HOMILY EASTER SEASON WEEK 02 02 YR II

New Life in Christ – St. Stanislaus Memorial

(Acts 5:17-26; Ps 34; Jn 3:16-21)

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“Tell the people the whole message about this life.”

The apostles were imprisoned for teaching and healing in the name of Jesus, and miraculously freed. When brought back to face their jailer, and told not to do that anymore, they carried right on.

Their faith in the Word of God that instructed them to “tell all the people about this life” was so strong they went out and carried on doing what put them in jail in the first place.

This “way of life” is nothing else but the eternal life Jesus was instructing Nicodemus about – a sharing in the divine life of the Trinity here and now through faith in Jesus and love for one another, a life of freedom from oppression and courage to speak truth to power.

The word Jesus used to describe this new life is “light.” It is interesting that we cannot see light itself – we can only see by light. The only way we can see light is when a prism, or a rainbow, breaks light into the colors that make up light. Jesus is truly that prism, that light, helping us to see the truth about life, to see reality for what it is, and to see that eternal life is what we are called to experience.

Mandy is a young woman who has struggled through a very difficult childbirth and pregnancy while going through a very abusive relationship. That whole period of suffering brought her back to the Lord and to the Church, and to a very positive attitude towards life, trying to make sense of her suffering. Her inner strength is obvious to other older members of her community, who are actually turning to her now to start a woman’s group, which surprises her, but not her pastor. She has become a bearer of light to her community.

There is some question as to the kind of light the saint we honor today shed on the world. According to tradition, Stanisław was born at Szczepanów, a village in Lesser Poland, the only son of the noble and pious Wielisław and Bogna. He was ordained a priest by Lambert II Suła, Bishop of Kraków. After the Bishop’s death (1072), Stanisław was elected his successor but accepted the office only at the explicit command of Pope Alexander II. Stanisław was one of the earliest native Polish bishops. His major accomplishments included bringing papal legates to Poland, and reestablishment of a metropolitan see in Gniezno. Stanisław then encouraged King Bolesław to establish Benedictinemonasteries to aid in the Christianization of Poland

Stanisław’s initial conflict with King Bolesław was over a land dispute that was settled, according to legend, when Stanisław resurrected Piotr, the original owner, so he could confirm he had sold the land to the Bishop. This and other disputes led Stanislaus to excommunicate the king, and the king to murder Stanislaw while he was celebrating the Eucharist, reminiscent of Oscar Romero and Thomas Becket. Some historians label all this as a traitor bishop under a violent king. However, the cult of Saint Stanisław the martyr began immediately upon his death. His light certainly shone on the people to whom he ministered. In 1245 his relics were moved to Kraków’s Wawel Cathedral. On September 17, 1253, at Assisi, Stanisław was canonized by Pope Innocent IV.

St Stanislaw

The Eucharist is a sharing in that eternal life Jesus came to share with us. It is our best way to praise the Lord at all times.

May it strengthen us to be light to the world and also to continue to praise the Lord and love one another at all times.