Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: April 23,2026

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text:   Acts 8:26-40

The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Rise and go toward the south on the path that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza which is desert.” And he rose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and join the one in the chariot.” And Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you read?”

He said, “How can I unless someone guides me?” He asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The text he read was:

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter,

And like a silent lamb before his shearer,

And he opened not his mouth.

In his humiliation, justice was taken away:

Who will declare his generation?

For his life is taken from the earth.”

The eunuch asked Philip, “I pray you tell me of whom was the prophet speaking? Of himself or some other man?”

Then Philip opened his mouth and preached to him about Jesus. And as they went on their way, came to a certain water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water, what is there to hinder my baptism?” And Philip said, “If you believe with your whole heart, you may.” And the eunuch answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he commanded that the chariot halt, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus and passing through, he preached in all of the cities until he came to Caesarea.

MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word:

BREAKING OPEN THE TEXT:

Today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles recounts Philip’s encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip, a deacon in the early church sent to evangelize, encounters the eunuch, reading a section from the prophet Isaiah that speaks of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 53). Philip breaks the text open for him at his request, and the eunuch comes to believe in Jesus Christ and asks to be baptized. The role of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the LORD, at work in this evangelizing moment is key. First, the Spirit led Philip to the eunuch and guided his catechesis of the eunuch that produced the desire for baptism.

ORATIO – Lifting our minds and hearts to the LORD in prayer:

Most Holy Spirit, daily You guide me and grace me so that I might more perfectly live the life Jesus calls me to live. Stir within me and help me to be an agent of Christ in this world, to bring the Good News of Christ to others that I encounter along the way. Give me the words to convey the truth of Christ and the actions that reveal the difference Christ makes in my life. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Son of God, who lives and reigns with You and the Father, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.

CONTEMPLATIO – Sitting with the LORD in silence for a minute or more