Whoever comes to Me, I shall not turn away

 Acts 8:1–8, Jn 6:35-40. Today’s first reading describes how Philip shares the Gospel in Samaria and his message was warmly welcomed when persecution arose against the Church in Jerusalem. In Luke’s Gospel account, Jesus tried to speak to the Samaritans but they rejected Him because He was heading for Jerusalem. Later they welcomed His gospel with great joy, on hearing it from the lips of Philip the Deacon. God’s word can blossom even where it was first rejected. Though we may turn from the Lord at times, He never turns His back on us.

Indeed we have Jesus’ own word that: “Whoever comes to me I shall not turn away.” Easter celebrates the faithfulness of God to His Son Jesus, and the faithfulness of Jesus to all of us. God’s faithfulness encourages us to keep turning back to Him, to keep coming to Him, even after we have turned away from Him. Even when we fail to respond to His coming, He offers Himself to us as the bread of life as proclaimed in today’s Gospel. He continues to promise us that if we come to Him we will never hunger and if we believe in Him we will never thirst.

May the Lord bless our struggles in showing His truth and light to the world! Amen!! Have a great day!!!