Thoughts for the Day

Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city.

Now a certain man named Simon had previously practised magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, ‘This man is the power of God that is called Great.’ .... But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Today we're back with the early Christian Church as persecution develops. Philip, one of the seven men who was chosen to serve the church in practical ways is forced to flee and heads to Samaria where he starts to preach. This is astonishing, for Jews and Samaritans had nothing to do with each other. The trouble goes back to the 8th century BCE when the Assyrians invaded and took the inhabitants captive, before resettling the area with strangers. From then on the two had little to do with one another. So when Jesus told the parable of the "good" Samaritan it was shocking. Yet Philip decides to go Samaria to preach the Good News! The new Church has moved from its heartland in Jerusalem almost without conscious thought.

Philip has great success, carrying out healings and exorcisms, but amongst those who are baptised is Simon the Magician, and when Peter and John arrive to pray for the new converts to receive the Holy Spirit he mistakenly believes he can buy this power from the disciples!

How wrong can he be! The only reason he wants the Holy Spirit is not to confer it on others, but to obtain power for himself. To pass on God's blessing and His Spirit to another person we must be open to the Spirit in total humility. It was, after all, bought with Christ's blood, and cannot be bought with money.

Father-God,
may we never forget that our faith
and our acceptance as Your children
was bought with the blood of Your Son.
May we never take Your love for granted
but accept with hearts full of thankfulness
the gift of the Holy Spirit
which is Your power at work in our life.
Amen.