Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, people had to be living in an exciting and yet uncertain time.  Many had seen Jesus perform miracles, which “had proven” to many, that Jesus was indeed, the Son of God.  Yet, how confusing and frightening this was to people who were members of the “so-called Synagogue of Freedom”.  Those who found comfort in the “customs that Moses handed down to us”, those who could not open themselves up to accepting the new Christian faith, by accepting the many examples of love, shown by Jesus, had to be frightened.

The first reading brought me to a reflection, a hope, that those in authority, in any institution, will be people who will judge fairly and not out of fear of new possibilities.  As members of the Christian faith, this reading is a reminder to us, of our need to grow in our understanding of how our Christian faith, should guide our daily lives by following the examples given to us by Jesus.

The readings continue to address the importance of seeking a faith that will sustain us, and give us strength and direction in life.  Jesus states ” Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.”  As Christians, we are called to a relationship with God and to live our lives, in the many roles we all have, as people, who like Stephen, in the First Reading today, are filled with grace and power and to live our lives in harmony by asking ourselves daily, “What Would Jesus Do?”