Welcome to this space of reflection. Today is Thursday, April 23, 2026, and we are currently in the heart of the third week of the Easter season. It is a time of year when the Church’s liturgy is bursting with the joy of the Resurrection and the early adventures of the first disciples. As we navigate our own daily lives, the readings for today offer us a beautiful roadmap for how God interacts with us and how we, in turn, are called to interact with the world.
Whether you are checking this post during a quick coffee break or sitting down for some intentional quiet time, I invite you to join me as we look at two powerful passages: the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian official in the Acts of the Apostles, and Jesus’ profound words about the "Father’s pull" in the Gospel of John.
The Spiritual GPS: Philip and the Ethiopian
In our first reading from Acts 8:26-40, we find Philip the Evangelist in the middle of a very modern-sounding situation, though it happened nearly two thousand years ago. An angel of the Lord gives Philip some incredibly specific directions: "Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route."
Think about that for a second. This is like a divine GPS. God doesn't just give Philip a vague feeling of "go do something good." He gives him a specific route. Philip obeys immediately. He gets up and goes.
On this desert road, he encounters an Ethiopian official, a man of great authority who served the "Candace," or queen, of the Ethiopians. This man was clearly searching for something. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah. But here is the catch: he didn't understand what he was reading.
The Spirit tells Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot." When Philip runs up and hears the man reading, he asks a simple but crucial question: "Do you understand what you are reading?" The official’s response is one that should echo in our hearts: "How can I, unless someone instructs me?"
This encounter is a masterclass in how God coordinates our lives. Philip didn't just stumble upon this man by accident; it was a divinely choreographed meeting. Philip sits with him, explains the scriptures, and "proclaims Jesus to him." The result? The man is baptized right then and there in a pool of water by the roadside and goes on his way rejoicing.
This story reminds us that God is always coordinating encounters to bring people closer to Him. Sometimes we are the "Philip" in the story, the one being sent to explain the faith. Other times, we are the Ethiopian, the one searching, reading, and needing someone to sit beside us and show us the way.
The Father’s Pull: A Tug on the Heart
Moving into the Gospel of John (6:44-51), we hear Jesus explain the "why" behind these encounters. He says something that might sound a bit mysterious at first: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him."
In the original Greek, the word used for "draw" (helkyō) is quite strong. It’s the same word used for hauling in a heavy net full of fish or drawing a sword from its scabbard. It’s not a violent force, but it is a definite, intentional pull.
Have you ever felt a sudden urge to pray for someone? Or perhaps you felt a strange "tug" to go to Mass on a random Tuesday, or felt your heart stir when you heard a certain line of scripture? That is the Father’s pull.
Faith is not just a logical choice we make after weighing all the evidence, though reason is certainly part of it. At its core, faith is a response to an invitation. It is a response to a tug on our hearts from God Himself. God is the initiator. He is the one who starts the conversation. Our journey of faith begins because the Father is actively drawing us toward His Son, Jesus.
Jesus clarifies that this drawing happens through "learning" from the Father. It’s an intimate process of hearing God’s voice in our lives and responding to it. When we feel that pull, our job is to say "yes" and follow where it leads, just as Philip followed the angel’s directions to the desert road.
The Living Bread: Sustenance for the Journey
Jesus doesn't just draw us to Himself and then leave us empty-handed. He tells the crowd in today’s Gospel: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
This is the central mystery of our faith. During the Exodus, the Israelites were sustained by manna in the desert. It was a miracle, but it was temporary. Those who ate it eventually grew old and died. But the Bread that Jesus offers, the Eucharist, is different. It is "living bread." It provides a spiritual life that transcends our physical limitations.
When we receive the Eucharist, we are receiving the very life of Christ. This is the "fuel" for our journey. Without this Bread, we would quickly grow tired and discouraged on the "desert roads" of our lives. But with it, we have the strength to be like Philip, ready to go wherever the Spirit leads.
Connecting the Dots: Training Modern-Day "Philips"
At The Pontifical Mission Societies, specifically through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA), we see the story of Philip and the Ethiopian playing out every single day across the globe.
Think about the Ethiopian official again. He had the scriptures. He had the desire. He had the "pull" from the Father. But he lacked a teacher. He needed someone who knew Jesus to sit beside him and explain the Word.
Today, in mission territories throughout Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, there are millions of people just like that official. They are searching for meaning, reading the signs of the times, and feeling that tug of the Father on their hearts. They are ready to be baptized and "go on their way rejoicing." But they need a "Philip."
The "Philips" of today are the local priests, religious sisters, and brothers who are born and raised in these mission lands. They know the language, they understand the culture, and they are ready to walk the desert roads to reach their people. However, many of these young men and women come from very poor families and communities that cannot afford the high cost of seminary education or religious training.
This is where the Society of St. Peter the Apostle comes in.
By supporting SPA, you are directly funding the formation of these local "Philips." You are providing the tuition, the books, the food, and the housing for seminarians and novices. You are essentially training the very people who will go into the remote villages, the crowded city slums, the hospitals, and the schools to proclaim the Good News.
Your support helps ensure that when someone asks, "How can I understand, unless someone instructs me?" there is a trained, holy, and dedicated priest or sister ready to sit beside them and answer. You are providing the means for the "Living Bread" of the Eucharist to be made available in places where it might otherwise be absent.
A Moment for Reflection
As you go about your day today, I’d love for you to take a moment to look back at your own journey of faith.
- Can you see the "Father’s pull" in your life? Look back at a time when you made a major decision or met a certain person. Can you see now how God might have been "drawing" you toward that moment?
- Who was "Philip" for you? Who was the person who sat beside you and helped you understand who Jesus is? Was it a parent, a priest, a teacher, or perhaps a friend who offered a word of encouragement when you needed it most?
- How can you be a "Philip" for someone else today? Being a "Philip" doesn't always mean preaching on a street corner. Sometimes it just means being attentive to the "Spiritual GPS." Maybe the Spirit is nudging you to call a friend who is struggling, or to share a simple "God bless you" with a stranger.
Moving Forward in Faith
God is always working. Even when the world feels chaotic or the road feels like a desert, He is always coordinating encounters and drawing hearts toward His Son.
We are so grateful for your partnership in this mission. By supporting the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, you are a vital link in the chain of grace that began with Philip on the road to Gaza. You are helping us send laborers into the harvest so that every person, in every corner of the world, can taste the Living Bread and experience the joy of the Gospel.
May you feel that gentle, persistent tug of the Father on your heart today. May you have the courage of Philip to follow the Spirit's directions, and may you always find nourishment in the Bread of Life.
Thank you for your generosity and your heart for the missions. Please keep our seminarians and religious sisters in your prayers today: they are praying for you!
God bless you,
Deji
The Pontifical Mission Societies