GROWING IN THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION

MONDAY, Third Week of Eastertide

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP

Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24,26-27,29-30; Jn 6:22-29

Growing in the Spirit of Adoption

Stephen was one of the deacons ordained by the apostles to help in the daily distribution of food. The ordination of the seven deacons was decided by the apostles and according to the will of God. We say this based on our understanding of the Holy Spirit-led life of the new community. The Holy Spirit resides in each of the disciples of the Lord and collectively in the heavenly community founded by the Risen Lord. Thus, the collective decision of the apostles to ordain the seven deacons elected by the community is considered the will of God. The Lord instituted the diaconate Order through the apostles for the good of the Church. So, it is a valid ministry in the community of the faithful. The ordination of Stephen was a divine vocation to put his many spiritual gifts to use in the service of the community. He made an offer of himself, as all whom God calls to the ministry are required to do, and the Holy Spirit used him to accomplish divine will. The scripture described him as ‘a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.’ God gives his Holy Spirit to all to drink, but each drink according to his capacity. Some may start with a small capacity, but by their continuous self-giving, their capacity increases with time. The faith of Stephen was the reason for his election by the community because the members had already noticed his selfless service and dedication to God. Hence, he was elected first for the Order of the diaconate. His self-emptying also explains why he is said to be ‘full of the Holy Spirit.’ The Holy Spirit prompted him easily because of his dedication and faith in the Lord. “Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people.” These gifts that manifested in him were given to him by the Holy Spirit to do the work God had planned for him to do. Thus, what is required from each of us so that God may fulfil his will in the community is docility to the Holy Spirit and self-dedication to divine will.

We contrast Stephen’s total dedication of self to do the will of God, which is an expression of his faith in God, to the crowd of people who ate the five Bailey loaves of bread and two fish that Jesus Christ multiplied and fed the five thousand on the mountain. Their coming to the Lord was not prompted by faith but by their selfish interest in the food they ate. They sought him out to satisfy their craving for material food. They were not looking for the spiritual food that his word is for souls. Our Lord pointed this out to them immediately. “I tell you most solemnly, you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat. Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.” Like these people seeking Jesus for more bread, many of us practice religion and spirituality not to do the will of God but for one benefit or another. This interested followership of Jesus Christ is contrary to the Spirit of Christianity. It is contrary to our baptism into the death of Christ. Our coming to God through Jesus Christ is to die to self and live unto God. Jesus Christ died for us so that we live no longer for ourselves but for him. Our adoption as children of God can only come to perfection through this dying to self, as we see exemplified in the life of Stephen. Without dying to self, our spiritual gifts would be used for self-glorification and not for the glory of God and the accomplishment of his divine will. With the psalmist, we must say to God daily, “Your will is my delight; your statutes are my counsellors.”

Let us pray:  Grant us, Lord, your grace that we may follow Jesus Christ our Lord in his self-sacrifice, so that we may receive the full Spirit of adoption he won for us.  

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