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During the Easter season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles at daily and Sunday Masses. Acts, written by Saint Luke the Evangelist, tells the history of the early church. Acts opens with the disciples gathered in waiting prayer. Then on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes with power and the disciples begin to preach everywhere. Thousands of people were baptized and brought into the community.

In Acts, we read that the message of Jesus was proclaimed by the Apostles and that many hearers became believers. In Acts, we read also about how the new Christians met persecution and harassment. We also read about internal disagreements within the Christian community. From outside and sometimes from within the Church, there were problems, but there was no stopping the work of evangelization.

The stoning and death of Stephen is one of the most dramatic and significant stories in Acts. Stephen was not one of the 12 apostles. It seems that he was a new convert who was set apart for charitable service. We understand Stephen to be among the first deacons. He becomes a powerful and effective preacher, which drew hostility from the leaders.

Because he wouldn't back down, the mob was enraged and attacked Stephen with rocks. As Stephen died, he prayed like Jesus for forgiveness for his murderers. The story of Stephen's martyrdom is found in Chapter 7. Luke mentions, almost in passing, that a young man names Saul took care of the cloaks of the killers and that he approved of the killing. In an ironic and dramatic twist, Saul eventually became Paul, the greatest and most successful evangelizer and apostle.

The death of Stephen was a catastrophe for the young community. In Chapter 8, Luke tells us that the early Christians ran away from Jerusalem and from the dangers posed by Saul and the other enemies of Christ. The people were afraid and scattered. It seemed that he killing of Stephen had the desired effect of dampening the courage of the early Church.

But there is a surprising aftermath from the scattering of the young Church. Luke tells us, "Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word". Instead of crushing the Church, the persecution caused the story of Jesus to spread farther.

Luke tells us about Philip, another new convert, who encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, an African with a suspect sexuality, someone who would be outcast in Jewish society. After explaining the story of Jesus, Philip baptized the eunuch. The new Christian returned to Ethiopia on fire with his new faith. And the Church was established in Ethiopia.

Time and again, I listen to 21st century social commentators puzzled about the tenacity of Christianity, particularly Catholicism. Despite persecution, belittlement and sometimes internal scandals, people still find hope and solace in the message of Jesus. People still join the Church and seek to live as Christians in the Catholic Church.

Just as the first Christians did not stop proclaiming Christ despite persecution, internal disagreements and hostility from all corners, we too should be ambassadors for Christ. The overall theme of the Acts of the Apostles is that the energy of the Church does not come from human effort, but from the power of God. True then, still true today.

The Acts of the Apostles reveals a church on fire with spiritual love, but also a church with ordinary human divisions and sins. It is inspiring, but also real. Celebrate the end of the Easter/Ascension/Pentecost season by reading the Acts of the Apostles. Perhaps reading the Acts of the Apostles would be a good summer spiritual activity.