The BreadCast

O persecuted shepherd whose flock repeatedly drove you from their midst but who accomplished great work of conversion among them… to these indignant souls you repeatedly returned, ever spreading Christ's net further – pray for us, apostle to nations, that in God's Church today His Word may go boldly forth to convert hearts so hardened by sin, that the acquired ignorance of peoples returning to paganism will be thoroughly dispelled by truth. Forth let all souls journey, humbly proclaiming the Gospel till all have heard and understood the glory to which they are called by our Savior.

O courageous soldier in the army of our Lord, you gave up the ranks of this passing world for the kingdom wrought by Jesus Christ, dying willingly for such a just cause and showing us the path we must tread to be found worthy to stand with our God – pray that we may be strengthened in the battle of earthly life, that our weak limbs may not be disjointed, that we might not tremble in fear at the threats of the mighty but take our refuge in the Almighty and fight for Him who fights for us until we are wrapped in His arms, until we cling to His breast.

(Acts 8:26-40; Ps.66:1,8-9,16-17,20; Jn.6:44-51) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." How evident it is in our first reading that the Father draws all believers unto Himself. For though it is clear that the Ethiopian eunuch is in search of God, has a desire for God, and welcomes God – He is coming from pilgrimage to Jerusalem, is reading Holy Scripture, and "invite[s] Philip to get in and sit down beside him" – which is necessary for belief as well, it is most certain that the Lord is leading him to Himself. The angel of the Lord directs Philip to the Ethiopian. The Spirit specifically instructs him to approach his carriage, and then inspires His disciple to speak to the eunuch of the Word of God and lead him into the waters of baptism (snatching him away immediately upon the completion of his task). Also evident in our first reading is Jesus' quotation of the prophets: "They shall all be taught by God." For indeed it is God that, through Philip, enlightens the Ethiopian eunuch regarding the Suffering Servant spoken of by Isaiah, and all of Scripture, "telling him the good news of Jesus." It is "not that anyone has seen the Father," for the Father is not visible to our human vision. But the Father has sent the Son, "the one who is from God," and "He has seen the Father," and He knows Him. And now through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son sends His disciples forth as His own flesh and blood, with the same Spirit that inspires Him, to reveal the Father's love to a waiting world. "The bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world." We are those who have heard His Word, who have been instructed in His way, and who have received His Body and His Blood. And so, having eaten "the bread that comes down from heaven," we indeed become flesh of His flesh, bone of His bone. Wed we are to the Son of Man by the power of His Word and the blessing of His Sacrament. We have responded to the Lord's call; He who draws all to Himself and to the Father has become our "living bread," our life-giving water. And now at His command we must draw all men to the Son, who brings all to the Father. The Light of the world shines in our midst, and we are drawn as moths to this flame, to Him who "is deprived of His life on earth." And though we die in our turn as this Sheep who "was led to the slaughter," yet "of His posterity," and so our own, all the world will speak… and be drawn to Him who has been lifted up from the earth upon a cross, to Him who dwells with the Father in heaven. ******* O LORD, your Son is the living Bread come down from Heaven; let us seek Him and listen to Him, and rejoice in Him. YHWH, let us be taught by you; let us be drawn to you and receive the Bread that is your Son. Let us be baptized in His Name, with you and the Holy Spirit, and so let us come to eternal life in your kingdom. May all souls praise you for your goodness toward us! What can we do but rejoice when we hear your voice speaking to us in the depths of our souls, when your Word is revealed to our ears and our hearts – when Jesus stands before us in the flesh and offers Himself to us for our salvation? And so, let all indeed come to Him, and so to you, LORD, and loudly sound your praise. You stand before us in the flesh of your Son, O LORD our God, and this Good News goes forward by the power of the Holy Spirit upon His Church. We who eat the Bread He offers become His Body; let your Word now extend from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

