Today's First Reading
A rather unusual story is Luke's account of the Apostle Philip and his meeting with the Ethiopian Eunuch. Not too much is said about eunuchs in the New Testament even though there seems to have been more than a few eunuchs around. Self-mutilation was not well received in the Jewish community. In Leviticus and Deuteronomy eunuchs were not allowed in Temple to worship or be in the presence of the Lord. The Jews looked upon this style of life as a rejection of the purpose of life -- marriage and the continuation of the human race. It was also looked upon as a practice to an idol god. So, the question arises, why does the doctor, Luke, incorporate this story in his Acts of the Apostles? Clearly, it would seem, that Philip wants to help the eunuch come to know Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord. He had this desire despite the clear Jewish prohibitions against the eunuch class of men.
Luke makes clear that Philip received some divine inspiration and intervention to start out on the road to Gaza, a desert route. It was along this road that he encountered the eunuch from Ethiopia. Why is that added? Some scripture scholars note that this geographic designation is offered to explain that the man is a "black man," as might be said today, to distinguish him from being another Jew who happened to be a eunuch. Nonetheless, the man was experiencing a calling to know something about who God is. He was reading the writings of Isaiah as he rested in his chariot on his way home.
Again the Spirit led Philip to this man when he heard him reading the text. Strange, Philip thought. So it is not surprising that the Apostle would ask him if he understood what he was reading since he had not been permitted within the prayerful worship gatherings of the Jews.
After Philip completed his short-course RCIA class with the man, he is asked to be baptized. Now Luke's purpose in recording the event becomes clearer. Philip seems to be at a fork in the road: Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain God's own law about eunuchs. Despite what is written, the Apostle decided that the man should enter God's household. Why? This is a question we might seriously consider because there are issues in our own times and cultures that might be similar moments today's Apostles.
Pope Benedict, in one of his Wednesday homilies to the weekly audience in St. Peter's Square, noted about Philip that he "teaches us instead to let ourselves be won over by Jesus, to be with him and also to invite others to share in this indispensable company; and in seeing, finding God, to find true life." Philip believed that Jesus loved all people. Obviously the eunuch was a part of the world, a part of the people the Jesus loved, that Jesus died for. The Apostles seemingly decided to set aside the "rules" or "guidelines" that prevented his becoming a part of the Christian assembly. Jesus by his death and resurrection had made possible for all life with God.
So, we might ask ourselves, what about tolerance? What about those who seem to be condemned by biblical verses? Who draws the lines? What are the lines? Are the Philips among us today? Doesn't this story challenge an ever-ready response to people who may seem to be different? to people who may live in apparent contradiction to particular texts of the gospel? Perhaps the challenges this story from the inspired writer of the Acts of the Apostles are such that it is much easier to pass over this story very quickly and quietly.
St. Philip, open my mind to see this act of kindness
and to understand what brought you to your decisions.
Luke makes clear that Philip received some divine inspiration and intervention to start out on the road to Gaza, a desert route. It was along this road that he encountered the eunuch from Ethiopia. Why is that added? Some scripture scholars note that this geographic designation is offered to explain that the man is a "black man," as might be said today, to distinguish him from being another Jew who happened to be a eunuch. Nonetheless, the man was experiencing a calling to know something about who God is. He was reading the writings of Isaiah as he rested in his chariot on his way home.
Again the Spirit led Philip to this man when he heard him reading the text. Strange, Philip thought. So it is not surprising that the Apostle would ask him if he understood what he was reading since he had not been permitted within the prayerful worship gatherings of the Jews.
After Philip completed his short-course RCIA class with the man, he is asked to be baptized. Now Luke's purpose in recording the event becomes clearer. Philip seems to be at a fork in the road: Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain God's own law about eunuchs. Despite what is written, the Apostle decided that the man should enter God's household. Why? This is a question we might seriously consider because there are issues in our own times and cultures that might be similar moments today's Apostles.
Pope Benedict, in one of his Wednesday homilies to the weekly audience in St. Peter's Square, noted about Philip that he "teaches us instead to let ourselves be won over by Jesus, to be with him and also to invite others to share in this indispensable company; and in seeing, finding God, to find true life." Philip believed that Jesus loved all people. Obviously the eunuch was a part of the world, a part of the people the Jesus loved, that Jesus died for. The Apostles seemingly decided to set aside the "rules" or "guidelines" that prevented his becoming a part of the Christian assembly. Jesus by his death and resurrection had made possible for all life with God.
So, we might ask ourselves, what about tolerance? What about those who seem to be condemned by biblical verses? Who draws the lines? What are the lines? Are the Philips among us today? Doesn't this story challenge an ever-ready response to people who may seem to be different? to people who may live in apparent contradiction to particular texts of the gospel? Perhaps the challenges this story from the inspired writer of the Acts of the Apostles are such that it is much easier to pass over this story very quickly and quietly.
St. Philip, open my mind to see this act of kindness
and to understand what brought you to your decisions.
