Readings: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 66; John 6:44-51
In the First Reading of today, we have an account of how the Holy Spirit ministered to Philip to speak to an Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way back to Ethiopia from Jerusalem. That interaction eventually led the Ethiopian eunuch to understand the mystery of faith, to accept baptism, to experience great joy and according to historical sources, to become a great missionary to his people.
I want to draw our attention to the fact that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading about the salvific work of the Messiah but there was a problem – he didn’t understand what he was reading. He came face to face with an account of something so profound and life-transforming but it made no difference because he didn’t understand. He needed someone to open his mind to grasp the meaning of what he was reading.
Sometimes we are like the Ethiopian eunuch. We come so close to something deep, profound and life-changing but we do not understand the meaning. Today, let us pray for the gift of understanding, especially so that we may be able to grasp the following:
A. The deep meaning and rich message of the Word of God.
B. The ways, will and work of God in our lives.
C. The meaning and implication of our actions and our choices.
D. Our purpose and mission in life.
E. The mystery of life – its opportunity, futility, unpredictability, temporality and vanity.
In the Gospel, Jesus quoted the prophets (precisely Isaiah 54:13), where it is written, “They will all be taught by God.” We pray that we might be taught by God, that our minds may be opened to the truth that can bring us freedom, peace, joy and a better appreciation of our existence.
Sermon preached by Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on May 15, 2022.