Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/050512.cfm

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy
and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.

Clearly, there is nothing new about heckling. It was as common in Bible times as it is today in American political forums. Saints Paul and Barnabas met plenty of it as they announced the gospel in various Asian and European cities. Heckling is an effective way to stifle serious discussion, balanced assessment and needed reform. It threatens anyone who attempts to think more deeply about the way we do things.

But it does not slow the spread of the Gospel, as we see in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, heckling encouraged non-Jews to investigate the Church. They brought new thinking, new insights, and new vigor into the “old testament” ways of doing things.

It also demonstrated very clearly who was called to faith. Hecklers excommunicate themselves while believers lay their hearts and minds open to Jesus’ blessing:

Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.

As an old believer – a “Cradle Catholic” – I hear the Lord’s invitation to “ask anything of me in my name” and I ask him to suppress the heckler in me. Too often I hear ideas proposed, new ways of thinking, and my inner heckler starts mocking, even when politeness holds my tongue.

Heckling is not about ideas, it’s about people. It’s a sin against the dignity and respect every person deserves, whether she is speaking to a crowd or listening in the audience. It’s not far removed from assassination, which is another effective way to stifle dissent. I would suppose that for every thousand hecklers there is one assassin, one Jared Lee Loughner, whose troubled brain will absorb the contempt of the mob and gun down the speaker. If I suppose a politician, philosopher or theologian should be silenced there is someone ready to do it for me.  

I am glad to see another politician, Ron Barber, stepping into Gabby Gifford’s place and speaking in the same open manner to people in grocery store parking lots. He is determined to run a clean campaign without smearing his opponent. Whether he wins or loses the race for her seat, he is helping restore civility to America. In a civilized America Truth-speakers and Gospel lovers have nothing to fear.