Ancient Wisdom: May 18, 2014 (Year A)

Read:  Acts 7:55-60

Meditation: “Covering Our Ears”

Stephen was stoned because the angry crowd covered their ears (v 57).  It was all over after that.  It still is.

When we stop listening, we stop relating.  When we stop listening, we cease learning.  When we stop listening, we lose perspective.  When we stop listening, we define reality solely on our terms.  And once we have done things like this, we can convince ourselves to do anything necessary to “defend the cause” and “maintain righteousness.”

In Stephen’s case, it meant the crowd felt justified in taking matters into their own hands.  And that made it all right to drag him out of the city with their hands, pick up stones with their hands, and throw them with their hands–until he was dead. 

Stephen’s greatest vision became grounds for his execution.  People who had said “thou shalt not murder” many times in the synagogue, now cried, “kill him” in the street.  And that’s what happens when we cover our ears.