Word to the Wise
Thursday, April 19, 2007 - Thursday in the Second Week of Easter
[Acts 5:27-33 and John 3:31-36]We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
It is clear from the Acts of the Apostles that opposition to the preaching of the apostles in regard to Jesus and what happened to him was strong in some places. Historical evidence, however, shows that the separation between synagogue and Christian community did not happen all at once but over a period of more than 100 years! One might expect the opposition to be strong in Jerusalem, but there was considerable ambiguity elsewhere as Peter, Paul and other preachers discovered. From time to time, civil authorities instigated persecutions against Christian communities if only because they publicly refused to honor the civil "gods," or serve in the armed forces! They were considered subversive. It was only with the Edict of Milan in the 4th century that the church became protected from systematic governmental persecution. Unquestionably, pious Jews in some places and pious pagans in others (cf. the stoning of Stephen - Acts 6-7 and the riot by the silversmiths - Acts 19} found the preaching offensive and threatening and responded violently. The motivating force for the disciples was simple. They had to obey God first, and human authority second. As St. Thomas More said before he was beheaded for defying Henry VIII: I die the King's good servant, but God's first! The disciples firmly believed in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to bear witness to the truth. Can we have the same courage and conviction? AMEN