Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the third week of Easter, May 5, 2025

Delivered by Stella Wijaya from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 6: 8-15; Rs psalm 119: 23-24.26-27.29-30; John 6: 22-29OUR FIRST SPIRITUAL WORK AND FOOD The title for our meditation today is:Our First Spiritual Work And Food. The following is a classic question oftenused in our daily communication. Which is more appropriate: eat to work or workto eat? Many people perhaps propose a middle way answer, namely we are notconcerned with any one of them, but accept and justify both. But some peoplemaybe feel appropriate to say that we need to eat first and then work. And someother prefer we must work first and then eat. With regards to our faith, JesusChrist teaches us about the first spiritual work and the first spiritual food.The first work is to believe in the Father who sent Him to be the redeemer ofthe world. Through this faith, we know that the first food we receive is HisWord which had become a human person namely Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This first work has been done as shownin the scriptures, starting with Jesus Christ who confirmed that He came to dothe will of the Father who sent Him. Our Lady, Virgin Mary and Saint Josephalso fulfilled their lives in believing and doing God's will. Abraham is knownas the father of believers. Moses is known for his law and the prophets whosequalities of faith are so profound. The person of which to be our exampletoday is Stephen, a disciple of the Lord and witness to the resurrection ofChrist. He was filled with the grace and power of the almighty God as a sign ofthe quality of his faith. He dared to face the challenges of the Jews who wereagainst him. Through this work, the first meal that Stephen enjoyed wasdrinking a cup of suffering with Jesus Christ. Following Christ is our great calling.Our witness of faith and devotion to God must serve to support that calling. Faithis the basic and only reason asked to a person who is going to be baptized andaccepted into the Catholic Church. It is not a question about property,position, enjoyment of the world or good name. Other sacraments are to bereceived and celebrated after baptism. It is faith that sustains and fostersour prayers, devotions and various ministries in the Church, and our life inthe society.  The supreme authority of the Churchuses the virtue of faith and obedience as the first conditions to beatify andcanonize a faithful person a saint. So, our first work from God is spiritual,not physical. Faith, devotion and obedience lead us to become members of theChurch and eventually become a true ticket for each of us to enter into communionwith the saints in heaven. Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O Jesus Christ, our kind teacher, teach and show us how to beperfect through our faith and devotion to God. May your spirit of resurrectionstrengthen our faith, piety and obedience to You and faithfully defend it untilour death. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ...