11 April 2023 - St Stanislaus - homily for Tuesday of the Octave of Easter – Acts 2:36-41

     During Lent, we heard from different prophets in our first readings, prophets such as the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. These prophets called the people of Ancient Israel to repentance and conversion because in many ways, they had turned away from God. During the Easter season, we hear about the establishment and growth of the Early Church after the death and resurrection of Jesus in the first readings of the daily masses.  This week we celebrate the Octave of Easter, a special liturgical time in our Church. In our reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about 3,000 people who were baptized in response to the message that they heard preached by Peter.  Think of how, just several days ago on Good Friday, we heard the crowds cry out in the midst of Christ’s passion, “Crucify him”  Some of those in those crowds who wanted Jesus to die could have been some of the very ones who responded to Peter’s call of repentance & baptism after Christ’s death and resurrection.  The Acts of the Apostles tells us that the people “were cut to the heart” when they realized that Jesus, who was just crucified, was made Christ and Lord by God.

       The saint we celebrate today is important figure in the history of the Church in Eastern Europe. He was born in Szczepanow near Kraków in present day Poland in 1030. His preaching and his example of faith brought about real conversion in many of his flock.  He became bishop of Kraków in 1072. In this era, there was a tense political situation in Poland at the time. Stanislaus was an outspoken critic of the king, of wars that Stanislaus saw as unjust and other actions he saw as immoral.  At first the king repented, but then returned to his old ways.  Continuing to be outspoken against the king, Stanislaus was charged with treason and threatened with death.  When the king’s soldiers refused to kill Stanislaus, the king killed him himself.  Supposedly the king repented for his actions after he fled his country and lived in exile.  

      As we see in our first reading and in the story of St Stanislaus, our preaching and our actions can bring people to the faith, but they can anger people too.  However, may we take courage to live out the Gospel message in our words and our actions.