(Acts 8:1-8; Ps.66:1-7; Jn.6:35-40) "Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!" And why should there be such exultant joy among all the peoples of the earth? What should cause all men to "shout joyfully to God"? It is Jesus' profession that "everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life." Nothing but life everlasting can bring such absolute joy, and we have the assurance from the Lord's own lips that He "shall lose nothing of what [the Father] has given" Him, that all who come to Him He "will raise up on the last day." Alleluia! Let us come to Him. How evident the universal call of the Lord is in our first reading. Upon the persecution which follows the death of Stephen, Philip, a Greek-speaking Jewish Christian "goes down to the town of Samaria" – where the Jews intermarried with the pagans of the land – "and there proclaimed the Messiah." And we are told that "without exception, the crowds that heard Philip and saw the miracles he performed attended closely to what he had to say" and that "the rejoicing in that town rose to fever pitch." Here we see the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy to the woman at the well, that all who worship Him will worship in spirit and in truth and not in any particular place; here we see the realization of the Lord's parable of the Good Samaritan, that all men truly are our neighbors. For now all are called into His holy fold. All now come to know the glory of the Lord. And, of course, he who leads the persecution against the growing Christian community, he who "entered house after house, dragged men and women out, and threw them into jail"… this same Saul we hear of today will soon become the great Apostle Paul, who travels to all the nations of the world converting waiting souls. Yes, brothers and sisters, "He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot." As the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, so now all God's children pass through holy Baptism and have the way made straight before them. "The glory of His name" is upon us all, upon all who believe in His Son, and now we who were "paralytics or cripples" – who were unable to move for not having heard of His Name or who had had our limbs disjointed for having forgotten His Law – all, Gentile or Jew, are now welcomed into the Father's eternal home. For "no one who comes will [the Son] reject." In Him all find their dwelling, and so what should we do but "rejoice in Him" and "proclaim His glorious praise"? ******* O LORD, let us be raised with your Son on the last Day – Alleluia! YHWH, O how persecution brings great joy! For even as the disciples are hunted down and thrown into prison, many go out to new lands to proclaim the kingdom of God to waiting souls, souls who welcome the Word with shouts of joy. And, of course, it is looking upon Jesus on the Cross and believing in Him that brings us to eternal life. Alleluia! May the Word of God go out to the ends of the earth and all souls sing for joy at their salvation. Jesus has assured us that He will lose nothing of what you, Father, have given Him; no one who comes to Him will He reject, but He will gather all your faithful children into your eternal presence. Let us but long to look upon Him whom you have sent. Let us but set our hearts on the love that passes not away. Let us but come to Him to find your surpassing glory, and all our sickness will be taken away, and we shall never thirst again.

O sublime teacher and defender of the Church and her freedom, the joy of Heaven you sought in your spiritual life, and for the autonomy of MotherChurch you fought in your call as shepherd – pray that we who remain so blind to the presence of God will have our eyes opened and draw closer to Him who is our life, in whose light we alone find peace; and pray, too, that we shall fulfill our call as disciples of truth and defend with your same strength the life of our Mother, despite the persecutions that come.

(Acts 7:51-8:1; Ps.31:3-4,6-8,17,21; Jn.6:30-35) "No one who comes to me shall ever be hungry, no one who believes in me shall thirst again." "I myself am the bread of life," Jesus declares, and it is in this Bread we take refuge. It is by this Bread we are fed. Do you think that Stephen is at all hungry as he lives again the trial, way of the cross, and crucifixion of the Lord in our first reading today? No, even in this time, and perhaps especially in this sacrifice, the Lord feeds him with Bread from heaven. Even as he is stoned to death, the Lord God hides him "in the shelter of [His] presence from the plottings of men." Yes, in our first reading we have Jesus again chastising the elders and indeed all the people for their betrayal and murder of the Word of God. Here we have again Jesus being dragged "out of the city" and killed at the hands of those "who received the law through the ministry of angels [but] have not observed it." And here again we have forgiveness offered with His last breath. Here is the persecuted Church found in the person of Stephen; here is Jesus. Recall Jesus' words to Saul upon his conversion: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me"(Acts 22:7)? And here is that same Saul overseeing this first "act of killing," this first martyrdom of the Body of Christ. But all the while Jesus is there, not only in the persecution, but quite evidently in His glory. "I see an opening in the sky, and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand," Stephen exclaims. And notice that it is not until this moment, not until they hear this declaration – despite their "shouting aloud, holding their hands over their ears" – that the people are moved "as one man" to destroy that voice. Stephen's chastisement "stung [them] to the heart" and made them "ground their teeth in anger," but it is this Truth of the presence of the Lord which they simply cannot stand. And what is the significance of Stephen's vision being the impetus for his own death? It does bring his stoning, but simultaneously it prepares him for such martyrdom, for now truly the Lord is with him. Before this he would not have been able to bear so completely this cross. And without this Bread he would not have been killed. "God's bread comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." That bread of life is in Stephen's trust in the Lord and in his echoing the words of David's psalm, which are Jesus' own: "Into your hands I commend my spirit." For even as he dies, he is most alive. It is this same faith we need, brothers and sisters, and we shall never be hungry, and we shall never be without the Lord, but shall declare His love and His truth to all, happy to be called His own. The Lord's "face shine[s] upon [His] servant[s]," and they always have the Bread they need. ******* O LORD, give us the Bread from Heaven, your Son, to be with us even unto death, and help us to proclaim His Name. YHWH, into your hands let us commend our spirit, and we will be protected. Though stones rain down upon our heads, vision of you will light our way, and we shall come into your presence. At your right hand with Jesus let us stand. In your Son let us take our refuge, O LORD, in Him and in His Cross. Let us be as He was, revealing His image to this fallen world. Let us proclaim the truth in His Name, let us accept the persecution it brings… and let us forgive those who kill us, those who would destroy your Word this day. Jesus is our Bread from Heaven; it is in His flesh we find our home. Let us be His Body in this world, crucified and rising on high. O LORD, O faithful God, out trust is in you alone, and in your Son – in our lives let your will be done.

