Catechesis Notes for the Week — Summer Readings from the Book of Acts and Romans—The preaching of the Gospel, catechesis, and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism characterize the spread of the Gospel and the ministry of the Church in the book of Acts. Philip is one of the seven ministers ordained by the Apostles to expand this ministry among Greek speaking Jewish Christians and others. Philip had an extensive ministry. He catechized new converts in Samaria and called Simon the Sorcerer to repentance. A eunuch, who was the treasurer to Queen Candace from Ethiopia, is catechized by Philip from the book of Isaiah to know that in Jesus’ suffering and death Jesus fulfilled the description of the suffering servant from the Old Testament. Immediately upon confessing his faith that Jesus is the Christ, Philip baptized the eunuch. Chapter 9 details the circumstances of Saul’s conversion. The Lord Jesus confronted him on the road to the city of Damascus with letters in hand from the High Priest to arrest and persecute Christians. “Why are you persecuting Me,” Jesus asked. Saul was struck blind as a sign of his self-righteous impenitence. The disciple Ananias was sent to him in Damascus to further instruct him and to baptize him. The foremost persecutor of Christians would become the foremost Apostle, preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles and testifying to Christ before kings and civil rulers. Saul would become the Apostle Paul and carry the Gospel throughout Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, and Spain. By the grace of God and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul would write many letters in the New Testament, including the book of Romans, written to the Church at Rome, which will be read throughout the summer.  Paul’s first missionary journey took place over a decade after his conversion. During this period he spent time with the Lord Jesus and in the study of the Scriptures before he was summoned by Barnabas to begin work among the Gentiles. The proclamation of the Gospel to the Gentiles was prepared for by the vision of unclean animals that Peter received in Joppa. In this vision, Peter is catechized on the meaning of justification that Paul would write about in the book of Romans. “What God has declared clean [or justified], you must not declare unclean.” Since salvation is by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone and not by human merits, the Gospel cannot be denied to the Gentiles. Salvation is freely offered to all. CP240602