Taught By God

April 26, 2012

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  The Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."  Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  He replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?"  Acts 8:28-31

It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.  John 6:45

Piety

Father, fill our minds with your lessons.  Jesus, touch our lips so we can share your Good News.  Holy Spirit, touch our hearts with your gifts so we can reach others with the lessons you have asked us to teach.  Amen.

Study

On first reflection, today's readings seemed to be about teaching and learning.  But upon further reflection, obedience seems more the message.

If considered from the literal passage, the Gospel appears to be about being fed Spiritually by the bread of life that comes from heaven.  However, when we consider what these passages mean, a different context comes through.  Considering how the Good News is introduced, this lesson comes in the context of being taught by God and listening to the Word. 

What lesson matters most, though?  Perhaps we are being taught that the bottom line in all this study is to be obedient listeners to what we learn from the Lord. We can be lead to the Bread of Life but we must have faith (step one) and then we must eat it (step two).  From this foundation, we then must be obedient to what we are to do -- just as Philip listened to the angel and joined up with the chariot so he could share the Good News lessons with the eunuch.

Action

We are all both students and teachers.  We all have to bolster our own study so that when the challenge of teaching falls upon our shoulders, then we can feel more prepared for the task we face.  Through our study, our minds, our lips and our hearts can be touched with the fire of God that we might well instruct those we meet along the road to Gaza or Georgetown or Germantown.