Month: April 2016

3rd Week of Easter, Friday (2)

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This week’s First Readings have shown a clear trajectory from witness, to martyrdom, to persecution. At Stephen’s martyrdom we see a young zealous Jew named Saul come onto the scene who goes from watching over cloaks to spearheading the persecution of Jesus’ disciples. Saul was zealous, observant, and organized, but his zeal was misguided. He strove to do what he thought was the Lord’s will, and that set him on a collision course with what the Lord’s will truly was and who Jesus truly was.

As Our Lord explained to Ananias today, he would put Saul’s talents to good use. Saul would go from pursuing minim (heretics) of his own religion to preaching the Gospel of Christ among the gentiles, all those non-Jewish people who, according to Jewish interpretation of Sacred Scripture, were second-class citizens at best in the Lord’s plan of salvation. Saul’s values were profoundly challenged: his fasting while suffering blindness was a spiritual means to process everything that had happened. When Ananias came for him to heal him and baptize him he really could see things clearly for the first time in his life, and his zeal for the Lord was put back on the right course.

The way we live our faith can put us on a collision course with Our Lord too; maybe we’re not blind, but an “astigmatism” due to our pride may be misguiding us. As the Lord today to help you see any wrong turns you make have taken. Saul had to work in a vacuum, since Christianity was something new and strange, but we have many resources and people who can help us regain our sight.

Readings: Acts 9:1–20; Psalm 117; John 6:52–59. See also Conversion of St. Paul, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B, and 3rd Week of Easter, Friday.

3rd Week of Easter, Thursday (2)

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The question Philip asks the Eunuch in today’s First Reading could just as well be directed to us when we read Scripture: “Do you understand what you are reading?” Studies in Sacred Scripture can be complex: they can involve studying ancient languages and cultures, literary criticism, history, and other academic disciplines. The secret is that everyone who reads Scripture, if they’re intellectually honest, has to respond, just like the eunuch, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” Experts may argue over what the human author had to say, and back it up with cogent arguments, but the understanding for which everyone really strives is what God is saying through Scripture, and the Lord wants us to seek help. Every Scripture scholar and ordained minister has received a catechism, and then instruction in interpreting Sacred Scripture. The eunuch knows he is missing something, which is why he “begs” Philip to answer his question about the prophecy of Isaiah because he knows there is something important to him there.

That kind of burning curiosity comes from something deeper than simple suspense or intellectual interest. The Holy Spirit sent Philip to meet this man and give him the answers for which he was looking, just as Our Lord has sent the Apostles and their successors, the bishops, to help us find the answers we seek, aided by the Holy Spirit. Interpretations of Scripture can vary, even contradict each other, but Our Lord has helped us with the guides he has appointed to break interpretative stalemates with the authentic interpretation, the Magisterium.

When’s the last time you dusted off your Bible and read it? Sacred Scripture always has something to say, and there are good commentaries out there and the Catechism to help answer the questions you find there. Hopefully they are burning questions, because that shows the Holy Spirit is at work and wants to reveal something amazing to you. Don’t be shy about asking for help.

Readings: Acts 8:26–40; Psalm 66:8–9, 16–17, 20; John 6:44–51. See also 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B, and 3rd Week of Easter, Thursday.

3rd Week of Easter, Wednesday (2)

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After Stephen’s martyrdom, recalled in yesterday‘s First Reading, the Christians are scattered due to persecution, but that, in God’s Providence, helps Christianity to spread. Stephen may be gone, but Philip heads up to Samaria and starts working signs and wonders as well. There have been many attempts throughout history to destroy Christianity; apparently they didn’t heed Gamaliel‘s advice to just wait and see whether Christianity would die off on its own. It won’t. The Lord made good come out of his Son’s crucifixion, and in moments of persecution he makes good come too.

Throughout the world today Christian’s are still being persecuted and murdered for their faith. Religious extremists are taxing them, terrorizing them, and beheading them. We should support them and religious liberty as well, but also ask ourselves whether we’re being complacent in countries where Christianity is tolerated, albeit, at times, ridiculed. It’s a question of spiritual life and death, even though it may not always be a question of physical life and death. Even veiled persecution should stoke our apostolic zeal to spread the Gospel and have the right to share our faith.

