HOMILY OF ST STEPHEN — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: THE CHALLENGE OF TRUE PROPHETISM!
BY: Fr. Benedict Agbo
Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22
Christ said to his apostles in today’s gospel: ‘Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils…. He who endures to the end will be saved’. And so did it happen that ‘The blood of martyrs’ as Thertullian said, became ‘the seed bed of Christianity’. Why do we speak of martyrs; death and suffering just a day after Christmas? Just to remind us that Jesus was rejected so soon after his birth. The Cross and the Christian struggle against evil are inalienable indices of faith. Celebrating his birth without his death is always preposterous.
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Come to think about Stephen and John the Baptist, I see what looks like the era of crude /primitive prophetism yet the truest and purest commitment to the course of evangelism. Crude prophetism has to do with; talking at people rather than talking to them, using abusive words, sounding judgmental or self righteousness, homilitic particularization, etc. All these errors may be found in the address of Stephen in today’s 1st reading. Yet Stephen stood for the truth and spoke truth to power. He supported the Hellenist Ideology for creative and progressive Christianity against the Hebrew Ideology of traditional and conservative Christianity. He was accused of 4 blasphemies: against God, Moses, the Law and against the temple. They could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. He was so full of grace and power and did great wonders and signs among the people.
In that fiery homily, he took a historical review of Israel’s theological transgressions; He highlighted how prophets like Moses were misunderstood and opposed because of their pristine tendency towards idolatry. He told them point black: ‘You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit just as your ancestors used to do … Inspite of being given the law through Angels you have not kept it ‘. At this point they were infuriated. He ended at the raw truth that ‘the most high does not live in a house that human hands have built, Is 66: 1 – 2. This whole truth was getting too revolutionary. To make matters worse, Stephen claimed at this point to see visions of heaven. They couldn’t take it anymore. They got rid of him. Saul was their leader while Stephen prayed for their souls. Saul was spiritually convicted as a result of this debacle.
What better options could we have had? Homiletic refinement, prophetic compromise or diplomatic betrayal? It is always difficult to strike at a middle way in the area of prophetism. There seems not to be plenty of gentle prophets. The diplomacy /refinement of prophets is often synonymous to their silence. Stephen was of a different breed. St Augustine relates that St Stephen raised over 6 dead persons to life, cured many who were suffering from various diseases and performed many other worthy miracles. He was a thorough bred scholar who proved more than a match for the adversaries of Christ. We need such prophets even more as we are faced by the danger of Islamic jihadism in its various ramifications today, the menace by selfish and corrupt politicians who are bent on perpetuating themselves in power even against the people’s wish. We need prophets/ priests who can challenge evil without crossing the bounds of wisdom and prudence, without being influenced themselves by political or worldly interests. Happy Christmas dear friends!
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