Getting the Word Out To All

Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,                                                                      

“I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
About himself, or about someone else?” 
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.
As they traveled along the road
they came to some water,
and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. 
What is to prevent my being baptized?” 
Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him. 
When they came out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
and the eunuch saw him no more
but continued on his way rejoicing. 
Philip came to Azotus and went about proclaiming
the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

This is a rather curious passage of scripture that can lend itself to several interpretations.  A Eunuch would have been excluded from worshipping at the temple if he were a Jew.  Yet, we have here a man who is studying the scripture and he appears to have been somewhat of a scholar because he is musing about the scripture attempting to wring from it the meaning intended by the author.  Along comes Philip.  Philip was on fire for the Lord and would talk to the very stones in his quest for getting the good news out.  Here, he stops and explains the scripture in complete detail to the eunuch.  The eunuch is so impressed that he points out that there is a source of water and asks why he could not be baptized right away.  Another convert for the Lord is made that day.  The new convert was a eunuch, excluded from worship at the temple.  He was Ethiopian, almost certainly black and as a court official, he was probably a Gentile.  The Way, as some people called it back then, was for everyone, of every race, and nationality and it would escape the country of Israel and grow and prosper in the wild, spread by the Apostles and their converts and yes, watered by the blood of the martyrs. 

Pope Francis said, 'Whoever knows Jesus has the strength and the courage to proclaim him.  And whoever has received baptism has the strength to walk to go forward,to evangelize.'

We live in a world that is slowly dying to the truth.  It is up to each Christian to resuscitate those around him that need it the most.  The story of Christ should be proclaimed to each creature you meet. Sometimes it may be necessary to use your voice but not always.  Sometimes you can show that you are a Christian just by your attitude to life, how you handle stress, how you are always the first to help and how you always appear to be a man or woman at peace. Remember that your target audience is everyone, all men, women, boys, girls, of every race, and from any country.  They need Jesus and you have what they need.  Give it to them as freely as it was given to you. 

Remember our beloved souls in Purgatory.  There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles all hoping to be helped by those that they left behind.  If your love stopped at the lip of the grave, then, you do not understand the term Body of Christ and Communion of Saints.  Pray for the Poor Souls today.