In Sacred Scripture, we often hear stories of miracles of faith, of how the Lord touches the hearts of different people, bringing them to him through great odds and difficult circumstances. During the Easter season, we hear such stories from the Acts of the Apostles, telling of the development and growth of the Early Church right after Christ’s death and resurrection. Today, we hear about a court official to the Queen of the Ethiopians who receives the call to journey to Jerusalem to worship God, a God that he really doesn’t know about and that he really doesn’t understand. The Lord sends Philip to greet this court official, to teach him about the reading from the prophet Isaiah that he is trying to read, to teach him about the Lord of Life. Philip disappears from this scene just as quickly as he appeared, as he is sent to another land to spread the word of God to others. Yet, before he leaves, Philip baptizes the court official in a body of water that they come upon.
As we hear this story about this non-Christian going to great links to try to find God in his life, we might think about the ways we often take our faith for granted. In the pandemic, when we were not able to attend Mass physically for a while and when the usual ways we have practiced our faith were turned upside down, perhaps we have realized how we have taken our faith for granted. May we be inspired by today’s reading, of how this Gentile court official goes out of his way to discover more about the faith and to find out more about what he doesn’t understand about God.
Today is also Earth Day, started back in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. Perhaps today, we are more aware of the need for earth day and they ways we need to be good stewards of our environment. I want to close with this prayer for Earth Day:
Heavenly Father: We are called to see ourselves and each other as earthen vessels created by God. As earthen vessels, we are called to care for God’s gifts in the world. Our world is fragile and in need of our love and good stewardship. May our hands align with God's hands in caring for his creation here on earth. Let us pray for:
- Trees, plants, crops, and forests.
- Rivers, Oceans, streams, and ponds.
- Air, wind, and weather.
- Sun, clean energy, and prevention of global warming.
- Animals, especially endangered animals.
- All humankind.
- Recycling and prudent and moderate personal consumption.
- Proper use of chemicals and disposal of toxic waste.
- The earth and the unity of creation .
Creator God, we thank you for all creation. We ask your forgiveness for the times we have failed to be good stewards. We ask for your guidance in restoring the face of the earth. May we learn to live in harmony and in the just sharing of resources among all so that we may work toward the kingdom of God. Peace be to this community. Peace be to this land. Peace be to all people. Peace be to all of creation. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
No comments:
Post a Comment