart and one mind." This oneness is itself of heaven, is itself the sign that they are "begotten of the Spirit." And this oneness is reflected in a very real manner in the fact that "none of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common." This sharing of goods, of "lay[ing] them at the fe...

O martyred Father of the Church, you laid down your life to save her from the enemy, to preserve her in the truth of orthodox faith; unmindful of the humiliation and exile you bore at the hands of the king of this world, you died that all might know the Christ in His divinity and humanity – pray we shall indeed be saved from all temptation to turn from the faith, and so find our way to the kingdom...

(Acts 4:23-31; Ps.2:1-9; Jn.3:1-8) "No one can see the rule of God unless he is begotten from above." "Princes conspire together against the Lord and against His anointed," we are told in our psalm as well as our first reading. But their rule shall be shattered "like an earthen dish" by the power of the Spirit and God's anointed One, to whom He gives "the nations as an inheritance." And in the Boo...

(Acts 2:42-47; Ps.118:1-4,13-15,22-24; 1Pt.1:3-9; Jn.20:19-31) "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Jesus comes to the disciples, repeatedly appearing to them after His Resurrection, to make certain there is absolutely no doubt in them: "Do not be unbelieving, but believe." He invites them even to put their fingers in His hands and their hands into His side. To Thomas He speaks...

O soldier of Christ who stood with courage against the powers of this world, leading the troops in your charge even unto death – pray that we may remain loyal to our call, faithful to the Lord even unto our own death, standing strong and tall against the assaults of the world and the devil and forming those entrusted to us in the ways of God as you, dear shepherd, have bravely done. Let us not be...

(Acts 4:13-21; Ps.118:1,14-21; Mk.16:9-15) "Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation." How faithfully Peter and John accomplish the Lord's command, and with what strength, so much so that our first reading tells us, "The priests and elders were amazed as they observed [their] self-assurance" – for these "were uneducated men of no standing." "How can this be?" they must ha...

(Acts 4:1-12; Ps.118:1-2,4,22-27; Jn.21:1-14) "Jesus is 'the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone.'" What Peter has proclaimed to the people, he now proclaims even more boldly to their leaders: "There is no other name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved." Jesus, whom they crucified, is the Messiah. And the same quote Jesus offered the Pharisee...

(Acts 3:11-26; Ps.8:2,5-9; Lk.24:35-48) "In His name, penance for the remission of sins is to be preached to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." And so Peter begins the preaching at the temple: "When God raised up His servant, He sent Him to you first to bless you by turning you from your evil ways," he announces clearly to the Jews, those first to hear of the Savior, Jesus. And again he speaks...

(Acts 3:1-10; Ps.105:1-9; Lk.24:13-35) "The Lord is risen! It is true!" And how it is proven this day! The two disciples find their "hearts burning inside" as He "explain[s] the Scriptures" to them on the road to Emmaus, and then they come "to know Him in the breaking of bread." "The Eleven and the rest of the company" of disciples rejoice in Jerusalem because "He has appeared to Simon." And the c...

O good teacher of the poor boys in your care, minister of the Lord to those most in need, with what humble affection you carried out your work in educating souls in the Gospel of Christ and guiding others to do the same – pray that we, too, shall give ourselves in sacrificial silence to the call the Lord has placed upon our souls, and especially that teachers of the young and disadvantaged will fi...

(Acts 2:36-41; Ps.33:4-5,18-20,22; Jn.20:11-18) "Let the whole house of Israel know beyond any doubt that God has made both Lord and Messiah this Jesus whom you crucified." Brothers and sisters, we are all as Mary Magdalene who "stood weeping beside the tomb," and like the Jews who were "deeply shaken" by the words of Peter. Though it is to the Chosen people "that the promise was made," it extends...

(Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps.16:1-2,5,7-11; Mt.28:8-15) "You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption." "It was impossible that death should keep its hold on Him." And so "the paths of life" we now walk; "joy in [His] presence" is ours – "in confidence" we abide forever. For God has "raised Him up again," this Jesus, our Lord. Let us be witne...

O great preacher who taught so well the love of God and the precepts of the Church, who worked with such zeal to repair the breach within the Church in a time of corruption – pray that now the Word may again go forth to the ends of the earth, that all might hear the voice of the Spirit speaking in their hearts and turn resolutely from their sins to the grace of the Lord; and pray, too, there will...

(Acts 10:34a,37-43; Ps.118:1-2,16-17,22-24; Col.3:1-4 or 1Cor.5:6b-8; Jn.20:1-9 or Lk.24:13-35) "Everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name." "His mercy endures forever," brothers and sisters, and it is for us to "declare the works of the Lord": that Jesus was "raised on the third day," that He lives, that He still is "healing all those oppressed by the devil."...

O learned man whose wisdom remained not only in the mind but found practice in the Church of God, you who read and studied Scripture not just for its own sake but that the Word might be implemented amongst your flock – pray we too might live with the Word of God, that we too might share the light He would impart to every soul. Pray God's grace touch our innermost minds, that the understanding our...

(Gn.1:1-2:2; Ps.104:1-2,5-6,10,12-14,24,35 or Ps.33:4-7,12-13,20-22; Gn.22:1-18; Ps.16:5,8-11; Ex.14:15-15:1; Ex.15:1-6,17-18; Is.54:5-14; Ps.30:2,4-6,11-13; Is.55:1-11; Is.12:2-6; Bar.3:9-15,32-4:4; Ps.19:8-11; Ez.36:16-17a,18-28; Ps.42:3,5,43:3,4; Rom.6:3-11; Ps.118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Mt.28:1-10 or Mk.16:1-7 or Lk.24:1-12) "He is not here." The women come faithfully to the tomb early Easter mornin...

(Is.52:13-53:12; Ps.31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25,Lk.23:46; Heb.4:14-16,5:7-9; Jn.18:1-19:42) "He shall be raised high and greatly exalted." Here is your king: "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews," Pilate has written upon His cross. Here He is lifted up, where "many were amazed at Him – so marred was His look beyond human semblance and His appearance beyond the sons of man." Yet "shall He startle ma...

O little one, holy and true, who wanted no more than to leave the world that you might draw closer to Christ but who was followed by the world and called to teach the world of the way of holiness in our blessed Lord – pray we shall follow His path of Passion and death, death to self and all animosity, all hatred, finding thereby His peace, peace in His Spirit and light. O that we might be sanctifi...

(Ex.12:1-8,11-14; Ps.116:12-13,15-18,1Cor.10:6; 1Cor.11:23-26; Jn.13:1-15) "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood." For this cup holds the Blood of our Lord. And, "Seeing the blood, I will pass over you," says the Lord. "When I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you." As the Israelites mark each of their houses with the blood of a lamb, so our bodies are marked by the...

(Is.50:4-9; Ps.69:8-10,21-22,31,33-34; Mt.26:14-25) "The Son of Man is departing, as Scripture says of Him." Of Him in Scripture we read, "Morning after morning He opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back." Even as death approaches, even as His betrayer goes forth (perhaps especially at this dark time), He sets His face "like flint" to confront those who oppose H...

(Is.49:1-6; Ps.71:1-6,15,17; Jn.13:21-33,36-38) "I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength!" The Lord is with His servant, with Israel, with Jesus, the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Son of God: "From my mother's womb you are my strength… O God, you have taught me from my youth." And to this "sharp-edged sword" the Lord had concealed "in the shadow of His arm,"...