We are told in the first reading that those who escaped the persecution “because of Stephen” travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch. Imagine how intimidating to the authorities was Stephen’s message that it triggered a full-on assault of anyone else who seemed to be an adherent of this new and revolutionary movement.
Yesterday we spoke about the importance of the new kind of circumcision—the circumcision of the heart, and this is the exact expression Stephen uses when he calls out the stubbornness of those he was addressing when he said to them, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you also… Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him.” But there it is: “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears” Acts 7:51
Today we have the story of the Church being founded in Antioch in Syria by those who did allow the Holy Spirit to circumcise their hearts and ears. This happened immediately after Saint Stephen’s martyrdom. From Stephen to today’s events, we have already seen the dealings of Philip the deacon, and Saint Peter’s interactions with the gentiles, and even the conversion of Saint Paul, which by now has already taken place.
At first the message was only being shared with their fellow-Jews. Jewish Christians, however, more pluralistic societies like those of Cyprus and Cyrene, on the north coast of Africa, also began to approach “Hellenists”, i.e. the non-Jewish Greeks who were not circumcised. These latter displayed a great openness to the Holy Spirit and many of them became followers of the Lord Jesus.
We notice that these people used the term “Lord Jesus” more than the designation of “Christ”, the latter being more of a messianic title the Jews would have been familiar with. The conversions of even the gentiles was an indication of God’s approval and blessing on their work at times even accompanied by signs and wonders. And so the church in Antioch was founded which would be just one of many that would follow.
Now back in the Church at Jerusalem, Jewish converts were accustomed to only men and women of their ranks as becoming Christians. This idea that gentiles too were embracing the Messiah, was new to them, and so they sent Barnabas to investigate. Barnabas would have been the perfect delegate for this mission given he was a Hellenistic Jew from Cyprus and would understand their culture much better than others. We see here then that the authorities in Jerusalem, led by the apostles themselves, had been the central hub which oversaw any new churches being founded. In other words, even at such an early stage, we are already seeing the importance of a centralized leadership which would be the final word on matters pertaining to the universal Church.
Barnabas, we are told by Luke was “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24) rejoiced when he found a very authentic and genuine Christianity in Antioch in these newly converted gentiles and encouraged them wholeheartedly to continue what they were doing.
Barnabas then heads to Tarsus, in what is now the south-eastern corner of Turkey, and fetches Saul who had returned there because he wasn’t being believed by the Early Christians as a genuine Christian knowing how he initially made murderous threats against them which in some cases like Stephen’s he actually made good on. He was thought to be planning the destruction of the Church by posing as a convert.
Barnabas, convinced of his authenticity brings him back to Antioch and they stayed there for a year together strengthening the local church that had just been established. Who knows how beautifully the faith was being expressed in those days.
It was here in Antioch that the followers of Christ first began being called “Christians”. It is not clear if it is a name they gave themselves or if it was the label of contemptuous persecutors, but in any case, the early converts were honoured to be known as such.
As Catholics, we need to remember that we are Catholic “Christians” and that we have Protestant “Christian” brothers and sisters. A lot of people distinguish themselves from the Catholic Church by saying they are “Christians” perhaps unintentionally insinuating that Catholics aren’t Christians. This is not only incorrect, but it’s also offensive, especially given that the Catholic Church is the only one which can claim to go back to Christ himself, through the apostles, and thereby through the earliest of Christians. We need to be proud of this, yet, only if we are truly trying to live the gospel, as otherwise we would be Christian in name only and that would serve not only as nothing, but when we meet Christ on the day of our judgement, we would sadly hear the words, “I do not know you.” We live for him, and we feel him in our lives each day, and this is how we know, he knows us, and we know him. “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me” John 10:27. These are Christ’s own words in today’s gospel.
Some questions we can ask ourselves, given what we just reflected on:
What brand or form or intensity of Christianity are we living in our local parish?
Is there anything we can do, like Paul and Barnabas in Antioch, to help support the faith of others within our parish community?
What kept this Church in Antioch vibrant, authentic and genuine?
These can be some of the take-aways from today’s readings. Of course, Saint Francis of Assisi was such a man who pondered these beautiful readings, but then did his utmost to apply them to his own life and circumstances. He was radical. So were the early converts led by the likes of Paul and Barnabas. How radical are we in our love for Jesus? Let’s ask our dearest Queen and Mother to acquire graces for us which will help us develop more and more a strong, vibrant and passionate love for her Son, who is the Source of all our joy, peace, and strength and may we, like the apostles, bring others to Christ so that they too may be blessed by his graces and gifts.
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