HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK OF EASTER, YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: THE PERSECUTED
BY: FR. KARABARI PAUL
‘On that day, a great persecution arose against the Church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles ‘ (Acts 8:1).
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At first glance, Stephen’s death in the First Reading (Acts 8:1-8) may also seem pointless. Here was another promising life cut short. He was a powerful, miraculous preacher with a deep knowledge of the Old Testament. Such was the godly character of his life that he was one of the seven chosen by the church to oversee its daily affairs. Why was it necessary that one so gifted have such a brief ministry?
Further, his ministry seemed to have ended in failure. Not only was he killed as a heretic, but his death also triggered the first persecution against the entire church. That persecution, spearheaded by Saul of Tarsus, scattered the Jerusalem fellowship. Such a skewed view of Stephen’s death, however, betrays a lack of understanding of the way God works. The persecution, which seemed to be a negative thing, was, in reality, a positive factor. It led to the first great missionary spread by the early church. Satan’s attempt to stamp out the church’s fire merely scattered the embers and started new fires around the world. In the words of the early church Father Tertullian, the blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church. What Satan and his instruments meant for evil, God meant for good. This, and so many other situations like it, are instances where “God uses evil for good”. The predictions of the Lord Jesus Christ were coming true: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20); “they will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2).
The Christians maintained their faith and preserved their lives by flight to points where their persecutors could not be bothered to reach them. It was sufficient for them to flee to the countryside of Judea and Samaria in order to escape from trouble. The members of the church in Jerusalem may not have understood what was happening to them, but Jesus would not let His church become limited racially, culturally, or geographically.
Persecution forced the believers out of their homes in Jerusalem, but with them went the gospel. The gospel shows no favouritism. Salvation is intended for all nations. The cross of Christ is long enough to bridge any chasm between people. Sometimes, we have to become uncomfortable before we act. We may not want to experience it, but discomfort may be the best thing for us because God may be working through our discomfort. When you are tempted to complain about uncomfortable or painful circumstances, stop and ask if God might be preparing you for a special task.
You probably already know this, but choosing to follow Jesus doesn’t mean that everything is easy from that point forward. In reality, living as a Christian can often have its own set of challenges. The Bible says: ‘Everyone who wants to live as God desires, in Christ Jesus, will be persecuted’ (2 Timothy 3:12). Maybe you are in a community where being a Christian is faced with challenges. Or maybe you are being persecuted even by your family on account of your religious faith. Whatever your situation, staying close to God and confident in your faith is the answer. When talking about persecution, Jesus said: ‘But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved’ (Matthew 10:22 ). We may not really know the positive things God is making out of our seemingly bad situations. We just have to be courageous and sustain our faith in Christ. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God bless you and your household always through Christ our Lord Amen.
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