The Inconvenient Faith - Phillip

"Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" (Acts 8:40-31)"

As a kid in school, I always had a difficult time with reading comprehension. I could read the words on the page, but after reading the page I couldn't tell you what it was about. Here the Ethiopian is reading from the Isaiah, but isn't sure of what the prophet is saying. Phillip comes along and asks the simple question, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

Without proper instruction, one may not fully comprehend what the words of Scripture are saying. Luckily for us, Jesus left the Apostles and followers to teach through the authority of the Church. I urge you to read your Bible with the willingness of the Ethiopian to admit that sometimes you won’t realize what the scripture is saying. You can certainly seek out other sources like the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Bible study guides, homilies and commentaries from the saints on sites like New Advent, and a variety of other sources. If you are still puzzled or need further understanding, you can always rely on the Magistarium. Ask your deacon, priest, or bishop.