Word to the Wise
Friday, April 27, 2007 - Thursday in the Third Week of Easter
[Acts 8:26-40 and John 6:44-51]"Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me."
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is intended to be an example of a new form of encounter for the early disciples. Here was a devout pagan with some attraction to Judaism but instead finds the new message about Jesus attractive and seeks baptism. Although this has importance as an example of the spread of the gospel historically, I have always responded to the simple personal reaction and process of this encounter. It has been my experience that instructing someone in the faith is a profound process. I still remember the high school student in New Orleans when I was on my first assignment at Tulane. He was a non-Catholic student at a Catholic high school who was impressed by the example of a religious brother and asked about the faith. The brother came to see me about giving the student instructions. At one of the many meetings with him, I asked him why he sought to become a Catholic. He said, "I'm reaching for the light." Still another instruction process is still going on since the person and I became very close friends and continue to discuss theology. I'm learning as much from him as I'm teaching - maybe more! What it all is amounts to a glimpse into the faith of another person. Philip's instruction results in the baptism of the eunuch! If we take our own faith seriously and try to know it and share it, we may have the profound experience of seeing someone baptized because of our sharing of the faith. Give it a thought! AMEN
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