Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Tuesday of the third week of Easter, April 21st, 2026

Delivered by Everine from the Parish of Saint Theresia in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 7: 51 - 8: 1a; Rs psalm 31: 3cd-4.6ab.7b.8a.17.21ab; John 6: 30-35.WHO ARE WE IN THE LORD Our meditation today has the theme: Who Are We in theLord. This sentence is not a question to be answered, but a statement about ouridentity as followers of Christ and the people of God. This theme continues ourreflection of yesterday on the first work of God, namely to believe in theFather who sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world. When we do this work in God's presence and in Hisname, we don't find in the first place the Lord is working or doing something.Instead, we find in the first place who the Lord is. What sort of identity ofGod and His real divine being explain who He is to us and we to Him. It is nota work or a duty to do as the first thing that preoccupies our dealing with theLord, but our participation in His existence and our knowledge about Him thatsignify our relationship with Him. This way of understanding brings us to the context ofthe Jews confronting Jesus, when they questioned Him: "What sign can youdo, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?" This obviouslyshowed that they preferred more on the work the Lord must do, because they wereonly after material gains for their own benefit. They jumped to the work andits outcome that could satisfy the stomach. When they could obtain this, theirgoal of life achieved. Meanwhile knowledge, spiritual wealth, intimate relationshipand mutual trust had not been in the list of their preoccupation, yet actuallythese all were what the Lord Jesus first of all wanted from them. Jesus confronted their foolishness and enlightened theirminds by showing His true identity, "I am the bread of life." This isJesus Christ whom the Jews were really looking for. This is the same Jesus whomwe desire and search in our daily prayers. We leave out other preoccupationsbecause we choose to follow Him, believe in Him, live with Him and united inHim. An example for us today is Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the Churchafter the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was one of the elected deacons ofthe Early Church and his witness of faith was strongly rooted on the risenChrist. He was united in with Jesus Christ and ready to accept persecution thatended his life. When we come to knowing and understanding Jesus as theBread of Life, the source life, we also know ourselves participating in Hisdivine providence that sustains us. We personally or in community meet the Lordin any given situation, and that's the moment when we create little by littlethe profile of "other Christ" in each one of us. The face of Christand His work will be seen in each one of us. There is no need to find out or toask what Christ should do to us like what the Jews did to Jesus. Saint Stephenis showing us a true example, namely his life was the same with the life ofJesus Christ. We must do the same. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord our God, to know and to live in Youis our purpose of life that Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to do. Help usalways to choose and follow His way and make us able to reject anything that iscontrary to Your will. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of theFather ...