Acts 6:8-15 / John 6:22-29
Retirement might sound like a wonderful thing.
Because when we think about retirement, we might have this notion of a stress-free life, going for holidays and to places which we have not been before, and doing things which we never had time for.
But we have also heard of stories about how people lose their purpose in life after retiring.
Some get depressed and for some, life just fades away and they lose purpose and meaning.
It seems that once there is nothing to work for, no purpose or objective in life, then there is also no meaning in our life and for our existence.
In today's gospel, Jesus is asking us: What are we working for?
Is it something that we can relish and treasure, not just into our retirement, but also way into eternity?
In the 1st reading, the deacon Stephen knew that God was working in him and through him and so even in spite of the oppositions and dangers, he kept focused on his service for God.
Stephen believed in Jesus and he knew that the most fundamental in his work for God is to witness to Jesus. That he did, and he did it right to the end, and also into eternity
Because in the end, that is what counts. Not just in this life but also in eternal life.