Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 8 May ‘25
Third Week of Easter – Thursday
Acts 8:26–40. John 6:44–51
The Guidance of the Holy Spirit
The Lord’s angel instructs Philip: “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
Today, reading the phrase “from Jerusalem to Gaza” feels particularly unsettling. That path has become a corridor for war—of weapons and soldiers. Violence, hostility, bloodshed, tears, and loss are both causes and consequences of war. But the Gospel shows us another journey along this path: one of encounter, proclamation, and transformation.
(a) Discerning the Path
In today’s first reading, we witness the evangelizing mission of Deacon Philip. What stands out is how the early Christians discerned their movements. It is the “angel of the Lord” and the “Holy Spirit” who guide Philip.
How did Philip perceive this divine prompting? A person who lives in union with the Spirit is able to recognize and follow the Spirit’s guidance easily. It is God Himself who helps Philip discern his path.
(b) An Opportunity to Proclaim the Gospel
An Ethiopian court official—the finance minister of Queen Candace—is reading the Scriptures. Philip runs alongside the chariot and asks: “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Even amidst the galloping of horses, the noise of chariots, and the distractions of travel, this question reaches the heart of the Ethiopian. Every setting in life—no matter how ordinary or noisy—can become a platform for evangelization.
(c) Immediate Conversion
The power of the Gospel is astonishing. As Philip speaks, the Ethiopian opens his heart. Upon seeing water by the roadside, he requests baptism. Baptism here marks the sign of his conversion and new life.
As soon as the baptism is over, the Holy Spirit snatches Philip away to another place. This too is striking. Once a mission is complete, the Spirit sends him to the next. Sometimes, the comforts of a successful ministry can make us stagnant. The Spirit stirs us onward, refusing to let us settle.
The Central Actor: The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the primary actor in this passage. Yet today, we often forget or overlook the Spirit’s gentle nudges. Jesus told His disciples: “I will send you a helper to be with you always.” If we could remember this promise and live each moment in the awareness of the Spirit, then no weakness—physical or emotional—can defeat us.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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