💖 HOMILY - MAY 7 💖

First Reading - Acts 8:1-8

Gospel - John 6:35-40

Suffering often seems like a contradiction to the Christian life. We expect peace, but instead we find trials. We expect joy, yet we face sorrow. But the readings of today remind us of a profound truth: that in God's plan, grace does not retreat in suffering—rather, it triumphs through it.

In the first reading, we witness the beginning of a great persecution of the Church. Stephen has just been martyred, and now a violent storm breaks out against the early Christians. They are scattered from Jerusalem, seemingly defeated. But look closely—what appears to be a moment of loss becomes a moment of mission. Those who were scattered, like Philip, begin to proclaim Christ wherever they go. In Samaria, through his preaching and the power of the Spirit, people are healed and freed, and a city that had been living in darkness is filled with great joy.

What does this tell us? That nothing—not even suffering, not even persecution—can stop the work of God. In fact, it becomes the very soil where the Gospel grows. God does not waste our pain; He transforms it into grace.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to us with deep assurance: “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” He reveals Himself as the Bread of Life—the one who satisfies our deepest hunger, especially in times of trial. And He makes a promise: that He will never cast out anyone who comes to Him. In our pain, in our confusion, in our weariness, He is the One who sustains us. He has come not to lose us, but to raise us up.

Dear friends, the story of the early Church is also our story. At times, we may feel scattered—by suffering, by grief, by fear. We may feel we are losing ground. But today's readings remind us that when we remain faithful, even suffering becomes a channel of grace. Like Philip, we are called not to be paralyzed by pain, but to carry Christ into new places, into wounded hearts, into darkened lives. And like the crowd in the Gospel, we are invited not just to seek temporary relief, but to anchor our lives in Jesus, the true Bread that gives us life eternal.

So let us not fear suffering, but trust that God's grace will always triumph. Let us bring Christ wherever we are—especially in times of trial—and believe that He will never let go of those who come to Him in faith.

May the Bread of Life strengthen us always to live with hope, even in the midst of hardship.