"Get Up!"

In today's first reading, Acts 8: 26-40, "the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: 'Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route. So he got up and set out."

Our Guardian Angel directs us just as with the angel directed Philip.  We might hear such direction as:   "Get up and make that call to your son/daughter, your grandson/granddaughter, your sister/brother. Get up and help your spouse!"  Philip got up immediately and set on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Hope prompt are you/am I in following the angel's direction?

As Philip approached a chariot returning home from worshiping in Jerusalem, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, reading from the book of 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?'"  

Philip needed a threefold trust: trust of the Spirit, trust that it was safe to approach a total stranger and trust that he, Philip, would be able to instruct the eunuch properly! Where and how did Philip develop such confidence? First of all, he spent three years sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to Him explain the Scriptures. Second of all, he learnt to trust the Spirit's lead from Jesus, who was led by the Spirit into the desert, into His  ministry, and to the cross and over whom death had no power!  Thirdly, he had confidence in the commission given to him by the Risen Christ before His ascension  into heaven when Christ said to the apostles: Go out into the whole world and preach the good news and know that I am with you always until the end of time.

 What Jesus the Christ did for Philip He also does for you and me.  Before His ascension into heaven, Jesus the Christ was not only speaking to the apostles but to you and me as well!  When the Risen Lord sent the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost, He also sent that Holy Spirit upon you and me!  How strong are you, am I in exercising our faith in Christ Jesus when an angel or the Spirit directs us to do the Father's will of assisting others, instructing others, strengthening others, comforting others?

May we learn from Philip!