Day 48

Today’s Gospel reading provides an answer filled with hope. In God’s infinite mercy, we have the profound privilege of encountering the fullness of Christ in the Eucharist: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). God—the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable—nourishes and sustains us every time we participate in the Mass. Far from leaving us empty, this sustenance is life-changing and endows us with the graces to make lasting changes in recovery. 

When we frequently participate in the sacraments, we find ourselves growing in virtue, realizing that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Saint Pope John Paul II stated, “It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise…” It is through the power of Christ that we are able to release ourselves from the false idols of addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments, and seek out the one who truly satisfies. He is waiting for us.

Reflection Questions

• How have you experienced true fulfillment in Christ as a part of your recovery?
• When have you noticed growing in virtue as a result of participating in the sacraments?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Acts 8:1b-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Gospel: John 6:35-40

Reflection by Anna M.

(d.296) — There is not much reliable information about Caius, but he may have been of Roman nobility and a relative of Emperor Diocletian. He was pope during 13 years of relative peace. One legend tells of Pope Caius hiding in the catacombs for years, and other stories place him in hiding in the house of Saint Castulus alongside Saints Polycarp and Sebastian. These saints were contemporaries, but Caius reportedly died seven years before the Diocletian persecutions began.

A consistent theme in the lives of the saints we have little reliable information about is that they exist in community with other saints, and they persevere in the truth of the Gospel. You don’t have to be in the limelight; you don’t have to leave your mark on history to be known and loved by God. Do you believe that you can be a saint, even while living a quiet life?

“But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:14-15).

Reflection by Brad Farmer