Why Are You Doing This?

Why Are You Doing This?

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Piety

The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, "Men, why are you doing this?  We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.  Acts 14:14-15

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.”  John 14:23-24

Study

One way to unpack the Good News is to ask three questions:  1) What does it say?  2) What does it mean?  3) What does it matter?

What does it say?  Today’s first reading evokes similarities from the Gospels.

First, Paul and Barnabas face stoning, a fate that almost befell the woman accused of prostitution.

Second, they cure a man who is crippled – like Jesus did (and like Peter also did in Acts 3).

Finally, they tear their garments to show the people that they are just like them – not Greek or pagan gods.

What does it mean? The notes to the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) explain that, in an effort to convince his hearers that the divine power conferred by Jesus also works through his word, Paul cures the cripple. However, the pagan tradition of the occasional appearance of gods among human beings leads the people astray in interpreting the miracle. They do not really understand what the sign means. 

Jesus faced similar confusion.  People demanded miraculous signs from Jesus, too.  However, when faced with such expectations, Jesus demurred and refused to give in to such demands.  Jesus performed signs at his choosing, not on demand.  Even when faced with the death of his friend Lazarus, Jesus dallied behind in Jerusalem before venturing out to Bethany.  Some of his disciples warned him about going back to Judea because Jesus had recently faced stoning there. Such physical threats did not dissuade Jesus from his mission. 

By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, the expectation of some was that Jesus was too late.  So, when Jesus set the stage for raising Lazarus from the dead, people were afraid of the smell.  (That fear may also be a sign that they did not think Lazarus could return. Jesus would soon show them otherwise.)  

What does it matter?  Paul’s incident reveals the new cultural difficulties with which the church had to cope and overcome now that the Word was being shared with Gentiles.

Overcoming physical ailments was easy.  Facing stoning was not going to obstruct Paul either. Overcoming mental, emotional and cultural barricades was more challenging.

Action

What mental and emotional challenges does the church pose for you today?  What does it say?  What does it mean?  What does it matter?  How will you overcome them?

Imagine being Wilton Gregory. On Tuesday, he will take over as Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Imagine for a moment the attitudes and cultural differences that he will face in trying to knit the church back together.