20240416 THE SHOCK TREATMENT
16 April 2024, Tuesday, 3rd Week of Eastertide
First reading | Acts 7:51-8:1 © |
'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit'
Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’
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.’ Then he knelt down and said aloud, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep. Saul entirely approved of the killing.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 30(31):3-4,6,8,17,21 © |
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or
Alleluia!
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.
or
Alleluia!
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.
or
Alleluia!
Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plotting of men.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn10:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn6:35 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the bread of life, says the Lord.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 6:30-35 © |
It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven
The people said to Jesus, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’
‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’
THE SHOCK TREATMENT
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 7:51 – 8:1; PS 31:3-4,6,8,17,21; JN 6:30-35]
How can we bring someone to come to realization of the truth? In other words, how can we help someone to be awakened and be enlightened? The normal and basic approach is the soft option, using dialogue and persuasion. Yet, such a gentle approach sometimes might not help a person to come to realization. In such a situation, a hard approach might be needed. We see this in the case of Jesus in the gospel, and St Stephen in the first reading.
On all counts, today, few would take the approach of St Stephen when he chastised the people and the Jewish leaders using harsh language, “You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted?” This would not be considered politically correct language in today’s situation. Today, if a preacher were to speak in this manner, reprimanding his congregation in this tone, there will be a deluge of complaint letters to the bishop. So we should not be surprised that they were infuriated “when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.” Their ego certainly was hurt, even if there was truth in what St Stephen said.
Jesus likewise adopted this shock treatment. In yesterday’s gospel, we heard him telling off the hypocritical Jews plainly, “I tell you most solemnly, you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.” In today’s gospel, He once again shocked His listeners when He made the claim that He was not only the New Moses but even greater than him – that He is the bread of life! He said, “I tell you most solemnly, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread; for the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst.” This shock treatment grew more intense when He scandalously said, “I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”
Indeed, at times, the only way to drive home the truth to those whose minds are dull, stubborn and rebellious is to shock them out of their slumber. It is said that a valley cannot be crossed by small steps. You need to take a leap. Does it mean, then, that there is a lack of charity, since it is often said, truth must be spoken but it must be spoken in charity? In being harsh to our listeners, are we lacking in charity? To speak the truth in charity does not always mean to say it in a nice way. Charity is not merely concerned with how and what we say, but the motive for saying what we say. Of course, what we say is often determined by why we say it.
In this case, both Stephen and Jesus were driven by love, not anger or hatred. Out of charity, they tried to put their point across, and since it fell on deaf ears, they needed to jolt them out of their deafness. This could be seen clearly when their enemies put them to death, they were not angry or vindictive. Both of them gave up their lives with total serenity, peace and freedom. We see their calmness in the way they met their end. St Stephen’s face was like that of an angel’s. He was totally at peace with himself. So, too, was Jesus. Both of them showed their love for their enemies by praying for them, for forgiveness, and excusing them for their ignorance.
Indeed, the greatest dramatic act of Stephen and Jesus was in the way they died, which brought about the conversion of hearts. This was true in the case of Jesus’ death on the cross. His death brought about the change of hearts. So, too, in the case of Stephen, when St Paul, who “entirely approved of the killing”, saw the way Stephen died – the way he gave up his life for Christ – it caused Saul to rethink about Jesus. It must have caused him to wonder how Stephen could die with serenity. Hence, in certain instances, we, too, need to act in a dramatic way when necessary in order to bring someone to repentance.
Consequently, it is critical that we examine our motives when we speak the truth or correct others. Do we do it out of anger or frustration, or out of love? If it is out love, whether it is the soft or hard option, is a matter of strategy and tailored to different personalities. But what is most important is whether the action is carried out of revenge, compassion or love. If we do it out of love, even if we were to reprimand them, the people will see the sincerity in us. Although it might be humiliating initially, on reflection, knowing that what we did is for their good, they will come to appreciate our reprimand. We know that we are truly correcting out of love when the punishment meted out to those under our care causes us more pain than the pain caused to them. Given the choice, we would rather suffer the pain ourselves. So, when we do not get joy out of punishing someone but pain and grief, then we know that it is done in charity and out of charity.
But we can act with that calmness of mind, purity of heart and compassionate love only if we have the heart of Jesus. Faith in the Risen Lord gives us that capacity. How do we know we have this faith? It must be manifested in our lives of witnessing. This was the case of St Stephen who was ready to die for Jesus and for the truth that He proclaimed. If we are serious about our love for the Lord, then we will be ready to do anything for Him. As Jesus in the gospel tells us, we need to authenticate our claims by signs. Jesus showed the signs that He was from God and from His Father. Today, He showed Himself as the fulfilment of Moses when, as the Bread of Life, He came to give us more than biological life; the fullness of life. As the Bread of Life, He gave Himself entirely to us through His life, passion, death and resurrection. He gave us nothing less than Himself so that we can share in the life of God. Coming to Jesus who gives us the capacity to love and to give will help us to be courageous to do the right thing in a most charitable way.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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