The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of the Church gradually rippling out from its origins in Jerusalem into (ultimately) the entire known world. Isn’t it interesting that the first convert to Christianity outside of the Holy Land itself was an African, a man traveling from Ethiopia. He embodies what we think of today as a seeker, someone who is spiritual but doesn’t have an answer to his religious questions. His response to the deacon Philip’s question is one which might be asked in our contemporary world as well. “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” The traditional way of teaching the catechism is to give people the right answers. The task of evangelization in today’s world is to let people first ask their own questions. The gospel only makes sense when someone hears it as a response to their own deep spiritual hungers.
MAY82025
By Church Staff
