Modern martyrs

Acts 8:1-8

          The state of the early church was quite bad. Jesus had been crucified. He had risen but there was still a great fear of being dragged off. Stephen, the first deacon, was stoned to death as this passage alludes to. This passage also speaks of a pre-converted Paul, err, Saul who is going around killing Christians, placing them in jail. Things are looking bleak. The faithful are scattered though still preaching and living the Word.

           Sometimes we too are faced with adversity. Some people when they are pushed, push back hard, some recoil and shrivel up.   People who have been marginalized  have great empathy when they read these passages because they know what it is like to be shunned, persecuted and tormented.

             People of color very often have vibrant faith because they know exactly what it is like to by unduly persecuted, marginalized  and told (in word and deed) that they are not worthy.  Sometimes the fabric of society perpetuates such wrongs.  It only will be taken for so long before people who have recoiled decide to rise up and strike back at the oppressors.  Human history is full of stories of peoples rising up against oppressors. This is the stuff of which heroes and martyrs are made of

           By all accounts, the gay community should have a vibrant faith.  In the face of being marginalized and demonized, though they are welcome in many churches if not leading them, as long as they are on the down low. How many Catholic priests are gay and silent to the abuse heaped on them by the very church they serve. This makes fighting back and speaking up even more challenging.  The gay community is somewhat scattered. The L-G-B-T-Q's aren't always attuned to each other even though the rising up has begun. Stonewall and similar stands have accentuated our demand for our equal rights under the law and that we are chosen and beloved children of God, no better than anyone else but certainly no worse.

        As Stepehen was the first martyr, there will be martyrs in every cause. The causes that elevate humanity and seek dignity and a voice to love and freedom are the ones worth actually dying for. I pray none of us will have to give our lives simply to be who we are. As I recall the persecutions under Paul, I cannot help but think of the Tyler Clemente's, the Harvey Milk's and the  Matthew Shepherd's in our world.  We may be scattered  and we may be persecuted but we are called to dignity and to stand our ground as a God given right.

          

And Saul approved of their killing him.

That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city.