Matapos silang makapagpatotoo at maipahayag ang salita ng Panginoon, bumalik sina Pedro at Juan sa Jerusalem na ipinangangaral ang magandang balita sa maraming nayon ng Samaria.
Matapos ang mga ito, inutusan ng isang anghel ng Panginoon si Felipe, “Tumindig ka at pumunta patungong timog, sa daang pababa mula sa Jerusalem patungong Gaza. Ito’y ilang na daan.” Tumindig nga siya at umalis. Dumating naman ang isang eunukong taga-Etiopia, na tagapamahala ng buong kayamanan ni Candace, ang reyna ng Etiopia. Galing ang eunuko sa Jerusalem upang sumamba. Pauwi na siya noon, nakasakay sa kanyang karwahe at binabasa ang aklat ni propeta Isaias. Sinabi ng Espiritu kay Felipe, “Lumapit ka at makisakay sa karwaheng ito.” Kaya’t tumakbong palapit si Felipe at kanyang narinig na binabasa ng lalaki ang aklat ni propeta Isaias. Tinanong siya ni Felipe, “Nauunawaan mo ba ang binabasa mo?” Sumagot siya kay Felipe, “Paano ko ito mauunawaan kung walang magpapaliwanag sa akin?” At kanyang inanyayahan si Felipe na sumakay at maupong kasama niya. Ito ang bahagi ng Kasulatang binabasa niya:
“Tulad ng tupang dinala sa katayan; at ng korderong hindi umiimik sa harap ng kanyang manggugupit, gayundin hindi niya ibinubuka ang kanyang bibig. Sa kanyang pagpapakababa ay ipinagkait sa kanya ang katarungan. Sino ang makapaglalarawan sa kanyang lahi? Sapagkat inalis sa lupa ang kanyang buhay.”
Sinabi ng eunuko kay Felipe, “Maaari bang sabihin mo sa akin kung sino ang tinutukoy ng propeta, ang kanya bang sarili o iba?” Mula sa talatang ito, ipinangaral ni Felipe sa lalaki ang Magandang Balita tungkol kay Jesus. Sa kanilang paglalakbay, nakarating sila sa isang lugar na may tubig. Sinabi ng eunuko, “Tingnan mo, may tubig! Ano’ng hadlang upang ako’y mabautismuhan?” [At sinabi ni Felipe, “Kung sumasampalataya ka nang buong puso ito’y mangyayari. Sumagot ang eunuko, “Sumasampalataya ako na si Jesu-Cristo ang Anak ng Diyos.”] Pinahinto ng eunuko ang karwahe at lumusong silang dalawa sa tubig. At binautismuhan siya ni Felipe. Nang umahon sila sa tubig, biglang inagaw ng Espiritu ng Panginoon si Felipe, at hindi na siya nakita ng eunuko. Nagagalak itong nagpatuloy sa kanyang paglalakbay. Samantala, natagpuan si Felipe sa Azotus. Mula roon ay ipinangaral niya ang Magandang Balita sa lahat ng mga bayan hanggang sa makarating siya sa Cesarea.
Pagbasa
Mga Gawa 8:25-40 (FSV)
In our story today, Philip, the deacon, also known as Philip the Evangelist (this is not Philip the apostle), inutusan daw ng isang Anghel si Philip, the deacon, to na imeet ang isang Eunuch from Ethiopia. Nag-usap sila about sa scroll of the Prophet Isaiah. Ininterpret and pinaliwanag ni Philip in relation sa kanyang faith kay Hesus na taga Nazareth. Nag-pabaptize yung Eunuch kay Philip sa gilid ng daan. Most likely, hindi kalinisan na tubig iyon. Eh nasa trabi na daan eh. Then according sa kwento, the Spirit snatched Philip and brought him tio Azotas, and there he continues his proclamation and preaching.
We do not know much both with Philip the Apostle, and Philip the deacon, and madalas na-coconfuse sila sa isat isa. But based on what we know it is safe to intelligently assume a few things:
1 – It is possible na 1st generation Christian si Philip, the deacon and someone who also witnessed and experienced the Historical Jesus. Kung hindi man sya first generation, possible rin na second generation sya, meaning, hindi nya nawitness si Jesus per se pero he met all the first generation leaders, yung apostoles and other disciples who met Jesus. But I think, it is more than possible na he met Jesus and we will go with this intelligent or scholarly assumption. Therefore, Philip is someone who knew many things about Jesus and his fellow 1st and 2nd generation Christians. Marami syang alam at nauunawaan sa mang nagyari kay Hesus at sa kanila, sa lahat ng mga tinuro ni Hesus at mga patuloy na pagtuturo nung mga Christian leaders like Peter, James, and John. May kamulatan si Philip.
2 – By his name, Philip, he might most likely be gentile or non-Jewish who converted to Christianity. Pwede rin na he and his family was a Jewish convert. Gentile dati and then became Jewish, and now became a Jewish-Christian. But whichever it is, his name denotes that he has Greco-Roman origins since he has a Greco-Roman Name.
