I went to college in one of the most expensive universities in Manila. I enrolled in the most expensive course in that school too. Thankfully, my dad’s company paid for my schooling. But more than three decades later, I haven’t earned a single centavo from anything I learned in college. That’s because I served the Lord full-time in missions after graduation.

You know where I’ve been earning from? Editing books and magazines, writing, hosting on TV and radio, doing commercials, and speaking. Where did I learn those skills? From serving the Lord in ministry. Of course, I also took courses to hone my craft, especially in writing and editing. But that came much later, when I was already a professional.

Although I have a diploma from a prestigious university, I was trained in God’s school of discipline, with no less than Jesus as my professor. He drilled me in His Word to serve Him without holding back and to lay down my life for His cause. Now in my midlife, I look back and I know that all of that has paid off. Following Jesus is its own reward. Rissa Singson Kawpeng (rissakawpeng@gmail.com)

reflect

Never be afraid to surrender to Jesus what is most precious to you.

Jesus, You are the best choice I’ve ever made.

St. Hilary of Arles, pray for us.

Philip gives the Ethiopian eunuch the most precious gift—salvation. It is up to the recipient to welcome it into his or her life with joy or not. We should never be ashamed to share the Gospel with others, particularly those who have never heard of it. We are called to witness to a life lived according to the Gospel. Accepting or rejecting the gift of salvation is between God and the person. Our duty is to share it with as many people as possible.

²⁶ The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.” ²⁷ So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.” ³⁰ Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. ³² This was the Scripture passage he was reading: Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. ³³ In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from the earth.” ³⁴ Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. ³⁶ As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” ^37-38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20

R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

⁸ Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise; ⁹ He has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip. (R) ¹⁶ Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. ¹⁷ When I appealed to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue. (R) ²⁰ Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness! (R)

Gospel | John 6:44-51

Jesus reminds us that it is God’s grace that enables us to receive the Gospel. His grace breaks through the layers of sin surrounding our hearts and pierces us to the core to inspire us to believe and repent. As sin slowly disappears from our hearts, we become more attuned to Him and live the life of discipleship. May we open ourselves to the Gospel and His grace.

Gospel Acclamation

I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever.

⁴⁴ Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; ⁵⁰ this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 KINGS 23 - 25 today.

The crowds that earlier on were looking for Him after being fed were now singing a different tune. Things were fine while the Lord talked about the Father giving them true bread from heaven. But their true nature as whiners showed up as soon as the Lord uttered the “I” sentence: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Having been in leadership for a great deal of my years as a priest, I know a little about our human tendency to be murmurers. I am neither playing hero nor saint here, as I, too, did my own share of complaining. Don’t we all?

But today’s whiners (referred to earlier as the “crowd” but now called the “Jews”) were in the mood to act out, reminiscent of the Jews who lamented about having only manna and not much else to eat out in the desert.

Today’s Gospel passage would have us see the same complaining nature but for different reasons. But whatever the reason is, it is no different from the reasons proffered by some disgruntled Catholics who claim to have left the Church because of reasons like: “I do not feel welcome in the Catholic Church.” “There is no personal touch.” “I know the parish priest. I know his parents too.” “The priest is sinful too.” “The singing is lousy.” “There are too many hard teachings that are even harder to follow.”

I hear you, friends. The Church hears you. I can actually add more reasons and things to complain about. This Church that I love has made (and still makes) me suffer. Go ahead and complain. Cry about it. Pray over it and on account of it. But today’s Gospel gives us something that cannot be surpassed and overcome by all those complaints put together. So you agree with those who say Jesus is nothing but a lowly Nazarean, and that He is just a son of a carpenter?

I choose to hold on to these words: “I am the living Bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection questions

What complaints do you have about our Church? What are you doing about it? Hold on to Jesus’ promise—go to Him and He will satisfy all your questionings.

I believe You, Lord, when You say You are the living Bread. Whatever happens, I hold on to Your promise. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________________