(Acts 6:8-15; Ps.119:1,23-24,26-27,29-30; Jn.6:22-29) "This is the work of God: have faith in the One whom He sent." It is this faith that moves Stephen; it is this work upon which he sets his heart. And so he was unmoved when "the people, the elders, and the scribes… confronted him, seized him, and led him off to the Sanhedrin" and "brought in false witnesses" against him. Surely the words of our psalm are fulfilled in him as they had been in the Lord: "Though princes meet and talk against me, your servant meditates on your statutes." Thus it is that throughout his persecution, "Stephen's face seemed like that of an angel" – through it all it is the voice of the Lord to which he listens. And one wonders if the members of the Sanhedrin had not "stared at him [so] intently" because they had seen that face of an angel not long before in the One whom they had crucified, the One who stood before them like a sheep before its shearers. And this one, too, they would sacrifice. "You should not be working for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal, food which the Son of Man will give you." It is this food, which those who persecute him cannot see, that Stephen eats. If he were seeking to get his "fill of the loaves" which satisfy the stomach, he would not suffer the trial upon him, and not in such peace. Only Jesus gives this food, brothers and sisters. It is nourishment the world cannot touch, and to it there is no end. We need eat nothing else to sustain ourselves. "Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors." O Lord, what voice can compare with thine own? What word can stand where yours is spoken? For yours is "the way of truth," and the truth cannot be shaken, cannot be changed over time. It is not subject to the corrupting forces present in our flesh; it is of the spirit. And so, in the Spirit let us be, called before your throne. Though we stand accused before the tribunals of this barren land, may your food be ever within us to sustain us – in your presence ever let us rest. On this unshakable foundation we shall remain, even as the world passes away. ******* O LORD, let us have faith in your Son and your work shall be done in us. YHWH, let us meditate always on you and your wondrous deeds; let us eat of the food of the Spirit that passes not away, that we might come to dwell with you forever. We should not be concerned with the things of the body, with filling our bellies or even with whether we live or die. Like Stephen we should face all persecution with the patience of an angel, knowing you are at our side. And then we shall never die. O LORD, if only it were eternal life upon which our hearts were set, then we would be truly blessed. Then we would have all we need, for then we would have you dwelling in our souls. You are Life itself, dear LORD, and this is what Jesus would give to us. This is what all His disciples preach, for they, too, would share what has been given them. Teach us your ways, dear God; let us walk in your truth. And all wisdom will be ours, and we too will witness to your Holy One.

(Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps.16:1-2,5,7-11; 1Pt.1:17-21; Lk.24:13-35) "God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses." Peter stands up "with the Eleven" and proclaims to all the Resurrection of the Christ, that He who was crucified has been released "from the throes of death." David "foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was He abandoned to the netherworld nor did His flesh see corruption." The women who went to His empty tomb early Easter morning saw "a vision of angels who announced that He was alive"; this they declared to His apostles. And as for the two sojourning to Emmaus, "He was made known to them in the breaking of bread," whereupon they "returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, 'The Lord has been raised and has appeared to Simon!'" All reports converge. The earth cries out of the presence of the living God. He is risen! "As you see and hear," you who "invoke as Father Him who judges impartially," "exalted at the right hand of God, [Jesus] received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured Him forth." This truth is evident in all the words of Scripture, in all His holy witnesses, and in this bread and wine made the Body and Blood of our Lord. Do you not see? Do you not hear? Do you not know that "you were ransomed from your futile conduct… with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb"? Is it not you "who through Him believe in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory"? Is it not so that "your faith and hope are in God"? Do you not see? Do you not hear? Do you not know Him even as these witnesses? And do you witness with them? Let us cry out with the words of our psalm, "O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot," even as we approach His altar today. As we receive Him, let our eyes be opened to recognize His presence. Our hearts should burn as He speaks to us and with His witnesses "open[s] the Scriptures to us," and in His breaking of the bread we should see Him. And then we should go forth, inspired as Peter, inspired as the women, inspired as the two disciples and all those gathered in His name, to proclaim that He is risen, that He is with us – that we see Him and know Him. Let all hear and understand that "He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time" for the sake of all. Yes, "the Lord has truly been raised." Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "What Do You Think?/Open, No Horizon" (second part) from All One, sixth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, truly has your Son been raised from the dead, and we with Him. YHWH, open our eyes and ears to see and hear of your glory, of the resurrection of your divine Son. In the Scriptures and in the breaking of the Bread, in the preaching of your apostles let us come to believe in you and in your presence here among us even this day. How slow of heart we are to believe! Open our hearts and minds to your Word. The Christ shall not know death and its corruption; He shall rise from the grave. This is declared to us by your prophets and kings, and is realized by all of faith. And our souls, too, shall not be abandoned to the nether world, if we but believe in Him whom you have sent, if we but live in the Spirit He pours upon us. O LORD, let us abound in joy forever in your presence. Walk with us, O God, and speak to us along the way. Reveal your presence in the Sacrament of the altar. You are our portion and cup. In hope of your glory we dwell this day.

