3rd Week of Easter 2022 - Wednesday - Easter Persecutions

 It seems strange that during this joyous easter season, we have these readings from the book of Acts about how the Church was being persecuted. Last week, we heard of how the apostles were thrown into jail for their Christian faith. Today’s reading picks up right after the martyrdom of Stephen, deacon of the Church of Jerusalem. A severe persecution broke out in Jerusalem following Stephen’s death, and Christians were scattered to the country side. 

Why, during this season of joyful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, do we focus on imprisonment, suffering, persecution and martyrdom?

Well, these readings from acts help us to understand the hostility we will experience when we are joyfully faithfully proclaiming Christ. 

While it is true that “joy is a net that catches souls” as Mother Theresa said. Christian joy will also attract some hostility from the world. 

As I tell the RCIA candidates after easter, now that you are Baptized, the enemy hates you more than ever. Because of sin, you belonged to him, and now you belong to God, and he hates you for it. Where he was cast out of heaven for his pride, you are now filled with the life of heaven inside you, and this causes the enemy to be furious. No doubt, he will tempt you in ways you’ve never tempted before. You may find that the worldly will be more impatient and rude toward you then you’ve ever experienced before. Certain doors will be shut to you because you are Christian. 

But, other doors will be open to you now, doors that God wants you to enter; doors into people’s homes and hearts. God will bring people into your life that he wants your help to convert.

And so, yes, you will experience hostility, but like the apostles, count it a blessing when you experience persecution for the sake of the name. God will use your sufferings to win souls. Opportunities for evangelization will be created, just like in the acts reading. Even when they were scattered due to persecution, God gave Philip opportunities to transform hearts and work miracles.

Just as God brought about the greatest victory in history through the suffering and death of His Son, so too does God bring about great victory through the sufferings and martyrdoms of His adopted sons and daughters, us.

Hard times are good times for Christians. Because God brings about goodness when we persevere in faith during those hard times. We show just how powerful our faith is when in the face of persecution we continue to preach and worship and praise God. And that’s attractive to the right sort of people, the souls who are open to Truth. 

So, we don’t lose hope when the world hates. We don’t compromise our faith because the world disagrees us with. Rather, we remain solid in our faith, trusting, as the Lord Jesus teaches in the Gospel today, that those who believe in Jesus and follow him will have eternal life and be raised on the last day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, the pope, bishops, and clergy, that they may govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd, leading the Church to embrace hardships for the sake of the Gospel.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

That our parish may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

3rd Week of Easter 2019 - Monday - The Pattern of Jesus' Life

Today’s first reading sees the arrest of St Stephen for proclaiming the message of Christ and the Gospel.  In fact, St. Luke reports many similarities between Stephen’s arrest, trial, and martyrdom, and Jesus’ own arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

First we heard how Stephen was filled with grace and power and working great wonders and signs.  St. Luke records this point to emphasize that the pattern of Jesus’ life is reproduced in his disciples. Just as Jesus performed miracles, so we read in the book of Acts how many disciples, especially the Apostles perform miracles for the building up of the Church. The Apostles fulfill the Lord’s words: “Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these”

Secondly, just as Jesus’ teachings could not be refuted, Stephen, when debating members of the synagogue, could not be refuted: “they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.”  Though the Gospel is not always what the world wants to hear, doesn’t mean it’s false. In fact, we can be confident that the moral and doctrinal truths of Christianity are true, because they come from God.

Thirdly, when the Jews of the Synagogue become frustrated in arguing with Stephen, they resort to false witnesses, just as occurred in Jesus’ trial.

The powerful witness of the newly ordained deacon Stephen reminds us that successes in Christian ministry, especially in defending the faith against outsider’s attacks, can lead to persecution.  Yet, the Spirit fills us, like Stephen, with grace and power and wisdom and courage, to witness to the truth of the Gospel.

Stephen closely imitated our Lord in proclaiming the Gospel and being rejected and suffering for the prophetic ministry.  Jesus lives with, in, and through those who are united to him in faith. May such faith increase in us, that the pattern of Jesus’ life may be recreated in us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

Through the intercession of St. Stephen, that the deacons of the Church, especially those newly ordained for our diocese this weekend, may be true heralds of the Gospel in their ministry and service.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ, especially for all victims of religious violence.

