Homily for the week of May 16, 2010

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, 2010

Acts 7:55-60

Psalm 97:1-2, 6-7, 9

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20

John 17:20-26

A few years ago the movie “Cold Mountain” came out, telling the story a wounded Civil War soldier who had fallen in love just before he marched off to war. The movie portrays his gruelling trek home to Cold Mountain, N.C. to be reunited with Ada, the woman he left behind before going off to fight in the Civil War, only to be tragically killed just after he reaches her.

This past week we remembered the event known as the Ascension when Jesus left his friends and went back to God the Father in heaven. After his death on the cross Jesus rose and then lived with his close friends for nearly 7 weeks. You can imagine what they talked about. The bible gives us some hints, but I am sure there was much more. Imagine that a very close friend of yours were to leave forever. And you had just 7 weeks together. That was the experience of Jesus with those who loved him. He told them not to worry because the Holy Spirit would stay with them to help them out.

The problem they faced, however, was even more difficult than Jesus leaving them. Their message was so new and their actions so revolutionary that their hearers took offense, because it was all a challenge to their religious traditions. After all Jesus was nailed to a cross for speaking out. If they were going to follow Jesus, it might mean that they too would be killed for their beliefs and way of life. And many of them were.

Stephen, the main person in our First Reading, is such a person of faith. He was a young man, a Greek speaking Jew living in Jerusalem and converted to Christ. Stephen had been chosen by the apostles to look after the distribution of money to widows and to assist in preaching. He is referred to as the first deacon. In our first reading he talks about God’s call through their religious history. The Jewish people have always resisted God’s call by resisting their “God-called” leaders. Immediately before the verses we hear in today’s reading, Stephen infuriates the crowd by saying,You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit just as your ancestors used to do. Stephen had told the truth and they did not like it.

What we hear is their natural reaction. Like so many people today, if you don't like the message, kill the messenger. Stephen debated with his accusers, was arrested, brought to trial and taken outside the city to be killed. As he is dying Stephen repeats the words of Jesus when he died, by saying that now he will be in the hands of God. But, like Jesus on the cross, before he dies Stephen asks God to forgive his attackers. Stephen is considered as the first Christian martyr, that is, a person who dies for the faith.

It is interesting that one of the witnesses to Stephen's stoning is a young man by the name of Saul. Saul later on changes his way of life and becomes a great preacher known as St. Paul, the one whose letters are part of our Bible.

In our Gospel we have Jesus praying for us. Can you imagine this: Jesus praying for us? We are more accustomed to pray to Jesus, but today we are told he is praying for us. For what does Jesus pray and ask us to pray? He prays for unity. He prays that he will be united to us and we be united to him. Jesus prays for unity in the community, for unity in our worship, for unity in our service to others, for unity in our family, for unity with the lonely, the poor, the unemployed, the hungry, the homeless, the stranger.

If there is to be this unity there must also be love. So Jesus concludes his powerful prayer when he asks God the Father: THAT THE LOVE WITH WHICH GOD LOVED JESUS MAY BE IN EACH OF US. Jesus was sent by God to the world to love it and redeem it. So too we are sent into the world to love in and redeem it.

How could Jesus endure what he did? How could Stephen endure what he did? It could only happen because they knew God and had a relationship with him. Jesus knew the Father. Stephen knew Jesus.

Likewise, many will come to know God and Jesus because of you -- not necessarily what you may have said, but how they see you live and talk. Our faith and our religion must be consistent. We can't behave spiritually one way at home and another way at work or school.

Pray this week for the gift to let your faith guide you to be the person you think Jesus would want you to be. This is what St. Paul wrote: Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers and sisters should, and have a profound respect for each other.