A young and extremely intelligent couple enrolled at the Sorbonne University in Paris because they were attracted there by teachers who claimed that the natural sciences could resolved human questions about life and death. For a time, they despaired of finding the truth, namely, life’s meaning. They then decided that they would commit suicide soon and die together if they did not discover life’s meaning. Then they heard intriguing things about a Christian writer named Leon Bloy, and asked an interview from the great author. Fortunately for them, Bloy brought them to Christ, and they both converted to Catholicism. His name was Jacques Maritain. He became an influential philosopher, one of the great voices of reason in the 20th century. She was Raïsa Maritain. She wrote poetry, essays, mystical works of great depth, thus playing an important role in French Catholic revival.

A common thread which runs through the lives of converts is this one: until they met Christ, they were deeply unsatisfied. They felt they lacked something essential to their well-being, but they were unable to name it, much less to know how and where to find it. However, once they discovered Christ, they all testify that they experienced a peace and a joy they never expected before. In other words, they found out how profoundly true are the words Jesus utters in today’s Gospel episode: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (v 35).

Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.”

When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep.

Now Saul was consenting to his execution.