The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Thursday, 23 April 201

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Thursday, 23 April 2015

Meditation: Acts 8:26 An angel of Adonai said to Philip, “Get up, and go southward on the road that goes down from Yerushalayim to ‘Azah, the desert road.” 27 So he got up and went. On his way, he caught sight of an Ethiopian, a eunuch who was minister in charge of all the treasure of the Kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia. He had been to Yerushalayim to worship; 28 and now, as he was returning home, he was sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Yesha‘yahu. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot, and stay close to it.” 30 As Philip ran up, he heard the Ethiopian reading from Yesha‘yahu the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” he asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” And he invited Philip to climb up and sit with him.

32 Now the portion of the Tanakh that he was reading was this:
“He was like a sheep led to be slaughtered;
like a lamb silent before the shearer, he does not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and denied justice.
Who will tell about his descendants,
since his life has been taken from the earth?”[a]
34 The eunuch said to Philip, “Here’s my question to you — is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip started to speak — beginning with that passage, he went on to tell him the Good News about Yeshua.
36 As they were going down the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Here’s some water! Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be immersed?” 37 [b] 38 He ordered the chariot to stop; then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip immersed him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw no more of him, because he continued on his way — full of joy. 40 But Philip showed up at Ashdod and continued proclaiming the Good News as he went through all the towns until he came to Caesarea.[Footnotes:
Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7–8
Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Yeshua the Messiah is the Son of God.”]
Saint George, Martyr
Do you understand what you are reading? (Acts 8:30)
“Well, gee, let me think. I’m not familiar with that passage.” Can you imagine Philip saying this to the Ethiopian he met on the road? Philip was ready for this fellow’s questions about a puzzling passage from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 53:7-8). He knew the Scriptures, he knew Jesus, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. What else could he do but jump at the opportunity to share the gospel and introduce someone to Christ? And with God’s Spirit working through Philip, the Ethiopian experienced a dramatic conversion.
This story underlines the importance of knowing Scripture. We don’t need to have it all memorized—though that’s not a bad idea. If we want to do more than give a cursory explanation for our faith, there’s no substitute for steeping ourselves in God’s word and asking the Holy Spirit to bring it to life in us every day. As we do, we’ll find ourselves, like Philip, able to speak from personal experience in a way that imparts life and hope. Our words will touch people’s hearts not because we have become gifted speakers, but because the Holy Spirit is speaking through us.
Wouldn’t it be great to have many encounters like the one Philip had with this fellow? It’s possible! People today are no less hungry for the Lord than this fellow was. We meet them every day: at work, in our neighborhoods, at school, in the grocery store. If we’ve opened ourselves to Scripture and to the Spirit’s leading, we’ll be in a position to help every searching person God places on our path.
Do you believe that the Holy Spirit wants to help people understand Scripture? While we may be given the joy of speaking words of life to those we meet, it’s the Spirit who opens their hearts to embrace the message and place their faith in Jesus. So what are you waiting for? Ask the Spirit to help you increase your love and understanding of Scripture, and trust him to back you up whenever you bring its good news to others.
“Holy Spirit, open the eyes and hearts of everyone who reads Scripture. Give me wisdom and discernment to hear you and to lead people to Jesus through your word.” Amen!
Psalm 66:8 Bless our God, you peoples!
Let the sound of his praise be heard!
9 He preserves our lives
and keeps our feet from stumbling.
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth,
his praise was on my tongue.
20 Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer
or turn his grace away from me.
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father — the One who sent me — draws him. And I will raise him up on the Last Day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by Adonai.’[a] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God — he has seen the Father. 47 Yes, indeed! I tell you, whoever trusts has eternal life: 48 I am the bread which is life. 49 Your fathers ate the man in the desert; they died. 50 But the bread that comes down from heaven is such that a person may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Furthermore, the bread that I will give is my own flesh; and I will give it for the life of the world.”[Footnotes:
John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13]

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