💖 HOMILY - MAY 8 💖

Reading - Acts 8:26-40

Gospel - John 6:44-51

Discipleship is not a mere identity we inherit—it is a divine vocation, a call that is both inspired by the Holy Spirit and sustained by Christ himself. The readings today remind us that every disciple of Jesus is chosen, guided, and nourished by God through His Spirit and the gift of Jesus' own Body and Blood.

In the first reading, we encounter the beautiful and intimate moment of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip, a deacon, is sent by the Holy Spirit—not by his own decision—to meet and guide the eunuch. The eunuch, though a devout man, is an outsider in Jewish society. Yet, God chooses him. Philip obeys the Spirit’s inspiration and brings him to faith and baptism. This scene powerfully tells us that discipleship is not reserved for the worthy or privileged. It is God who draws people, and it is the Spirit who leads others to respond to that call. No one is excluded. All are invited.

The Gospel reinforces this same truth. Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” Our faith is not just a matter of human decision—it is a grace, a divine invitation. Vatican II affirms this when it says that before we can believe, the Holy Spirit must move our hearts and open our minds. God initiates. We respond. And once we do, Jesus sustains us with the greatest gift: himself. He gives us his Body and Blood, not just as a symbol, but as true spiritual nourishment that leads us to eternal life.

Dear brothers and sisters, sometimes we take our faith for granted, thinking we are Christians simply because we were born in Christian families. But the truth is deeper. Our very birth into this faith is the result of God's will and inspiration. Among the billions in this world, God chose us to know His Son and follow Him. That is not a coincidence. It is a calling.

Our discipleship is also not something static. It must be nourished daily—through prayer, through openness to the Spirit, and most especially through the Eucharist. Every time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we are spiritually united with Him. We should approach this sacred mystery with reverence and love, recognizing that it is the food that sustains our journey toward eternal life.

Let us, then, renew our awareness: that we are here not by accident, but by divine choice. That we are not disciples by name alone, but by calling. And that we are not left to walk this path alone, but are constantly guided by the Holy Spirit and nourished by the living Bread from Heaven.

May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire us in our discipleship and may the Eucharist sustain us always in the love of Christ.