One of those who fled was Philip. He goes to the region of the Samaritans. There, he finds a village open to his testimony and to his witness. The story of the church being disbursed, as painful as it is in the beginning, leads to a joy filled celebration by the end.
Not all disbursements end this way. Sometimes, they are painful from start to finish. The difference surely has to do with the cause of the split and the reactions of those who are torn apart.
Sometimes our separations come from profound differences of philosophy. I think of the wedge some insist on pressing between denominations. These remain forever painful.
Sometimes our separations are a result of misunderstandings. When we hear and apply this week's multiple lessons about forgiving and praying for our enemies these separations ought to be easily set aside.
Sometimes our separations arise out of necessity. In order for me to reach my potential, I cannot remain where I have been. This is the liturgy of farewell and God-speed offered at LCM at the end of each semester.
When we find ourselves being disbursed from those with whom we had previously been fully united, it is helpful to look beyond the immediate separation to the cause of the divide. It can be helpful to look at the opportunity the divide has created. And as always, it is good to remember that what starts as a painful event doesn't have to end that way. Good things can come; reconciliation can occur; and new possibilities emerge.
The death of Stephen is in no way an acceptable thing. But in the midst of it, God continues to be present and to work. And God's grace covers all things.
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