3 – As part of the early Christian community in Jerusalem, most likely he is also poor or from the peasant working class. Double the oppression and discrimination. Socio-economic, poor sya like the other Christians, and then part pa sya ng isang bagong SEKTA, and persecuted by Jews as blasphemers and persecuted by the Roman Empire as followers of a Rebel named Jesus.
4 – Lalake sya and it is safe to assume cis-gendered. We do not know anything about his sexuality or if he was married like most men, even Christian men, at the time.
The Ethiopian Eunuch: From Ethiopia – Dark skinned. A Jewish convert who just did a pilgrimage sa temple sa Jerusalem. Castrated from a young age so that he will eventually serve sa Harem ng Hari ng Ethiopia, and indeed according sa description sa kanya, serves Queen Candace or more accurately, Queen Kandsake, of Ethiopia as her treasurer – ingat yaman.
Despite his position and the wealth this Eunuch manages, meron din syang kaa-pihan. Most Eunuchs in ancient times where young boys who NEVER chose to become Eunuchs and who never willingly chose to be castrated.
As catrati, they are also discriminated as boys or men who are made to become somewhat of a woman but not really. In ancient times also, minsan ginagamit ang salitrang Eunuch – kung ano man ang equivalent nito sa ibat ibang ancienrt languages – bilang pangkukutya or pang-iinsulto. Sometimes Eunuch is used as an insult the same way the word Bakla is used today and zspeciaklly in rthe 80s and 90s bilang kabawasan at kababaan ng pagkakalaki. Pagiging duwag, mahina, at malambot.
I am not implying that the Eunuch is gay. Although, may ilang instances talaga that some Eunuchs are “gay”. But we do not know what is the exact sexuality of the Eunuch only that by being a Eunuch, they are or the concept of Eunuch, are the closest, but not exactly, equivalence of Gay man or transwoman of today. Being from Ethiopia and a Jewish convert, meaning hindi sya Jew by race and birth, meron din yang discrimination sa Jewish temple culture and communities bilang very racially exclusivist and Jewish culture specially during that time. The religion allows converts. Wala namang nagbabawal na maging Hudyo ang ibang lahi, pero human imperfection, it is same to assume na within Jewish circles, merong racism mask isa kapwa nila Jew na hindi nila kalahi.
And so in this story we have 2 people na may kanya-kanyang multi-layer karanasan of oppression and discrimination under the Roman Empire and the existing Jewish religious culture.
Isang pesanteng grecong taga sunod ni Hesus na may kamulatan. Most likely one of those who were also there during the Pentecost event. Appointed and tasked as a deacon with 6 others. He was told by an Angel to go to another oppressed and discriminated person from a far-away land so that he may also enlighten the other. One woke person guiding another one to also wake sa pamamagitan nung mensahe ni Hesus at pag-gabay ng Espiritu Santo.
In this story we are also like Philip – the Progressive Woke Christians who are mostly Queer – called and tasked to teach, guide, and help others na naguguluhan sa usaping relihiyon at pananampalataya. Kung paanong si Philip na isang pesanteng Greco na namulat sa pesanteng Mesias na si Hesus, ay nagmulat rin ng isang Eunuko – tinuturing na mahina, binabae, at duwag – tayo rin na namulat sa mas mapagpalayang pag-ibig ng Diyos kay Hesu Kristo – ay dapat rin magmulat ng mga kapwa nating mga api, sila ma’y accla o hindi.
Sa other progressive groups merong tinatawag na ED, short for education. At yan ang importanteng gawain sa mga progressive and activist groups and ED. Eto ang isa sa mga paraan para magmulat ng mga tao lalo na ng mga Kabataan sa tunay na kalagayan ng Lipunan at ng mundo. Pero hindi yan bago. Without realizing it, the church is the first and most effective in doing ED through Sunday school, catechism, VCS – Vacation Church School, and Christmas Institute.
And it is not just about Education in terms of giving information. It is FORMATION Paghuhubog ng puso’t diwa na merong kamulatan. Values formation. Critical thinking formation. As progressive Christians, LGBT ka man o hindi, ang pagmumulat ay importante at hindi natatapos na gawain. Education as formation is also what ensures the movement continues. Kasi nasa pagmumulat through formation education, tayo naghuhubog ng next generation who will carry the torch – the lamp – forward. May turn over talaga at pagpapamana.
We are in a long line of generations of Queer Christians, na despite walang formal at intentional na curricular na formation education before, eh naririto pa rin tayo and NOW we do have an intentional and curricular Formation program para patuloy na mamulat at magmulat hindi lamang sa kapwa natin LGBTQIA+ Christians but also to other straight Christians who are equally oppressed by the stereotypical expectations and norms of toxic Christianity. Actually, this time it is in reverse… Yung Eunuch ang syang nagmumulat hindi lamang sa mga kapwa nya Eunuch bagkus pati na rin sa mga Philip of today represented by Straight Christians na pagod na rin sa toxic Christianity.
Paano ba tayo patuloy na mamumulat at magmumulat?
