Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Lectionary: 696

…people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

In search of a quip attributed to Adlai Stevenson, I came across this appropriate quote,

Unreason and anti-intellectualism abominate thought. Thinking implies disagreement; and disagreement implies nonconformity; and nonconformity implies heresy; and heresy implies disloyalty — so, obviously, thinking must be stopped. But shouting is not a substitute for thinking and reason is not the subversion but the salvation of freedom.

(I was looking for this story: When a woman called out to Presidential Candidate Adlai Stevenson, "Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person!" he replied, “That's not enough, madam, we need a majority!”)

As we celebrate the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, we remember the wisdom and spirit which animated the first followers of Jesus. His disciples were well prepared to tell his story among the intellectual elite of the Greco-Roman world and in the slave quarters of the poor. What they said made sense to rich and poor alike, and they said it with great conviction!

If the story of God's becoming a human being, dying on a cross and raised up again seemed preposterous at first, when pitted against the challenge of redemption it made perfect sense. We could not be saved by any other act, divine or human.

Saint Paul, in his letter to the slaves of Corinth, showed how God’s wisdom astounded and overwhelmed human wisdom:

…we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (I Cor 2: 7-8)

He also spoke of God’s spirit, which is not like the human spirit,

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. (I Cor 2:12)

It would be easy to interpret the story of Saint Stephen as an example of enthusiasm. He seemed to be carried away by the Holy Spirit. That might lead one, in turn, to justify foolishness. We have all seen downright stupidity justified by Christian sincerity and enthusiasm. That witness does no service to the Church or the Lord. 

We have also seen "orthodox wisdom" lacking Spirit. It has all the animation of a busted balloon. 

Stephen was Wise in the Spirit and that is why his opponents could not dismiss him as another madman. He made perfect sense! They had to agree with him or kill him.

Our religious/political world is no less complex today than it was in Stephen’s day. It needs and deserves our wisdom and our spirit as we demand a fair hearing of the truth, and justice for all – born and unborn.