Yesterday was Christmas…in case you needed to be reminded. What a joyous day after the last 9 months of darkness throughout much of the world. Lights, gifts, food, family (though reduced in most cases due to COVID). Beautiful music. What a celebration. And the Gospel readings yesterday reflected that as well. Shepherds leaving their fields to greet the newly born Christ child. Joseph being told in a dream about the miracle of Mary’s conception. Later we will hear of the Magi coming to greet the child. The church invites celebration after we pass through the anticipation of Advent. Pass the eggnog!!
Then…we get today’s Gospel. Jesus sends out the 12 to spread the good news. But he tells them about being scourged, being handed over to courts. They will be hated and their will be division among their families. And in the Acts of the Apostles from today’s first readings we hear the story of Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church. He goes out and joyously proclaims Jewish salvation history up until the time of Christ. He had to be pretty stoked. But how was he greeted? With stones. And I don’t mean Mick Jagger and the boys. He becomes the first martyr among the disciples.
Why does the church choose to follow up the celebration and joys of Christmas with death and division? It’s like, can’t we just enjoy this for a little while before we are greeted the next day by Debbie Downer?!
But isn’t that the way it has been since the beginning of time? Good follows evil and is followed by good…and by evil…and good.. Well, you get the picture. Adam and Eve in paradise ..Adam and Eve eat the apple and we get the fall. Cain and Abel to start humanity….Cain kills Abel. Jacob has 12 sons…Joseph gets sold into slavery. Joseph ascends in Egyptian government and helps feed his family during the drought…the new Egyptian king forgets Joseph and enslaves the Israelites. Moses saves his people…his people worship a Golden Calf. The Israelites dwell in the land of Canaan with God’s help…they turn their backs on God over and over and over leading to their captivity in Babylon. They receive the Messiah…they reject the Messiah.
It is as if the church is reminding us what Christ told us. To follow Him we must be prepared to carry our crosses. The contrast between Christmas Day and the martyrdom of Stephen is striking. The light of the world shown brightly one day and the gloom of death the next day. We will have the Epiphany soon but then the Passion. But what follows the Passion? It is the event that puts all these highs and lows into perspective….The Resurrection.
Because of the Resurrection all histories lows become less ominous. Death is followed by eternal life. Stephen sees Christ at God’s right hand while his earthly life is ending. And if you need more proof about how God can give salvation in the throws of defeat, just look at who was on hand during Stephen’s stoning. It was Saul keeping watch over the stoner’s (yeah, I know, more double meaning here…I just love doing that) cloaks. And who does Saul become? The greatest apostle of them all. Paul. He brings the message of salvation to the world.
So don’t let life’s lows drag you into the pit. Yes, we have Christmas to give us a period of joy. But more important than Christmas is that we will soon have Easter. And Easter isn’t one day of celebration then back to work. Easter gives us a new day, every day. Into eternity.
