Reflection on Today’s Readings, First Saturday after Ascension, May 8th, 2022
Texts: Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47:2-3.8-1 0; John 16:23b-28
We are reminded today that there is no end to learning, even in faith. In today’s first reading it is said, “Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. ... but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately.” There is always something we do not know and something to learn. The fact that Apollos was a Jew and Scripture scholar makes his humility to learn from Priscilla and Aquila, who are of Gentile origin, rare. He did not think that Scripture belonged to them but kept an open mind and gave listening ear to Priscilla and Aquila. It is something we have to emulate; we should learn to listen to other, not minding status, class, gender, condition, age, etc. We should learn to keep open mind always in spite of our knowledge and how vast we are. We cannot know everything and we cannot know nothing; we only know something.
The love Apollos had for Jesus made him ready to seek more knowledge. Whoever loves Jesus seeks to know Him better. It is also clear that he had love for Scripture. His love for Scripture and devotion to it are something worthy of emulation. It is through reading the Scripture that we come to know Jesus Christ better. It is said about him thus: “When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.” To encounter Jesus Christ we have to grow love for Scripture and be devoted to it.
Jesus Christ reminds us today that our love for Him grants us direct access to the Father. He puts it this way: “In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall ask the Father for you; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father.” The Father loves us because we love Jesus Christ, His Son, and believe that He came from God. This tells us that if we love Jesus Christ, there is assurance that our prayer is heard and answered.
O God, whose Son, at his Ascension to the heavens, was pleased to promise the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, grant, we pray, that just as they received manifold gifts of heavenly teaching, so on us, too, you may bestow spiritual gifts. Amen (Collect)
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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