May 10 2011
Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
By Beth DeCristofaro
Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. … 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. (Acts 7:51, 59-60)
The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 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. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:30-32)
Piety
Shepherd me O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. (Marty Haugen)
Study
Once I attended a funeral Mass and the responsorial psalm was this lovely hymn taken from Psalm 23: “Shepherd me O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.” Now it doesn’t take much for me to tear up at funerals and weddings (or sad movies or cheerful stories about children or star-filled skies for that matter.) But certainly beautiful music and inspiring words move me. I was struck at the hope we have through our tradition that we can, in fact, be brought beyond life into Life with God. Our grief at losing loved ones can be tempered with the certainty that we will be with them again.
But what also struck me is that these words describe the journey we are on as Christians and which Stephen spoke about to the elders and scribes and what Jesus illustrates to the crowd. It is our acquiescence to life in Jesus, to the will of the Holy Spirit which brings us into relationship with God, not our own doing. We have been given life and are offered the chance to have beauty and joy here on earth as God’s chosen. But we are also offered Life with God and the walk with God while beautiful is not of our choosing but God’s.
Action
Where am I being stiff-necked, reluctant to give up my wants? Where am I being fearful and unwilling to step out of my comfort zone or offer forgiveness, tolerance, welcome? Use the phrase from the song (and the Psalm) as a mini meditation during the day and be aware of wants and fears. Put them aside and reach out to someone or even yourself with the loving embrace of Christ.
