Fr Jim Cogley
Feast of St Stephen
Just as day and night form a seamless unit so birth and death are closely interwoven. Yesterday we had the birth of Christ and today we remember the death of St Stephen. He was one of the brighest lights in the infant church and a prominent truth speaker. The strength of a reaction to a truth that is spoken is a good indication of it being the truth. In Stephen’s case it evoked a violent reaction that resulted in him being stoned to death. He was also involved in a dispute over what amounted to a soup kitchen where discrimination was taking place. The Jews who had become Christians were being given preferential treatment over the Gentile Christians. Having being appointed by St Peter to sort out the problem, Stephen had been successful and possibly made enemies in the process. These too may well have been looking for an opportunity to throw stones.
Feast of St John
Today is the Feast of St John who was the youngest of Christ’s band of disciples. In the scriptures he is called the beloved disciple. This could imply that his heart was that bit more open to love than the others. Usually he is mentioned in relation to his elder brother James, and together they were known as ‘the sons of thunder.’ It was they who wanted the Lord to bring down fire and brimstone on the Samaritan town that refused to welcome him. It is interesting that he is later mentioned as one of those sent to the Samaritans with the message of love. Somewhere in between he must have experienced a profound conversion. He died in his mid-nineties and towards the end of his life, having being exiled for many years on the Island of Patmos, he was accused of ever only preaching one sermon; it was always on the topic of love. When asked why he replied, ‘because there really is only one sermon.’ Centuries later, one of the great saints who would bear his name, John of the Cross would say, ‘In the end of the day we will be judged on love.’ In the end of the day we judge ourselves in the light of love.
Feast of the Holy Innocents
Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. When King Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Three Wise Men he initiated a bloodbath where all the male babies up to a certain age should be killed. He was an insecure ruler and typical of such leaders was prepared to destroy anyone who posed a threat to his power, even a newborn infant. It is a feature of the ego that it will go to any extremes in order to hold onto control. History had shown over and over that it doesn’t matter how many have to suffer and die so long as it can hold dominance. Today’s feast also points to the vulnerability of small beginnings. Everything begins as the seed of an idea that needs fertile ground. Its easy for a newly emerging sapling to be walked on and crushed. So many potentially great ideas became victims of Herod's massacre. A single word of discouragement, or someone projecting their own fear of failure, or insecurity, onto a proposal can effectively kill it off before it ever sees the light. It’s so important to encourage and never to despise the day of small beginnings.
Comments