6th Week of Easter, Tuesday, May 16
Acts
16:22-34 / John 16:5-11
Jesus speaks about the Spirit; "The Spirit will convict the world about sin. "
The expression "convict the world," or "prove the world wrong," means something very special. It means the world will recognize on its own that it was wrong. The religious leaders who crucified Jesus on Good Friday didn't believe they were sinning. But when they heard Peter preach about the crucifixion on Pentecost, they were seized with the terrible conviction that what they had done was wrong. Moreover, they were the by which that incredible crime had been committed. (Acts 2:37)
***
How
sensitive are we in our life and in our conscience? Peter said to the crowd on
Pentecost, " 'God has made this Jesus whom you crucified.' Now when they
heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
'What are we to do, my brothers?'
***
St Simon Stock Confessor (c.1165 -1265)
This native of Kent, England (born at Ayelsford), received his nickname, “Simon of the Stock” from the legend that at the age of 12 he started living as a hermit in the hollow of a great oak tree and continued to do so for 63 years! He was known as an itinerant preacher, until he joined the Carmelite Order in 1240 soon after its introduction into England, driven out of Jerusalem by the Moslems.
In 1247 he was elected 6th General of the Order at whose spread he laboured with much zeal and success despite his advanced age. Houses were opened for the training of young Carmelites in the great University cities of the time, viz., Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and Bologna; the rule of the Order was also modified so as to make the former hermits into mendicant friars. An ancient Carmelite tradition relates that Our Lady appeared to St Simon on 16 July 1251, and presented him with the Brown Scapular to which she attached the well-known privilege, i.e., “This shall be the privilege for you and for all Carmelites, that anyone dying in this habit, shall be saved.” Thus to him is ascribed the spread of the scapular devotion.
Simon Stock died on 16 May 1265 at Bordeaux. Though never formally canonized, his relics have long been venerated as those of a saint in the Cathedral at Bordeaux and in the Carmelite Monastery at Aylesford, England.
***
Paul started his work in Philippi, a Roman colony. The empire builders had built settlements for army veterans at strategically important places. Though retired, they were very loyal and ready to defend the realm. The via-Ignatia, a road that connected Babylon with Rome, passed through the town. Here we come to learn the meaning of an expression often used: missionary spirit, full commitment and dedication to the Word of God. A possessed girl was used by her rich owner as a soothsayer. She foretold the clients their future. Paul exorcised her, not considering the consequences this was bound to have. Having lost their main source of income, these unscrupulous men dragged the missionaries before the magistrate. Without a trial they were condemned, were given many lashes and then thrown into prison. There they prayed and sang God's praises. They rejoiced to be allowed to suffer for the love of Jesus. They meant it to be their share in redeeming this world with the suffering Christ. The next day the jailer became a Christian. he, who had put them into the stocks. Paul bore him no grudges; he instructed him whilst the jailer washed and bandaged the wounds. That is the missionary spirit. From there they went to Lydia 's house to recover.
***
The
life of Christ which the community of Christ leads and the mentality of Christ
alive is in the Church, will bear witness against the world as far as it is
still unredeemed and full of evil. The world accuses Christ to be a sinner,
finds him guilty in its trial as an unjust man and condemns him. But who is the
sinner? Who is found guilty? Who is condemned? Not Christ but the world. Who
will prove this? The Spirit of Christ alive in the Church. If the Church lives
the life of the just Christ, the works of the world will stand out as unjust,
and the life of Christ led by Christians will be a condemnation of the world
and its powers of evil.
***
There
are many movies about people who were wrongly accused and they had to go
through the turmoil of being arrested, thrown into prison, but later they
escaped and much later they were exonerated. Movies like "The
Fugitive" and maybe "Shawshank Redemption" have this particular
theme. The 1st reading also has a bit of this theme, as Paul and Silas were
flogged and thrown into prison, not for any wrong-doing, but because of the
hostility against them. But it was in that prison that something supernatural
happened as they were praying and singing God's praises. There was a strong
earthquake, the doors flew open, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.
It
was quite obvious that God was intervening for His messengers. It was also like
what Jesus said in the gospel about what the Holy Spirit will do to show the
world how wrong it was about sin, about who is in the right, and about
judgement. Our share of turmoil may not be as dramatic as that of Paul and Silas.
And
when wrong is done to us, or when we are wrongly accused, our instinct may be
that of retaliation. But an eye-for-an-eye and a tooth-for-a-tooth mentality
has never brought about any good.
Let
us follow what Paul and Silas did. Let us keep praying and singing God's
praises. That will bring about an intervention of the Holy Spirit that will
bring about God's judgement.
***
Christians
live in the world. The world is always a danger to men. Christ is the light,
but men like darkness more. Holy Spirit will show men how wrong sin. Greek word
'paraclete' is 'advocate' in Latin. It reminds us of the court of law. It means
the one who is called in to help us. As an advocate, by cross examination,
brings out and shows to the discerning judge the guilt, so the Holy Spirit
leads us to understand what sin is. No Christian will understand the need of a
Saviour unless he has a clear idea about sin, or a sense of sin. It is the
Spirit that has to show the ugliness of sine He will have to lead us to the
foot of the Cross and make us look up to him who died for the sins of men.
There the Christian understands what sin has done and what he has to do. The
Spirit will always make us understand judgement and that the prince of this
world is already condemned.
***
Prayer
Lord,
our God, you demand much of us, your Church, by calling us to be witnesses of
your Son and of his message, although we are men and women who share in the sin
of the world. Send us your Holy Spirit to open us all the time, to renewal and
conversion, that your Church may show to the world the true face of Jesus
Christ, your Son and our Lord forever. Amen
