Reflection for THURSDAY 3rd WEEK of EASTER

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

Reflection after Meditative Reading

of Today's WORD of GOD 


 John 6: 44 - 51 

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘No one can come to me

unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,

and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets:

They will all be taught by God,

and to hear the teaching of the Father,

and learn from it,

is to come to me.

Not that anybody has seen the Father,

except the one who comes from God:

he has seen the Father.

I tell you most solemnly,

everybody who believes has eternal life.

‘I am the bread of life.

Your fathers ate the manna in the desert

and they are dead;

but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,

so that a man may eat it and not die.

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;

and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,

for the life of the world.’

Reflection on the Readings 

Drawing Near GOD

GOD was Already Drawing the Ethiopian Eunuch Towards the Faith, before ever He Met with Philip on the Road from Jerusalem to Gaza. This Wealthy Ethiopian Civil Servant was a GOD-Fearing Gentile who Worshiped Yawheh, & Followed whatever Torah Rules He could, in His Actual Situation. 

The SPIRIT was Attracting This Man to a Deeper Understanding of Life, through Reading the Prophet Isaiah’s Songs of the Suffering Servant. When the Cheerful Deacon Philip Chose to Travel the Same Road as the Ethiopian, Divine Providence was Clearly at Work. The Foreigner was Grappling with the Scriptures, but Unable to Understand Their Mysterious Message.

Listening to This Man Reading Aloud from Isaiah, Philip Asked Him “Do U Understand what U are Reading?” & the Pilgrim Replied Politely, “How can I Unless Someone Explains IT to Me?” When He Heard how the Words of the Suffering Servant Pointed to JESUS' Death on the ✝️, the Ethiopian Found Faith in JESUS & asked to be baptised. Notice the Steps of His Conversion, Not Really a Move from Sin to Grace, but Taking an Opportunity Offered by Grace, & Wanting Its Full Impact in His Life.

Like the Ethiopian Officer We are Called to be “GOD-Fearers” who Draw Near to GOD & Seek to Know what Life Expects of Us. Like This Pilgrim, We should Join in Worship, as He Did in the Temple in Jerusalem. On His Way Back Home, He was still Hoping for GOD to Enlighten Him. After His Leap of Understanding, He was Baptised & was Saved in CHRIST.

The Helpful, Hospitable CHURCH Represented by Philip is the ideal Urged on Us by Pope Francis — who Wants to See the Joy of the Gospel Shine on the Lives of All Who Welcome IT. We too can Help Spread the Good News, like the Ethiopian who Went Home to Bring the Faith to His Own Country.

In the CHURCH We Receive Not only Sacramental Presence of JESUS but also the Guidance & Example We Need to Keep Our Faith Strong. Remember HIS Words: 

“I am the Living bread Come Down from Heaven. Whoever Eats This bread that shall Live Forever.”


               Good Morning 

               God bless you 

           Have a lovely day 

Let's pray for the forthcoming state elections