Catholic Daily Reading 24th April 2012

"You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do you also.
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the one of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers.
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it.
Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart: and they gnashed with their teeth at him.
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one accord ran violently upon him.
And casting him forth without the city. they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.
And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not his sin to their charge: And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.
And at that time, there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles."
Acts 7.51-8.1

"Bow down thy ear to me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me.
For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for thy name's sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me.
Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
Thou hast hated them that regard vanities, to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord:
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For thou hast regarded my humility, thou hast saved my soul out of distresses.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me in thy mercy.
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face, from the disturbance of men. Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle form the contradiction of tongues."
Psalm 31.3-4,6,7,8,17,21

"They said therefore to him: What sign therefore dost thou shew that we may see and may believe thee? What dost thou work?
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world.
They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us always this bread.
And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst."
John 6.30-35