For our parish, that we may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ.
For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

December 26 2018 - St. Stephen, martyr - Christmas Gold and Christmas Crimson

Yesterday, we were solemnly celebrating Christ’s Birth.  Today we commemorate the birth into Heaven of the first martyr of the Church, the Deacon Stephen.  In the atmosphere of Christmas joy, this reference to martyrdom might seems out of place.  Just yesterday after all we were wearing Christmas Gold, and now gold is traded for Christmas Crimson, the color of the blood. Yet, the juxtaposition of glorious birth and gruesome martyrdom is not totally unintelligible. The Christmas story contained it’s fair share of suffering. The long journey of the Holy Family in the final stage of Mary’s pregnancy, their being turned away from the inn, the birth of Jesus in the uncomfortable, dirty stable. Even, the Cross and Christ’s own death is foreshadowed by the wood of the manger. And orders for the slaughter of the Holy Innocents have already been issued by King Herod.

So, the commemoration of the Church’s first martyr is not so strange, the day after Christmas. Christmas and the feast of St. Stephen are certainly linked.  “Yesterday, the Lord was born on earth, in order that Stephen might be born in heaven.” Christ was born to be our Savior, and that salvation is won on the cross.

As we contemplate the divine Child in Mary’s arms, we know his destiny. He will grow to be the man who says in the Gospel today, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved”. St. Stephen was hated because of Christ. We heard in the first reading how he infuriated the Jewish leaders, just as Jesus had, because he preached that salvation is found through Jesus Christ, “and Him Crucified.”

You might think, can’t we just have a few days without the cross? And I think the Church answers, no, not really. Even at Easter, when we celebrate Christ’s victory over the cross and tomb, we begin to hear how the apostles willingly undergo suffering and persecution for the sake of the name. The lesson I think is to not let our guard down too much, even at Christmas. The world still hates us because it hates him. The devil will continue to tempt us, even in such a holy season. The flesh will continue to rebel against the spirit, until it is fully surrendered to God.

So, we echo the words of Stephen, the words of the psalm, the words of Christ Crucified, “into your hands Father, I commend my spirit” unto the cross, unto martyrdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

That all Christians who joyfully celebrated Christ’s birth may be strengthened in Christian charity toward all.

That through the intercession of St. Stephen, all ordained deacons, may be strengthened in faith, hope, and love.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

3rd Week of Easter 2018 - Wednesday - Hard times are good times

It seems strange that during this joyous easter season, we have these readings from the book of Acts about how the Church was being persecuted. Last week, we heard of how the apostles were thrown into jail for their Christian faith. Yesterday, the reading recounted the death of the first martyr, the deacon Stephen. Today’s reading picks up right where yesterday’s left off. With the death of Stephen a severe persecution broke out in Jerusalem, and Christians were scattered to the country side.
Why do we focus on imprisonment, suffering, martyrdom during this season of joy?

What we pay particular attention to this season is how the Christians joyfully endure these things. And the good God brings about through the perseverance and faith of the early Church.

Just as God brought about the greatest victory in history through the suffering and death of His Son, so too does God bring about great victory through the suffering and martyrdoms of His adopted sons and daughters, the early Christians.

You may have heard the saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, that’s exactly what Christians do in the face of persecution.

For what did we read about them doing today when the persecution scattered the Christians to the countryside? Though they were scattered, the Christians continued to work for the building up of the Church. Though the world tried to silence them, the Christians continued to preach. Though the world tried to cast them out, Christians continue to cast out unclean spirits. Though the world tries to wound them, Christians continue to heal the sick. Though the world tries to put them to death, Christians continue to bring souls to new, spiritual life through Jesus Christ.

Hard times are good times for Christians. Because God brings about goodness when we persevere in faith during those hard times. We show just how powerful our faith is when in the face of persecution we continue to preach and worship and praise God, that’s attractive, that’s something that souls open to Truth are drawn to.

So, we don’t lose hope when the world hates. We don’t compromise our faith because the world disagrees us with. Rather, we remain solid in our faith, trusting, as the Lord Jesus teaches in the Gospel today, that those who believe in Jesus and follow him will have eternal life and be raised on the last day, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 25 2018 - Conversion of St. Paul - Praying for your persecutors

The Apostles were simply obeying Christ’s command to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature” yet, for the well-educated, Saul of Tarsus, that doctrine was blasphemous. So Saul put all his intelligence, willpower, and connections at the service of wiping out this new religion, even to the point of having Christian men and women put to death. It’s impossible to imagine a greater enemy of Jesus Christ and his Church in the early part of the first Christian century.

