The bread of life

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For 24 April 2012, Tuesday of 3rd week of Easter, based on Acts 7:51-8:1a, John 6:30-35

Acts 7:51-8:1a

Stephen said: ”You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.”

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.

John 6:30-35

So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.


Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About Mary Ann Wiesemann-Mills, O.P.

Mary Ann is a member of the Sisters of Peace.
She was an elementary school teacher for 20 years, serving in schools located in both Akron and in Denver, CO. She received training as a retreat/spiritual director at the Jesuit Renewal Center in Milford, OH and continues to serve as both a spiritual director and retreat preacher as time allows.

As associate pastor for seven years at St. Joseph Parish in Mantua, OH, she shared full preaching responsibilities with the pastor.
From 1989-2001, she served as Vocation/Formation Director for her congregation.

Mary Ann graduated from Aquinas Institute of Theology in May, 1997 with a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and since that time has served as the Promoter of the Charism for the Akron Dominicans.
For five years she was a faculty member for the Aquinas Summer Preaching Institute and now serves as Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, OH.

Mary Ann is a member of the Academy of Homiletics and is past President of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, which is a branch of the Academy.

July 1, 2001, Mary Ann elected to the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron, OH, which has now joined with six other congregations to become the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

January 17, 2004, she was elected Prioress of the congregation to complete the term of Sister Elizabeth Ann Schaefer, OP who died December 23, 2003; this term ends June 30, 2005.

March 29, 2005 Mary Ann was elected Prioress of the congregation for the next four years, term beginning July 2, 2005 and ending June 30, 2009.