Most people don't like change, especially in their religion or way of thinking about God. When people feel threatened or fearful, they lash out at the messenger. The people in the reading from Acts are probably good people, no worse than anyone else, but they are upset at Stephen for challenging them to rethink their ideas about God. Stephen accuses them of resisting the Holy Spirit - how often we do that when we dig in our heels and refuse to even consider anything else! As they rush at Stephen and kill him, they are filled with self-righteous indignation and are sure that they are doing the right thing. And so is Saul, who approves of their actions. Later on he will come to realize how wrong he was.

Using the symbols of bread and water, the basics of life, Jesus assures us that He is the only source of unlimited life and strength. Our own efforts can only carry us so far. We cannot always depend on people and things. But we can always depend on the Lord to give us the strength that we need. This is more than just asking Jesus for something when we are in trouble. We need to make him part of us in the same way that water and food become part of us. The Eucharist is not the only means by which we do this, for prayer, meditation, loving service, community, and study also feed us. To whom do we turn for support and nourishment? If we feel weak and faltering in our journey, perhaps we are relying on the wrong source.