Thursday of the Third Week of Easter
Good things can come from bad situations. Phillip, one of many Christians who left Jerusalem following the persecution and death of Stephen, went into Samaria, an area and a people looked upon with disdain. (That is why the story of the good Samaritan made such an impression.)
However, through the work of the Holy Spirit, Philip had an amazing impact there. The Good News spread to many villages. And now an angel of the Lord sent him to Gaza, south of Jerusalem, to an Ethiopian court official. The official was reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah about the Suffering Servant of the Lord, and he asked Philip to help him understand it. The door opened for Philip to proclaim Jesus and to lead this person to the sacrament of baptism.
This was a graced moment for both Philip and the Ethiopian official. The Spirit had prepared each of them, and they chose to act. Let us pray that we may be ready for such moments.
Reflection by Br. Jacob Kubajak, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections