Have You Not Heard?

The time after Easter is filled with energy and excitement. We read about Peter’s preaching, his wonderful condensation of the story of Jesus and we can practically feel the power, the magnetism of his faith reaching out to us. Can you even imagine three thousand being baptized at one time?

The daily readings are taken mainly from the Acts of the Apostles and the gospel of St. John. Let’s look at the readings for just one day, Thursday in the third week of Easter. Acts 8:26-40 tells the story of Philip who, on his way from Jerusalem to Gaza, encounters an Ethiopian reading aloud from Isaiah. Prompted by the Spirit, Philip approaches him and starts a conversation, which leads to Philip’s explaining Jesus as the fulfillment of the Isaiah’s prophecy. Right there and then, the Ethiopian asks for and receives baptism. What powerful teaching! What wonders we can accomplish when we listen to the promptings of the Spirit.

The gospel, John 6:44-51, enters into the heart of who Jesus is. "I am the bread of life... whoever eats it will never die." Listen with the open heart of the Ethiopian. We too have heard the word of God, we too have been baptized, and now we live the life of the Risen Lord. And he has left us with bread for the journey: "The bread which I shall give is my own flesh, given for the life of the world... whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

Have you not heard? Christ is risen! Go forth in joy, enlightened by his word and strengthened by the bread of life.

By Mary Buckley CSJ