Setbacks

It was a very bad time with many very bad things for the Church and its people, as we hear in today’s first reading (Acts 8:1b-8).

There broke out a severe persecution
of the Church in Jerusalem,
and all were scattered
throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria,
except the Apostles.

Devout men buried Stephen
and made a loud lament over him.

Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church;
entering house after house
and dragging out men and women,
he handed them over for imprisonment.

But today’s reading also shows some of the good things that followed some of the bad things.

Now those who had been scattered
went about preaching the word.

Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.

With one accord,
the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.

For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.

There was great joy in that city.

And we also know that Saul, the Church’s leading persecutor in today’s reading, would become Saint Paul, one of the Church’s greatest Apostles.

This is not to diminish the reality of the suffering of the Church and its people - then, now, or in the future.

But it is an important reminder that when we encounter changes, obstacles, or even troubles, we need to remain faithful and to look always for opportunities to manifest in our lives the faith, hope, and love we have in Christ.