18 Apr 2024
Listen, Learn, Believe
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John 6:45-47
Jesus said: ‘It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.’
Acts 8:26-35
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over to this chariot and join it.’ So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.’
The eunuch asked Philip, ‘About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Patricia Sullivan
18 April 2024 @ 11:54 pm
Thank you Beth,
My heart always leaps for joy when I see you are the preacher. You always provide something to reflect on.
Donna
19 April 2024 @ 12:21 am
Thanks, Beth! You always “break open the Scriptures” for us so beautifully and meaningfully!
Anonymous
19 April 2024 @ 12:43 am
Thank you. My heart skips a beat when I see that Beth McCormick will be nourishing my soul this day!
Patricia Magee OP
19 April 2024 @ 4:15 am
Thank you Beth for the clarity of connection between the readings and the opportunity to reflect on those who have taught me their value in my life. It speaks to me of the key elements of the mutual relationship between the learner and the teacher, and the receptivity and generous sharing that ensues.
Peggy Devlin, OP
19 April 2024 @ 6:15 am
As usual, your contemplative reflection on the connection of both readings touches me deeply. The parish priest who touched you as a teenager must be smiling that his mentoring has taken root and resounds for us today — thanks to both of you!
Peggy Devlin, OP
19 April 2024 @ 6:34 am
Thanks for your profound insights (as usual). And, thanks to that parish priest who planted some seeds of wisdom that took root and have brought forth inspiration to this day. Thanks to you AND to him! Peggy
Peggy Devlin, OP
19 April 2024 @ 7:00 am
As always, Beth, it is so obvious that your preaching comes for your deep contemplation of The Word. I never found that reading from THE ACTS to be very inspirational but you made it come alive. Thanks — AND, thanks to the parish priest who planted the root that has blossomed!
Connie Koch, OP
19 April 2024 @ 8:41 am
Thanks Beth for reminding us to listen, learn and believe
what God’s Word teaches us and for being such a teacher and spiritual director on my faith journey.
With Gratitude and Hope, Connie