(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, walking on the water." They had not expected their prayers for assistance and their wishes that Jesus was with them to be answered so remarkably, and so they must have wondered if He was a ghost. But He assures them, "It is I; do not be afraid." (And these eternal words of comfort and peace come to rest upon His Church.) The disciples of the Lord now were ready "to take Him into the boat, but suddenly it came aground on the shore they had been approaching." He is with you, brothers and sisters, be assured, and will bring you to the home you seek, despite the storms you may face. In our first reading, the eyes of the widows must have been looking to the Lord, wishing that He were with them to provide for them. In this case, "the Twelve assembled the community of disciples," and though they do not enter the boat themselves, do not "wait on the tables" to address the tumult that had arisen between the factions, they provide what is needed to calm the winds and see this boat ashore by laying hands on "deeply spiritual and prudent" men chosen from their own. And so, "the word of God continued to spread" through the apostles' concentration "on prayer and [their] ministry," "while at the same time the number of the disciples in Jerusalem enormously increased." So the widows are fed as the Word is spread; so the boat comes aground on the land it approaches. Jesus is with us, brothers and sisters. In all things He is there, working. He ministers to us always as the head of His Church through the hands and hearts and voices of all His disciples. And each to his own call, and this ship shall find its port assured. And all shall sing His praises as they see in us and we know in Him that "upright is the word of the Lord, and all His works are trustworthy." His eyes are upon us. Do not be afraid. ******* O LORD, give us our bread this day, that we might come with your Son to the farther shore. YHWH, from death you deliver us; you preserve us in spite of famine. By your own hand you feed us, through your apostles; and them you watch over always as they guide your boat. And so we need not fear – we should but praise your faithful care for our souls, and bodies. Your Son comes to us across the waters, O LORD, walking steadily though the sea be rough. He is unafraid of the trials and tribulations of this world, caring only that our lives are preserved, seeking always to bring us to our home in you. O let your Word go forth, dear God, bless those who serve as the ministers of your Church. Our hope in your kindness shall not be disappointed… All shall hear of the blessings upon those who put their trust in you. May all answer that call.

(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. Brothers, is it not their seeing "the bounty of the Lord" that causes the apostles to leave the Sanhedrin and the whipping they received at their hands "full of joy that they had been judged worthy of ill-treatment for the sake of the Name"? And is not this bounty revealed most clearly here "in the land of the living" in the Bread of Life Jesus provides for us at His Eucharistic table? And so should we not rejoice every day in this miracle? "Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord." Are not David's words the ones Jesus speaks to His children in the feeding of the five thousand? Should the apostles not but sing, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?" as they stand each with one of the "twelve baskets full of pieces left over" from the miracle brought about at the Lord's hands? Does He not here convey their mission of feeding His sheep? And filled by the food at their hands, should not our own reaction be in accord with the joy expressed by the people in that green field, "This is undoubtedly the Prophet who is to come into the world"? For does He not come into us each time we receive Him? But king He shall not be made, not in this world. No, this world cannot contain His Kingship, for we have a greater than David here. The land of the living will ultimately be not upon this grass beneath our feet, but upon the clouds of Heaven. Thus the persecution comes, you see. Thus those who go about "fighting God Himself" scourge and crucify the Word they cannot bear and the messengers who bring it to their ears. But the ill-treatment that comes by their jealous hands brings no fear but only encouragement to the hearts of His apostles. Brothers and sisters, let us be as they who "day after day, both in the temple and at home… never stopped teaching and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus the Messiah," making always this world as one with the kingdom of God. ******* O LORD, it is by faith we are fed, and so let us seek you with all our hearts, with our very lives. YHWH, let us come to the Eucharistic banquet, that your Son may enter into us and we ever dwell as your temple in this world. Your bounty is revealed now, wrought by the hands of Jesus and brought to us by His disciples – let us partake of the Bread you provide and rejoice in all your blessings. None can fight you, O LORD our God; none can destroy what you bring to life. And so, though whipped and ill-treated for the sake of the Name of our Savior, we can but rejoice indeed. For you cannot be overcome, nor those upon whom your Spirit rests. As we follow in the footsteps of your Son, we shall ever live with you. In your House let us indeed make our home; you are our refuge, O LORD, and with you we are never afraid. For the destroying angel shall pass over all who eat of the flesh of the Lamb, all who are anointed by His blood.