April 20 2010
Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
By Beth DeCristofaro
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution. (Acts 7:59-60, 8:1a)
So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. … “I am the bread of life…” (John 6:32, 35)
Piety
Lord, Jesus, help me know that in saying “yes” to you and seeking to walk in your footsteps, I open myself to accepting your great love of me and to serving all your children. Help me to realize that my actions, like those of Stephen and Paul, speak much louder than words. Guide my feet, my thoughts and my decisions so that I not be judgmental, narrow or blind in seeing you at work in the world and in those around me. Help me to celebrate each day that you are here before me, in me and through me. Amen
Study
Paintings which depict the stoning of Stephen often illustrate Saul, dressed in the finery of his class and status, standing back and observing the violence of the mob. Stephen is usually shown eyes raised to the heavens and, reverberating with the words in Acts: his face was like the face of an angel. (Acts 6:15) Saul’s face, in contrast, is stern, unbending, chilling. I can’t help but recall Stephen’s prayer when I view such paintings: “receive my spirit” and “do not hold this sin against them, Lord.”
But that is not the end of the story. God has a much deeper message for us than the deep prophetic courage of his early followers. That they, infused with the Spirit, are ready to share the Word to their last breath. That the disciples are new people, born anew as Jesus had explained to Nicodemus. That this promise was already transforming the world by transforming and freeing lives. God had more in store.
And, of course, we know that story. We know how the fanatically zealous Saul goes on a murderous spree revealing and martyring followers of Jesus. Suddenly he is struck blind by the voice and presence of God who opens his eyes in order to show him the truth of the risen Christ. It took more than looking at Jesus’ wounds, like Thomas, to open Saul’s eyes and heart. But God was ready to help him see and Saul was born anew as Paul, defender of the faith and apostle to the Gentiles.
It’s an awe-inspiring and mind-blowing reality that God can and does work such wonders out of uninspiring and awful beginnings. Can we adhere to this promise in the face of our own shortcomings, the sins of people and the world? Can we find it in ourselves to look for the workings, the promises of God when all looks black and people seem to be irredeemable? Can we know, deeply within ourselves, that Jesus is our bread of life and the nourishment of Jesus surpasses all limitations, weakness and shortcomings that earthly live has to offer?
Action
Check out the list of candidates from the Men’s weekend just finished. Is there a candidate from your parish? Introduce yourself to him. Is there someone who you have been meaning to talk to about Cursillo? Now is the time to prepare for the Fall weekends. The next school of leaders is at Nativity in Burke on May 8. Have you made plans to go? How are you bringing the Spirit to the world?
