Pascha VII

Pascha VII 2016 – Cycle C Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 97; Revelation 22: 12-14, 16-17, 20; John 17: 20-26

“But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon

[Stephen] together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.  Now Saul was consenting to [Stephen’s] execution.”  [Acts of the Apostles 7:55-60; 8:1]

Why did the Jewish people and leadership of Jerusalem not only refuse to continue to listen to Stephen but then summarily to execute him? Why does Saul through his inaction offer his silent approval?

The fundamental answer is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of change. The official charge brought against Stephen was that he never stopped saying things against the Temple and the Mosaic Law and that he said Jesus would destroy the holy place and change the customs of Moses. [See Acts of the Apostles 6:13-14] They are understandably common fears of humanity. The fear of the unknown. The fear of change. They are fears that, from human experience, deserve merit and reflection.

The unknown. Consider entering your home, a familiar place, when it is dark or the power is out. Familiar objects casting menacing shadows can cause the imagination to conjure up threatening presences and the heart to beat faster – until there is light. Change. Change can be experienced as a surprising, unexpected and welcome variation on the familiar or as an attack on that which is established and well-known. All Catholics have experienced one of the sides of change in regard to the renewal of the liturgy.

And though we are encouraged throughout scripture not to be afraid and by Jesus himself that fear is useless [See Luke 8:50, Mark 5:36]; fear is understandable and fear can be a good, warning us of an impending danger.   Regretfully, fear more often than not though engenders responses of shutting down the art of listening and dialogue which can lead to knowledge and insight; can engender violence and companion, silent complicity – another form of violence. This human experience is all telescoped in the brief telling of the story about Saint Stephen; a story that sadly reoccurs at all levels of human life.

For all the new and positive possibilities being afforded humanity through the sciences, medical research, surgical procedures, the internet with its democratization of knowledge, the development of clean energy, the abilities of global communication and travel so that humanity can experience itself as one; we seem to be in a period of human history that especially is fearful and dividing us.

Violence in our streets to global terrorism, trade and economic issues impinging on employment, religious extremism birthing violence rather than peace, tribalism, isolationism, and rabid nationalism, environmental threats and cynicism are producing what is perceived as a dangerous world. As in the past, it is easier in this climate to listen to voices that are confident, but what is their content and message? It is easier to reach for quick, simplistic answers to complex issues, but are they realistic and healthy solutions? It is easier to react then to taking the reflective time needed to lay a solid foundation for insight, reflection and the common good for the future. It is easier to seek out scapegoats than the truth. For amidst all the talking heads of the media is not the ultimate victim, truth? The cynic today makes Pontius Pilate’s words their own, “What is truth?” [John 18:38].

Next Sunday is the completion of the Resurrection Feast marked by the Solemnity of Pentecost. Pentecost is when the fear that filled the apostles and early community, resulting in their inaction, was dispelled and replaced by courage and boldness to proclaim Christ crucified. Pentecost is when truth came in the form of a multicultural gathering of people being forged into one by the power and message of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is the day a group calling itself American Bikers United Against Jihad is planning a motorcycle ride though the hamlet of Islamberg to rally against the presence of a perceived evil in our midst. Islamberg is a rural hamlet founded in the late 1980s outside the town of Hancock by Mubarak Ali Gilani, a Pakistani  Sufi cleric. Sufism is the mystical tradition of Islam. He and a group of primarily African American Muslims left New York City to live a simple life and practice their religion without bothering their neighbors.

Sound familiar? It should.

It is the reason that brought the Puritan Separatist Pilgrims to North America, the Massachusetts Colony. It is the reason why the State of Maryland was formed as a refuge for persecuted Catholics. It is the reason Roger Williams founded the Providence Plantation, today, the State of Rhode Island, that welcomed Anabaptists, Quakers and Jews. It is the reason why William Penn founded the Province of Pennsylvania as a refuge for Quakers being persecuted, along with Anglicans, by the Puritans. It is the reason Joseph Smith led his followers, the Mormons out west. It is the reason why Jews desired a permanent homeland in Palestine after World War II. It is the reason why Pakistan was created for Muslims and India reserved for Hindus. It is the reason why peoples of many religion, particularly minorities such as the Yazidis and our sister and brother Christians through the Middle East, are on the move.

People who follow the religion known as Islam, desire the same peace and protection. Followers of Islam desire a freedom from the caricatures created of them by fearful people. We have witnessed the horrific caricatures and scapegoating experienced by the Jews throughout their history and most recently under Nazism and continued under neo-Nazi groups in our country and the world. We have experienced the prejudicial and bigoted images and attacks against Catholics under the No Nothing Party in the 19th century and during the election of John F. Kennedy, who was to become the first Catholic president whom, we all know, would have a direct phone line to the Pope and take his orders from Rome. Do you remember Sinead O’Connor on 3 October 1992 singing, “We have confidence in the victory of good over evil. Fight the real enemy.” and then tear up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live?

It is most regretful that religion can be used for violence or that the poor example of people of faith, are causing others to reject a relationship with God. People of faith must take responsibility for this sad history of violence or inaction on certain issues recurring in our time. It is easy to manipulate God and ancient sacred texts. But it must be also remembered fearful people are not bad people. Fear causes good people to be paralyzed as we see in the figure of Saul and make evil choices as we see in the crowds who stoned Stephen.

Do you remember on 10 October 1992, Joe Pesci holding up a taped-together picture of Pope John Paul? That will happen again next Sunday, Pentecost, when people are traveling and gathering in Islamberg in support of religious freedom, against fear, ignorance and violence and to stand alongside people of another faith – lest Stephen again be stoned.