7th Sunday of Easter 

 

My dear parishioners,

God is Good!!!  All the time!!!  And all the time!!!  God is Good!!!

Stephen has finished his speech rehearsing Israel’s history. He urges the people to accept the message of salvation, unlike their forefathers who consistently turned away from God. Their forefathers killed the prophets; this crowd prepares to kill Stephen.

Even as he faces death, Stephen continues to invite to faith the crowd gathering against him. He looks upward and sees God’s glory. He began his address by reminding the crowd that it was God’s glory that appeared to Abraham, inviting him to make the journey of faith. Even now, that glory has not been withdrawn. Furthermore, Stephen announces that he sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God, as if still welcoming anyone who will draw near in faith. The Lord is not yet seated in judgment. Still the crowd resists, even covering their ears so as not to hear what Stephen says. They stone him to death. Stephen’s final words echo those of the Lord as he died on the cross; he asks God to receive his spirit (Lk 23:46) and pleads that the sin of the people not be held against them (Lk 23:34).

The death of Stephen does not halt God’s plan of salvation. Luke gives his readers a foreshadowing of the direction God’s saving grace will take. As the witnesses who brought up false charges against Stephen (Acts 6:13) prepare to throw stones at him, they place their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. This young man sympathizes with Stephen’s attackers. But later, Saul will become the apostle to the gentiles.

Today’s Gospel is the concluding section of Jesus’ famous prayer of John 17. It is often referred to as Jesus’ high priestly prayer even though the phrase “high priest” never occurs. Jesus here assumes several characteristics of that office. Jesus prays directly to the Father. The hearer and reader are allowed to listen in— though they will never be directly addressed in the prayer.

A very important aspect of this concluding section of Jesus’ prayer is the expansion of the audience. No longer is he addressing only his present disciples. Jesus widens the audience to include those people who will become believers through the preaching and teaching of these disciples. This adds a future dynamic to the prayer.

Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Aloysius