Homily For Monday Third Week of Easter Year C, 5th May, 2025

Readings: Acts. 6:8-15; Ps.119; John 6:22-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

BEARING AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF THE LORD IN OUR DAILY LIFE 

 

In every human heart, there is a secret garden which God has made uniquely for himself and that garden is our conscience. However, God is always at the gate of this garden knocking, but we pretend not to hear him. The truth is that every day, God gives us the grace to experience him and bear witness; he makes himself present in us, but we often ignore him or pretend we do not perceive his presence. 

This was the attitude of the men who sought to kill Stephen out of jealousy in our first reading today, where we heard the account of St. Stephen, one of the first deacons who, full of grace and power, bears witness to the risen Lord before the people. He worked many miracles and great signs among the people. 

But some group of men felt so infuriated and ground their teeth at him since they could not withstand his wisdom. Nevertheless, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This he witnessed before them and they saw his face like that of an angel.  

Dear friends, this was possible because Stephen completely opened the door of his heart and found God; he witnessed him with his life. We, too, have been given the grace to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Jesus, who tells us in our Gospel passage today to believe in him and work for the food which endures eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering us. That is the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation. 

These were the food that Stephen had received from the Lord when he opened the door of his heart, and this same food he offered to the members of the Sanhedrin, but they could not comprehend or withstand it. Therefore, Jesus is calling us to work for these kind of food that comes from the heart of a person who has personally encountered him, the risen Lord. 

So, let us open our hearts to embrace the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation which the Lord is offering to humanity to bear authentic witness of him to the world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of Your goodness in the world, especially at this moment when humanity needs You the most. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. As the week begins, be strong, be hopeful and stay safe for God is still in control.