Let’s pray today for all persecuted Christians and thank Our Lord for all those who have given their lives for the Gospel, including him.

Readings: Acts 8:1b–8; Psalm 66:1–3a, 4–7a; John 6:35–40. See also 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B and 3rd Week of Easter, Wednesday.

3rd Week of Easter, Tuesday (2)

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In today’s First Reading St. Stephen’s martyrdom shows his detractors to be stuck in the same rut as they were when they put Our Lord on trial, but Stephen shows them the status quo cannot be maintained anymore. That same Spirit that fills him with the strength and witness to testify to the truth even to martyrdom tells his adversaries that they are resisting the Holy Spirit and killing the Spirit’s messengers, just as they’d done time and time again by murdering the prophets and Our Lord, whom they considered just another false prophet. The only problem is that you cannot kill the truth. Resisting the Spirit, killing the Spirit’s messenger are pointless.

When Stephen is blessed by a vision of seeing Our Lord in Heaven at the right hand of God, the Sanhedrin has they same reaction they did when Jesus told them that they would see him seated at the right hand of power, a clear allusion to the prophecy in Daniel concerning the Messiah (see Daniel 7:13-14, Matthew 26:64, Luke 22:69, Mark 14:62): kill the blasphemer. Now Stephen is seeing that very event; Our Lord has ascended and taken his place at the right hand of the Father. He has shown himself to be the Messiah, yet they have resisted the Spirit and the truth and, once again, try to kill it. Like Our Lord, Stephen forgives them for their crime in his dying breath.

If the Sanhedrin are staying stuck in their rut, the work of salvation is not: it continues to advance. Stephen was full of Spirit and wisdom and helped many people, even before the witness of martyrdom. Even as he dies forgiving his enemies a young man comes onto the scene. Every listener in Luke’s time knew who Saul was, and who he would become, which is why Luke makes a point of mentioning that Saul condoned Stephen’s death. Little did he know that the Lord had plans for him as well, once he accepted the truth. Let’s pray for the humility and conviction to not be stubborn about accepting the Spirit and the truth.

Readings: Acts 7:51–8:1a; Psalm 31:3c–4, 6, 7b, 8a, 17, 21ab; John 6:30–35. See also 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B, St. Stephen, First Martyr, and 3rd Week of Easter, Tuesday.

3rd Week of Easter, Monday (2)

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On Saturday we were told by Luke that Stephen was one of the Seven chosen for being “filled with the Spirit and wisdom” and entrusted with a special ministry by the Apostles themselves. In today’s First Reading we see Stephen imitating the Lord: he is working signs and wonders, but also garnering a lot of opposition. That same Spirit and wisdom is what enabled him to refute his adversaries’ arguments and be strong in the face of opposition.

As his adversaries start to multiply they decide that if they can’t beat Stephen, they’ll smear his reputation and discredit him, a common tactic for people who can’t win or shouldn’t, resorting to dishonesty. They incite the people against Stephen and have him brought before the Sanhedrin. Stephen doesn’t seem worried; whether Luke was there or another Christian, someone witnessing the event said he had a face like an angel. An angel is a messenger, and Stephen had a message to bring. We don’t know what was going on inside Stephen in this moment, but it’s a safe guess that the irony didn’t escape him that he, like Our Lord, had been dragged before the Sanhedrin on false charges. Like Our Lord, Stephen wouldn’t shy away from proclaiming the truth.

When Jesus was brought to the Temple for the first time as a baby Simeon told Mary that he would be a sign of contradiction. In the Last Supper Our Lord warned the disciples that those who hate the master will hate his disciples too. This should not discourage us from spreading the Gospel. Let’s not be shy about stirring things up for the sake of truth.

Readings: Acts 6:8–15; Psalm 119:23–24, 26–27, 29–30; John 6:22–29. See also 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B and 3rd Week of Easter, Monday.