Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
(Acts 7:51-8:1a; John 6:30-35)
A few years ago Clint Eastwood made a movie in which the
protagonist dies in Christ-like fashion.
In “The Grand Turino” Eastwood plays a retired auto worker who undergoes
a conversion. Originally hostile to
minorities, the man changes his outlook when he experiences the integrity of a
Hmong family who move into his neighborhood.
In the movie’s last scene the hero willingly walks into a death trap in
order to redeem the life of a young Hmong.
As he is riddled with bullets, he outstretches his arms like Christ on
the cross.
In the first reading we see Stephen also dying like
Jesus. As Jesus was unjustly executed so
is Stephen. As Jesus was taken past the
walls of Jerusalem for crucifixion, Stephen is stoned outside the city. Stephen’s last words are paraphrases of
Jesus’. First, he petitions Jesus, as
Jesus the Father, to “…receive my spirit.”
Then, like Jesus, he asks forgiveness for his executioners.
Since death is an inevitability of life, we should prepare
ourselves so that we too might die like Jesus.
By rehearsing, “Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit,” before bed
every night, we may emit these words with our dying breath. By daily praying for those who have offended
us, we are not likely to have any enemies when we die. But if any remain, we will easily remember to
pray for them as we go to God.