But on the road to Damascus, in the middle of his fury, all that changed.  The Risen Christ appeared to Paul: Jesus spoke a word to his heart and let a ray of his divine light into the darkness of Paul’s mind.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” And from then on, things were different.  From then on, Paul became an ambassador of God’s saving grace, a light of hope and mercy for the sinners of all nations and races, a faithful messenger of the invitation to repent and believe in the Gospel. From then on, all of Paul’s natural and God-given gifts were put to use in building up Christ’s everlasting Kingdom.

This is the power of God’s grace; this is the power of the Gospel; it really can transform lives, even the most unlikely ones.

How did Saul’s conversion come about? Early in Acts, we read that as he was being put to death, St. Stephen prayed for his persecutor.

St. Stephen prayed for Paul as he was being stoned to death. No doubt, other Christians whom Saul persecuted prayed for him. The early Christians took the teaching of our Lord seriously: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Many once persecutors of the Church have turned from hostility to serving the Gospel. And so too we ought to pray for sinners every day: for the pro-choice politicians and the intellectual elites who think they are the saviors of humanity, for the teenagers who think its hip or edgy to parrot back the anti-Catholic sentiments of our culture.  They may think Christianity is just a list of inconvenient rules; they may be at a stage in their life where they are turning to secular gurus, self-help techniques, esoteric pseudo-religions, or worse things.  But like Saul, they all long for Christ, and our job is to bring Christ to them, and to pray for their conversion. For the Lord wants them, and whatever passion, intellect, creativity, and drive is within them, the Lord wants for the building up of the Church.

May the prayers of St. Paul help us to always be at work for the building up of the kingdom and the conversion of sinners, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops may be graced with Saint Paul’s zeal in teaching the Word of God. We pray to the Lord.

That our parish may build up missionary disciples who will go and proclaim the Gospel. We pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all hardened sinners and all persecutors of the faith, that the Lord may touch their hearts and remove the blindness from their eyes. We pray to the Lord.

For all who have suffered as a result of violence or abuse, all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. We pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

December 26 2017 - St. Stephen - The First Martyr

Yesterday, we were joyfully celebrating Christ’s Birth.  Today we commemorate the birth into Heaven of the first martyr of the Church, the Deacon Stephen. And, in the atmosphere of Christmas joy, the celebration of martyrdom seems out of place. In fact, this whole week is pretty bloody: thursday we’ll commemorate the infants of Bethlehem, slaughtered by King Herod and Friday, the murder of the Bishop Thomas Becket in his Cathedral.

The baby Jesus is so loveable, so adorable, and no doubt, we are called to cherish him, to hold him in our arms and love him.  Yet, in holding him so close, we must ensure that we do not stifle him—holding him back from accomplishing in this world what he was sent to accomplish: our salvation.  The temptation is to keep the baby Jesus, small and undemanding.  Yet, to love him, is to love the entire Jesus, cradle to cross: as baby, teacher, master, and lord.

The divine Child in Mary’s arms grows into the same man who says in the Gospel today, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” The babe of Bethlehem calls us to follow him with total trust and faithfulness.

Saint Stephen the deacon followed the Lord’s call.  The word deacon, comes from the Greek Word, diakonia, the New Testament word for service. Stephen is the patron of all deacons, an example for deacons to serve others out of love and to remain ever faithful in the defense of Christ’s teaching.
Not all of us are called to be deacons, but all of us are called to diakonia—to serve in whatever capacity we can—in building up the Church and leading others to Christ.

St. Stephen’s diakonia reminds us of the indivisible link between the Christmas creche and the cross, and that Our Lord came not to be sentimentalized, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.


St. Fulgentius, in a homily for this feast said, “The love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven…Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven.” May St. Stephen help us to more fully and faithfully love and serve the Lord in every dimension of our earthly life, and be made worthy of the kingdom of heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

That all Christians who joyfully celebrated Christ’s birth may be strengthened in Christian charity toward all.

That through the intercession of St. Stephen, all ordained deacons, may be strengthened in faith, hope, and love.

For Christians who are persecuted throughout the world, especially those who face martyrdom, that they may have a faith that is constant and pure.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord