Of Weeds and Storms

Homily for Friday of the Second Week in Easter

Weeds can be a headache for gardeners and for those who fancy a lush, green, weed-free lawn. My stepfather fell into the last category. However, there was a problem that existed directly opposite our home. Power lines that fed electricity to the homes in our neighborhood occupied a strip of land that ran for several blocks. The power lines were established on an easement or right of way that was controlled by the electric company. Though the electric company cut the grass on the easement, it did nothing about healthy crop of dandelions that grew on that property. Consequently, every spring brought about the inevitable “snow storm” of white fuzz as the dandelions went to seed. That, in turn, guaranteed a new crop of dandelions in the following spring on our lawn. He could have seen this situation as hopeless, yet he never lost hope. Every spring he would search for the newly sprung dandelion leaves and remove them from the lawn.

I thought of this example while reading the Scriptures for today from the Acts of the Apostles. The episode that we hear follows directly after Peter and John had been warned by the Sanhedrin to stop preaching and spreading the name of Jesus. They refused to back down and, as a result, were flogged. Yet they did not give up hope. Eventually, they would be called upon to give their very lives as martyrs. A “storm” was unleashed by the high priest and the members of his council. Both Peter and John had experienced despair after the crucifixion of Jesus, but the resurrection restored their hope. They were undaunted in their mission. The weeds of despair had no power over them.

The current situation in our world is fraught with difficulties, with warfare, with horrifying pictures of people being detained in horrible prisons. One of the most powerful quotations from Robert F. Kennedy was occasioned by a speech that he gave to the oppressed people and victims of apartheid in South Africa. He said: “Every time we serve others or act for justice, we send out “ripples of hope” that together build a current that can tear down “the mightiest walls of oppression.” We must have faith that we have the power to make a difference, however small.

No matter how hopeless our situation may seem, we cannot let hopelessness paralyze us. We must have faith that, as Gamaliel said in the Sanhedrin, cruel activities “of human origin…will destroy” themselves while it is impossible to destroy works based on our faith that “come from God.”