RBWords

     Among the many changes in the Catholic landscape after the Second Vatican Council there is one that I am finding everywhere I go.  There is a desire to know the Bible - the Word of God - better.  Prior to the council, the average Catholic rarely read the Bible and relied more on the liturgical/sacramental life of the church without understanding the biblical foundations for it.  At most some of us had a course in "apologetics" which would arm us with certain quotes from the Bible to use in defense of the faith.  In campus ministry it was a common thing for a Catholic student to show up wanting to know scripture better because his or her friends in the dormitory were biblically savvy Protestants who knew well how to use the scriptures to convince!

     The encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian may be read as an example of a learning/preaching opportunity.  We can decide which character represents our level of biblical understanding!  Philip explains the scripture from Isaiah and relates it to Jesus!  The Ethiopian requests baptism!  Things don't happen quite that fast in ordinary experience but the possible impact of a scripturally educated person meeting someone with a thirst for God's Word is undeniable.  In our day, given the vast amount of resources now available (e.g.  The Little Rock scripture program or the small paperback misalets like LIVING WITH CHRIST or MAGNIFICAT], any of us can become much more well-informed about the Word of God.  

     The teaching of the Second Vatican Council tells us that Christ is truly present in his Word.  This helps us to understand what is said in today's gospel scripture:  "They shall all be taught by God.  Everyone who listens to my father and learns from him comes to me."  The Bible is the first and best source for this learning.  AMEN