There was great
joy in that city.
Acts 8:8
Today
we skip to the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles for a reading titled
"Philip in Samaria." Here's the back story: Some
of the members of the Jewish community have become disciples. Others
push back and persecute the followers of Christ. The most famous of these
is Saul who will later become Paul after his own conversion on the road to
Damascus.
Philip,
one of the assistants chosen by the apostles in chapter 6 travels to
Samaria. The Samaritans "pay attention" to Philip and unclean
spirits are excised. The paralyzed and crippled are cured. This is even before
the "big guns" (Peter and John) leave Jerusalem to lay hands on them
and impart the Holy Spirit.
Today's
reading provides me with the opening to share some thoughts that I've been
reflecting on for the past several weeks.
When I
hear stories of churches closing I think about the vibrant and growing
community of Acts and wonder if we really are part of the same group. What is it about this early church that led
to such explosive growth? Perhaps today's
scripture holds a clue. The good
Samaritans (I had to get this pun in somewhere) are attentive to and act on
God's word. Great things happen and the
people are filled with joy.
Back
in grad school I learned of a concept which has resonated ever since. It
is called the slow buffalo." Here's how it works. The priest
(or some other leader) comes before a group of people with a need.
Everyone begins to mutter an excuse and run away leaving the slow buffalo
to be caught and "win" the job.
For
me, the antidote to the slow buffalo can be found in the fable Stone
Soup. It was the attentiveness and response of the people that created
the miracle of a delicious soup made from a stone.
Our
social concerns ministry consists of 40 people who are willing to respond from
time to time in various needs. Our future goals are twofold:
- Add more people to the list
- Create a talent bank of skills
that can be applied to various needs
Please
consider adding your name and e-mail to our list. All you need to do is
e-mail me at b.mauro1@yahoo.com.
Remember
"Acts" is more than a title: it is a verb.
Soup
from a stone; fancy that.
Bruce
No comments:
Post a Comment