Have a mindset of Curious Learning – Ang pagmumulat sa sarili, kahit mulat ka na, ay hindi natatapos. Minsan nga, kailangan mor in ulit-ulitin kasi nakakalimtan natin. Nadidistract tayo ng temptations ng Emperyo. Ano ba yang mindset and attitude of curios learning? Always asking yourself, what can I learn from this experience, from this mistake, from this success, from this struggle? Ano ang pwedeng matutunan sa mga bagay at taong nakapaligid sa akin? Sa mga nagyayari sa akin? Syempre part dyan ang critical thinking din. Di naman pwedeng kung ano-ano na lang na impormasyon ang ating tatanggapin? Kung ano-anong pananaw na hindi naman Maganda at nakakaganda? Hindi ko maipipilit sa inyo na magbasa kayo, BUT, something is to be said of reading hindi lamang for learning at pagmumulat but also keeping the mind sharp. Babalik din ako sa mga ilan sa atin na galing sa mega churches – dati merong HUNGER to LEARN and to READ. Binasa mo yung purpose driven life and then kung ano-ano pang ibang mga evangelical books pinagbabasa mo dati. And then dati, meron kang daily devotion where you pray, read the bible, and journal. Then nung naging progressive Christian… asan na? Where is the hunger to learn, read, journal? Ayaw na kasi toxic daw. The content and the pressure might be toxic, but the process itself is not. The process of reading, journaling, and learning from multiple sources is equally and if not more needed sa ating mga progressive Christians. Hindi pwedeng mema-mema lang dahil narinig mo lang kay Pastor and then parroting lang. It is just a matter of looking for the write authors and other materials to read, to listen to, and things to write. Curious learning is also about asking the critical questions lalo na sa mga bagay na panglipunan at pangrelihiyon. Eto din yung isang sign ng tunay na woke – asking critical questions in a world that’s too comfortable with oppressive norms. Laging maging mapanuri at laging maghanggad ng pagkatuto.
Be intentional and take it upon yourself to be a gentle mentor or have a mindset of a gentle mentor – Hindi man ngayon o agad-agad, and not always in a formal way, but somehow, somewhat, become a mentor of those who are still confused with what may seem to be many complexities in our world today. Lalo na yung mga confused pa na LGBT whether may puwang ba sila sa mundong ito at sa pagmamahal ng Diyos o wala? Sa mga cis-hetero friends natin na sa kabila ng kanilang privileges, ay meron pa ring ka-apihan sa pagkakahon sa kanila sa kung ano lang ang katanggap-tanggap na lalake at babae, at ano ang ideal na pamilya? The queerness of LGBTQIA+ people is also the cure for the heteronormative boxes of cis-hetero people. I wont dig deep into that, parang pang isang semestral yan or isang Magandang thesis. Bukod sa hunger to always learn, you must also have the hunger to teach and guide. Ang woke ay nagpapawoke rin sa iba. Naipapasa dapat ang wokeness. Hindi sinasarili. Hindi rin yung nambabarda lang every opportunity.
At nauunawaan nang isang tunay na woke na ang mission is to open and enlighten hearts, minds, and lives as a way to effect change in people’s lives and therefore change society. Kailangan nating dahang-dahang magturo, gumabay at magmulat tulad ni Philip sa Eunuch.
Encounter people where they are and be patient – Hindi tayo makakapagmulat kung hindi tayo kumikilala at nakikihalubilo sa ibang tao. Kung hindi natin chinichika ang mga nasa paligid natin. Sa sarili nating pamilya at mga kaibigan. Biblical stories are also stories of encounter and from that encounter, enlightenment or transformation. When Abraham and Sarah encountered God with the 3 persons who came to them. When Jacob encountered and wrestled with an Angel all night long. When Moses encountered the burning bush. When the widow and her child encountered the prophet Elijah. When Jesus encountered the first disciples; encountered the women at the well; encountered the lepers; encountered the Roman Centurion and the Syrophoenician woman. Besides, as Christians, Jesus sends us out into the world to meet people and tell them his message of transformation kung basehan natin ay gospel of Luke, presence of God kung basehan natin ay Matthew, and the centrality of Love – Agape, kung gospel of John. Jesus sends us to encounter people and bring the message to them. Sa ating family and friends, sa mga katrabaho. Baka pati na rin sa ka-grindr? Like Philip, we must go on our way to meet the many Eunuchs who are travelling alone and trying to figure out sacred scripture, and for us, the WOKE progressive Christians, to guide then and teach them. Pero we also have to be patient and gentle because not everyone, not even LGBTQIA+ individuals would be receptive to the message of radically inclusive love. A message of an activist faith that cares for our broken world. Kailangan din maging pasensyosa tayo pagkat hindi lahat ay handa or may kanya-kanyang level ng kahadaan. Some may need a little more time and more guidance than others. There will be those who will NOT accept the message even among our own sector. But there will be those who will receive the message kahit na hindi rin member ng ating sector.
Paano ipaglalaban at ipagpapatuloy ang ating kulayaan – patuloy na matuto at mulatin ang sarili para tayo rin ay makapagpamulat sa iba. Hindi madali. Hindi agad-agad. Pero eto ay parte ng ating misyon hindi lang bilang community pero bilang individual Christians and individual LGBTs.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
