3rd week in Easter Time, Wednesday – 17th April 2024 – Acts 8,1-8; Jn 6,35-40
Spreading Joy in Persecution
In the first reading, after the death of Stephen, the early church faces persecution. The focus now shifts from Jerusalem to the other towns of Judea and into Samaria. The Spirit is moving the church outward and causes an increase in numbers. While the Apostles remained in Jerusalem during the persecution, Philip, one of the Seven Hellenist deacons, took the Word of God to the region of Samaria and proclaimed the good news about the Messiah-Christ. He worked great signs: he drove out the evil spirits and healed the paralyzed and crippled. Signs like these were done by Jesus to bring the people to faith in him as the Messiah. In like manner, Philip accomplished similar works and sought to bring people to encounter Jesus. He became a full-blown evangelist. The result was that the people, who heard the good news and witnessed the miracles, were filled with great joy. The Spirit causes joy as the church spreads out in the midst of persecution.
