20221226 ACQUIRING THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST
26 December, 2022, Monday, St Stephen, Protomartyr
First reading |
Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59 © |
The martyrdom of Stephen
Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 30(31):3-4,6,8,16-17 © |
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
As for me, I trust in the Lord:
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.
Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps117:26,27 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord:
the Lord God is our light.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 10:17-22 © |
The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.
‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.’
ACQUIRING THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22]
We have hardly done away with the feast of Christmas and just right after Christmas, we celebrate the tragic martyrdom of St Stephen. This feast does not seem to gel with the peaceful atmosphere of the joyful season. How can Christianity, an apparently harmless religion be a cause of concern for others?
How could Jesus the innocent and harmless baby be seen as a threat to the institutions? How could Christianity be seen as against humanity? The truth is that while Christmas is a season of peace and Jesus is our peace, it is so only to those who seek to walk in the light. Peace is always the fruit of justice; justice is based on truth. Jesus has come to reveal to us the truth about ourselves, the truth about God. Consequently, with Jesus’ coming, peace is in sight only to those who seek true peace built on justice, truth, and love.
Yet we know that almost immediately after He was born, darkness sought to extinguish the light. We have King Herod who felt threatened by the infant child. As a result, he had to flee for safety. As Jesus entered the ministry, which was one of liberation and healing, the religious institutions of the day took offence and felt challenged by His popularity and the stark truth of His message. It was difficult to accept and their egos were wounded. Their interests were being compromised. The fear of the loss of power, control, wealth, and influence prevented them from being receptive to the message of Jesus.
So it is not surprising that when Stephen came to the scene, he faced the same challenges that his master faced. Not only did he suffer the same fate, but he was also rejected and condemned by the Sanhedrin, then stoned to death. Stephen was faithful to Christ and the gospel message. He was not afraid to face the Sanhedrin. He looked at them calmly and with confidence and clarity spoke of Christ as the Messiah. Even before kings and governors, he remained defiant and firm in his beliefs. He did not allow death threats or imprisonment to intimidate him. Such was the courageous faith of Stephen.
The fate of Stephen was not unexpected because Jesus in the gospel already warned His disciples about the future. Jesus as a leader was open and transparent with His disciples. He did not promise them a rose garden, wealth, power, or status. Rather, Jesus was completely honest and frank with them as to what discipleship entailed. He prepared the disciples for the trials ahead.
These challenges remain real for us today. We are being challenged by secularism more than ever. To some extent, Christianity is under siege. Unlike in those days, now it is no longer safe to declare oneself a Catholic because the world looks at us with cynicism as to how we could ever choose to be Catholic. Today, it is not a novelty to have a religion. That is why most of us keep our religion private, especially at the office. To be known as a Catholic makes us look uncool, irrelevant to society and out of touch with the times because of the values we extol, especially in marriage, sex and family or entertainment. They consider us backward, oppressed, narrow-minded and restrictive.
What are the three areas of challenges we face? Firstly, whilst Catholics seek to be good citizens, obedient to the State and to the laws of the country, there will be occasions when Catholics need to speak out against laws and policies we deem to be short-sighted from the perspective of morality and justice. When that happens, the prophecy of Jesus that “You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans” will come true. Indeed, the Church, whilst not interfering with the State in the governance of the country, is required morally to contribute to the policy-making of the State, especially those that affect moral values, the good of the people; and promoting unity based on justice and equality. Such conflicts become more real in cases when governments do not seek the interests of the people but their own. Exposing the falsehood of the politicians, injustices and corruption would certainly bring the Church to a head with the State. If the government is pro-religions, such as in Singapore where religions are seen as partners to the development and growth of the country, then there will be cooperation and respectful disagreement when dialogue does not bring about consensus.
Secondly, Jesus also warns us about being handed “over to Sanhedrin” and they would “scourge you in their synagogues.” This is the confrontation that comes from within established religions and the institutions. In seeking change and renewal, we will face opposition not just from without but from within. The Church is human even though it is divinely instituted. We remain sinners seeking to be saints. Working with imperfect and sinful leaders and fellow Christians, there will be misunderstandings, quarrels, and frictions due to the lack of humility, selflessness, and Christian charity. Often, many goodwill Catholics who seek to renew the Church are seen as threats to the institutions and the authorities because they threaten the status quo. They end up being persecuted and marginalized. Many leave the Church disillusioned and bitter at the injustice of those in power and the cronyism that is at work in some organizations.
Most of all, persecution often comes from within our own families. It is very difficult to be a Christian within our own family, our workplace, and our community. A prophet is not accepted in his own country. Matters of faith and religion are very personal and our family members may not be receptive to our faith and practices, especially if we come from a family of different faiths. At times, our Catholic students are ridiculed at school for being Catholic and for subscribing to our gospel values. They are made fun of and mocked when they fail to live up to their Christian values, as if those who are not Christians are entitled to live selfish and unjust lives. Indeed, at times, there can be much tension at home as Jesus warns us, “Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.” Because of religion, some are ostracized by their loved ones.
In all these trials, the Christian is asked to remain strong and firm. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.” How can we be strong in our faith like Stephen in the face of persecution and discrimination? Jesus assures us this, “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.” What we need to do is to be like Stephen, a man who was “filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people.”
Like Stephen, we need to be attuned to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. If we are receptive to the Spirit of Jesus, He will speak through us and from the depth of our hearts. Stephen acquired the Spirit of Jesus by contemplating on His life, passion, death, and resurrection. We too must learn from him to focus on the Lord. Christmas invites to be like Mary, contemplating on the wonderful things that happened because of Jesus.
In this way, the Spirit of Jesus will live in us and we become more identified with Him in truth. With the power of the Lord working in and through us, we will grow in wisdom in dealing with the world and its evil ways. With the conviction of our faith in Christ, we will be given the gift of truth spoken directly from our hearts with eloquence that even our enemies cannot argue with us.
Most of all, with Stephen, we are always ready to forgive our enemies even when we have been wronged. Until we arrive at this spirit of forgiveness of our enemies, we are still far from what a Christian should be. There is no greater witnessing than forgiving our enemies and those who have hurt us. When we are vindictive and revengeful, we are no better than our enemies. A Christian accepts innocent and vicarious suffering for the greater good of all. This is the hallmark and the final litmus test of being a true Christian when we are able to say with Stephen, “‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and said aloud, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep.”
Like Stephen, we do not take things into our own hands but with faith in the power of God’s justice and deliverance, we must follow Jesus in saying, “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” With the psalmist, we pray “Be a rock of refuge for me, a mighty stronghold to save me, for you are my rock, my stronghold. For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Into your hands I commend my spirit. It is you who will redeem me, Lord. As for me, I trust in the Lord: let me be glad and rejoice in your love. My life is in your hands, deliver me from the hands of those who hate me. Let your face shine on your servant. Save me in your love.”
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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