HOMILY FOR 3RD MONDAY IN EASTER — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: HATERS
BY: Fr. Paul Karabari
Acts 6:8-15, Ps. 119:23-24,26-27,29-30, John 6:22-29
‘Then they secretly instigated men, who said, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’
In the First Reading (Acts 6:8-15), the Scripture says, ‘But they could not withstand the wisdom and spirit with which he (Stephen) spoke… And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council.’Like Stephen, you may be in the midst of people who don’t see what you see nor understand what you understand. We may be among people whose vision is at variance with ours. Sometimes, they take offence at you for believing what you believe and holding a peculiar opinion. For this, you can become a target for calumny, mental abuse, and even physical harm.
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This can happen in any circle we find ourselves. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the power to choose our environment. They are things that are completely outside our control. It could be a bit dangerous to be among people who feel your spirit runs against their interest. You may be forced to give up on your value if you are to stay relevant among them. Otherwise, you are forced to take the position of an enemy; at best, an outcast.
Stephen, we are told, was ‘full of the grace and power’, but the grace and power didn’t make him immune to the hatred of the people who felt inferior to such gifts. The gifts meant to build up a community became a source of trouble for the possesor. Immediately, they made him a target for destruction. Sometimes, exercising your gifts in a hostile environment can be the most difficult thing to do. Those who should accept you, begin to isolate you and see you as an enemy.
Today, there are men and women who are suffering and made victims simply because of the gifts they possess. Some have buried their talents to stay relevant among friends who see their gifts as a threat to their own dark souls. They are not ready to stand up to what they believe and accept the path of Christ; a shining light over every darkness and evil. When we run into opposition and trials in life, sometimes the first thing we want to do is stop using that gift. We stop living out who God made us to be.
God’s gifting can actually serve as a springboard for achieving our dreams, no matter what obstacles we may face. Though life can present its share of challenges, adversity doesn’t have to keep us from making the most out of our unique gifts and blessing others. Although it is easy to be discouraged, we can trust God to bring good out of every challenging situation.
GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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