Beads of Joy Blog II (2025 - 2026)

  Thursday of the 3rd Week of Easter - April 23, 2026 The Company We Keep Matters Acts 8:26-40  |  John 6:44-51 Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 8:26-40 An angel told Philip to go south on the desert road. He went. He saw an Ethiopian official reading Isaiah in his chariot. The Spirit said: Go and join that chariot. Philip ran, explained the Scripture, baptized the man, and was immediately taken away by the Spirit. The official went on his way, rejoicing. John 6:44-51 Jesus said: no one can come to me unless the Father draws them. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to me. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. Today's Thread: When the Spirit says go, run. Philip did not question the angel. He did not ask for a detailed plan. He went. And when the Spirit said, "Go and join that chariot, Philip ...

Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter - April 22, 2026 I Will Not Reject Anyone Acts 8:1b-8  |  John 6:35-40 Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 8:1b-8 A great persecution broke out after Stephen's death. The disciples scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, but they preached the word wherever they went. Philip went to Samaria, proclaimed Christ, and the crowds paid attention. There was great joy in that city. John 6:35-40 Jesus said: "Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will not reject. This is the will of the One who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what He gave me, but raise it on the last day. Today's Thread: Scattered to be scattered on purpose. Persecution drove the disciples out of Jerusalem, and the Gospel went with them. What looked like destruction was actually dispersal. God used the very thing meant to silence the Church to spread it further and faster. And Jesus promises...

  Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter - April 21, 2026 I Am the Bread of Life Acts 7:51-8:1a  |  John 6:30-35 Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 7:51 - 8:1a Stephen addressed the Sanhedrin: "You stiff-necked people, you always oppose the Holy Spirit. They gnashed their teeth at him. He saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of the Father and declared it. They dragged him out and stoned him. He prayed: Lord, do not hold this sin against them. And Saul approved. John 6:30-35 The crowd asked Jesus for a sign. Moses gave manna in the desert. What will you do? Jesus said: it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven, which comes down and gives life to the world. I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger; whoever believes in me will never thirst. Today's Thread: The Bread of Life does not run out. Stephen is being killed. His final words are not a cry for ...

  Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter - April 20, 2026 Stephens Face Shines Acts 6:8-15  |  John 6:22-29 Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 6:8-15 Stephen, filled with grace and power, worked great wonders among the people. His opponents could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. They stirred up the people against him, but his face was like the face of an angel. John 6:22-29 The crowd followed Jesus, looking for more bread. He said: Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. When they asked what work God requires, He replied: "This is the work of God, believe in the one He sent." Today's Thread: The only work that lasts. The crowd wanted more bread. They had seen the miracle of the loaves and wanted a repeat. Jesus redirects them completely; you are chasing the wrong thing. There is a food that endures, and it comes from Me. Stephen ...

  Third Sunday of Easter April 19, 2026 Were Not Our Hearts Burning? Acts 2:14, 22-33  |  1 Peter 1:17-21  |  Luke 24:13-35 Photo created by Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 2:14, 22-33 Peter stood up at Pentecost and declared: "This Jesus, whom you crucified, God raised up. David had foretold it. We are all witnesses. God has made Him both Lord and Christ. 1 Peter 1:17-21 You were ransomed not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Your faith and hope are in God, who raised Him from the dead. Luke 24:13-35 On the road to Emmaus, the Risen Jesus walked with two disciples who did not recognize Him. He opened the Scriptures to them. When He broke the bread, their eyes were opened. They said: Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke? Today's Thread: Our Burning Hearts. They walked seven miles with Jesus and did not know it was Him. But something was happening inside them the whole t...

  Saturday of Easter Week April 18, 2026 We Cannot Stop Speaking Acts 4:13-21  |  Mark 16:9-15 Photo created using Google AI Image Creator. Today's Readings Acts 4:13-21 The Sanhedrin saw the boldness of Peter and John and were astonished; they were uneducated, ordinary men. They commanded them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Peter and John replied: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God, you be the judge. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard." Mark 16:9-15 Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to two disciples, then to the Eleven. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart. Then He said: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Today's Thread: Impossible not to speak. Peter and John were not trained theologians. They were fishermen who had walked with Jesus. The authorities could see that something had happened to them, something that could not be ex...

  Friday of the 2nd Week of Easter - April 17, 2026 They Simply Placed What They Had, Into The Hands of God Acts 5:34-42  |  John 6:1-15 Photo created by J. Dacey Jr. using M365 Co-Pilot. Today’s Readings Acts 5:34-42 A Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke in the council and urged caution about what to do with the apostles. He said, if this movement is of human origin, it will destroy itself, but if it comes from God, you will not be able to stop it. They were persuaded by him. They had the apostles flogged and ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, then released them. The apostles left the council rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. John 6:1-15 A large crowd followed Jesus because they saw the signs he was performing. Jesus looked up and said to Philip, where can we buy enough food for them to eat? Philip...

  Thursday of the 2nd Week of Easter - April 16, 2026 He Who Believes in the Son Has Eternal Life Acts 5:27-33  |  John 3:31-36 Photo created by J. Dacey Jr. using M365 Co-Pilot. Today’s Readings Acts 5:27-33 The court questioned the apostles and said, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to His right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses. When they heard this, they became furious and wanted to put them to death. John 3:31-36 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of earthly things. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the...

Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter April 15, 2026 Let The Light of Jesus Shine Through You Acts 5:17-26  |  John 3:16-21 Photo created by J.Dacey Jr. using M365 Co-Pilot. Today’s Readings Acts 5:17-26 The high priest and the Sadducees had the apostles arrested and thrown in jail. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and said, go and take your place in the temple area and tell the people everything about this life. At dawn, they entered the temple and taught. When the court officers arrived to bring them from prison, the jail doors were locked, and the guards were at their posts, but the apostles were gone. They were found teaching in the temple. John 3:16-21 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. The light came into the world, ...