The 7th Sunday is a “waiting” Sunday. After the Ascension, we now wait for the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What characterises this waiting? The 1st Reading gives us a clue and so too the Gospel.The most striking feature of the 1st Reading is the description of Stephen’s death. His death bears a similarity to Christ’s death. What Christ went through Stephen did too. The Gospel on the other hand gives us a glimpse into Christ’s priestly prayer. First, He prays for Himself. Then, He prays for His disciples and today, He prays for you who have come to believe through the teaching of the Apostles. Christ prays for us that we may be united in our faith; a unity that reflects His unity with the Father and the Spirit.
Now the question to ask is what this “waiting” has to do with the martyrdom of Stephen and with unity that Christ prayed for?
Waiting is not easy. It means that we suspend everything in order to do nothing. And that is exhausting. A good example of this type of waiting can be borne out in marital relationship. An appointed 5 pm departure becomes a 6:15 pm exit. The 75 minutes is always a wait in anticipation if the spouse is to come out. Within this waiting, a person can grow restless and resentful. Those who are married and have to wait for a spouse to get ready for a function knows the cynical feeling of a promise not kept. Thus, an anticipated night of revelry begins with annoyance. When a person waits without certainty, his resolve is weakened.
But, in Christ, waiting is fruitful and faithful. The first mention of Stephen is on 26th of December. Immediately after the birth of Christ, the Church proposes a model for our reflexion. Faithfulness to Christ is fruitful in martyrdom, that is, in active witnessing. Today, we hear Stephen again… in the context of waiting for the Spirit to come, Stephen already stands up for the faith. But, mind you, martyrdom is not always about blood. But, it is always about witnessing to Christ.
Thus, waiting does not mean that we stop living. Unfortunately, for many of us, waiting means just that. A married couple stop looking at each other because they are busy looking after the children. They have stopped living as a couple because they are waiting for the children to grow up. They think that they can resume their couple-ship after the children are grown. Many have discovered too late that when the nest is empty, when their common interests have flown the coop, they have nothing in common anymore.
It is the same way we can look at serving the Church. Young people often think of a time when they will be able to serve God. In general, if you do not start now, you may never start in the future. I know of a lady who started serving this parish at 34 and is still serving the parish. And there are many who have made their commitment young are still doing so. Although an important caveat needs to be highlighted that one must not neglect one’s duties as spouse or parent. It is a tough balance but the point is that important things often are done during the time when we wait for something else to happen. One does not become a saint at one’s death. If one is not a saint now, one will never be a saint after one’s death. Stephen did not wait for martyrdom to come. As he lived Christ fully, martyrdom came to him.
Here, we begin to discern an important criterion for our Christian living. The martyrdom of St Stephen whilst waiting for Pentecost may be read in the context of our larger and longer life as we wait to enter heaven. There is really “no waiting”—you cannot wait for a right time to be good, honest, patient or kind. Therefore, you cannot wait for a day to stop drinking (if you are an alcoholic) or stop gambling (if you are a gambler) etc. Of course, you may try and you fail but that is another matter altogether.
So, in this period of waiting for the Holy Spirit to come, we must wait as if the Holy Spirit is already with us. He is the Spirit of truth and unity as we heard Christ prayed. This prayer is even more striking if you consider that Christianity is to be a reflexion of the unity that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Yet, we are divided and are still dividing. We know how far we are from that reality but again here waiting for unity may be in vain because that unity of Christ does not come at the end. It must begin now especially when we begin to make right our personal lives. There is a unity (that is, a one-ness) when one’s conscience is at home with Christ’s will and His teaching expressed through the Church. Furthermore, the unity of the Church is not up there but really down here because “up there” is but a reflexion of the unity at home and at our local Christian community. You know how it can be like when we disagree. The surat layang (poison pen letters) we receive are testimonies of how vicious we can become at the local level. Ecumenism, if it is to succeed, must begin at home and at our local Church.
Today we celebrate Communications Sunday and according to the Pope, all media must be directed to unity and truth. In that, let there be a resolve to communicate better with one another so that as witnesses, we may spur each other on to victory. This is what we owe each other—an expression of the love Christ has called us to.
