Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
–Acts 8:29-31
Consider:
Philip, one of the first priests of the early Church, was physically transported by the Holy Spirit to this encounter with a man hungry to understand the meaning and fulfillment of the Sacred Scriptures. Our priests, like Philip, are led by the Holy Spirit through the Authority of The Church to say “yes” to all they are commissioned to do and where they are told to go, which often requires letting go of personal expectations. That would be a tall order for us as laity, wouldn’t it? Indeed, we need to pray for our priests as they sacrifice their time and their own desires for The Church.
We all are called to the priesthood of all believers. Our vocation is to prefer Christ in all things and sacrifice our preferences for the sake of God’s will. How are we doing? The man in this account was an Ethiopian eunuch–a foreigner and an outcast. What if Philip had argued with the Holy Spirit of God, refusing to relate to the man because of his skin color or sexual orientation? Nationalism and bigotry are at the heart of so much of the suffering in the history of our world. We may be guilty of it ourselves; what would the Holy Spirit desire of us? What if Philip and all of the early followers of Christ only represented Christ to their “people”? What if they would have refused to be flexible and open to Christ’s call to go and tell the Gospel to all the world? Like Philip, we are called to come alongside others and get to know them. It’s that simple: the Holy Spirit does the rest.
It’s a good thing that God is not measured by our own individual preferences and comforts, isn’t it? Let us together confess our hardness of heart and resolve to prefer others over ourselves.
Pray:
Holy Spirit of God, grant me the humility and obedience of St. Philip. Open my heart and mind to the boundless mercy of the Holy Trinity at work in the world. Your Word declares, ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and I will also help you; I will also uphold you with my righteous right hand.’ Forgive me for allowing misconceptions and prejudices to cripple my mind with fear. Forgive me for preferring my own comfort over Your call on my life. Amen (Isaiah 41:9-10)
Act:
Reach out to your neighbors, and if you aren’t blessed to live in a diverse community, seek opportunities to come alongside the “other” who is different from you.
The Maiden Warrior 