“God’s Will Prevails” by Colleen O’Sullivan
There broke
out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout
the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles... Now those who had
been scattered went about preaching the word. Thus, Philip went down to the city
of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid
attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he
was doing. (Acts 8:1b, 4-6)
Everything
that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who
comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will
of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I
should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the
last day. (John 6:37-39)
Piety
Lord, may we be like St. Philip, doing your will,
spreading your Word, wherever circumstances find us.
Study
There’s an old expression about your words coming
back to haunt you. The Apostles find themselves in the midst of extreme persecution
of the members of the fledgling Church in Jerusalem. I wonder if, in the midst
of all the chaos, James, John, or their mother remembered the conversation with
Jesus about who would sit on either side of him in his Kingdom and the Lord’s quick
response. Jesus answered them with a
question about whether they were able to drink the cup he was about to drink,
and they answered affirmatively. Jesus said that was good because the cup
wouldn’t pass them by if they remained his disciples. They are about to find
out now if they, in fact, have what it takes.
Stephen has been martyred and is buried in today’s
reading. In the midst of all the upheaval, Saul, the most zealous of those
against the Christians, is seen personally going house to house, seizing
suspected followers of the Way and imprisoning them.
The Apostles must have been wondering if this was
where it was all going to end. The situation being so dire, they tell all the other
followers of Jesus Christ to flee Jerusalem, to run away to safe places in the
countryside. Only the Apostles remain behind.
 |
| Saint Philip Healing the Cripple in Samaria (c. 1655), Jacob Jordaens, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons |
Sometimes when a situation seems so disastrous as
to be almost irredeemable, it turns out to be anything but, particularly when
God is part of it. To a casual observer, it may have seemed as if Christianity had
been defeated before the faith ever really took hold. After all, practically
all the “followers” had fled Jerusalem. However, unseen in the background is
God and God has a plan which doesn’t include failure. God has an image in mind
as to what the Church will look like that is bigger than its presence in
Jerusalem.
So God lays a hand on one of the those who fled
Jerusalem, a deacon by the name of Philip, who ends up in Samaria. There,
Philip takes up right where he left off in Jerusalem, proclaiming the Good News,
chasing demons away and healing the sick. People listen and respond, and the
Church begins to grow outside of Jerusalem!
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about God’s
plan. God sent his Son to earth to live with us as one of us. God sent Jesus to
be the bread of life for us, our sustenance and our strength. And Jesus himself
says, “And this is the will of the one
who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I
should raise it on the last day.” Jesus isn’t about to see the Church
destroyed before it has a chance to get off the ground.
Nor is Jesus about to see his Church destroyed
today, either.
Action
I think the message for the day is don’t give up. When
something worthwhile isn’t going well, ask for God’s help. We may be surprised
at the turn things take, but God knows better than we do how to accomplish a
goal in Jesus’ name.
When praying today, ask for God’s help on anything that
has you stymied.
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