Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
Lectionary: 696
Lectionary: 696
Stephen, filled
with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, 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 he 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.”
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, 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 he 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.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 31:3CD-4, 6 AND 8AB, 16BC AND 17
R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my
spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Alleluia PS 118:26A, 27A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 10:17-22
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Meditation: "The
one who endures to the end will be saved"
What is the connection between Bethlehem and Calvary
- the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and his passion and death on a cross?
The very reason the Son of God took on flesh and became a man for our sake was
to redeem us from slavery to sin and death and to give us new life as the
adopted children of God. The way to glory in the kingdom of God is through the
cross. If we want to share in Jesus' glory, then we, too, must take up our
cross each day and follow in his footsteps.
Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what
they might expect if they followed him. Here Jesus says to his disciples: This
is my task for you at its grimmest and worst; do you accept it? This is not the
world's way of offering a job. After the defeat at Dunkirk during World War II,
Churchill offered his country "blood, toil, sweat, and tears."
Suffering for the name of Christ is not the message we prefer to hear when the
Lord commissions us in his service. Nonetheless, our privilege is to follow in
the footsteps of the Master who laid down his life for us. The Lord gives us
sufficient grace to follow him and to bear our cross with courage and hope. Do
you know the joy and victory of the cross of Jesus Christ?
"Lord Jesus, your coming in the flesh to
ransom us from slavery to sin gives us cause for great rejoicing even in the
midst of trials and pain. Help me to patiently and joyfully accept the
hardships, adversities, and persecution which come my way in serving you.
Strengthen my faith and give me courage that I may not shrink back from doing
your will".
 The Power of Witness |
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December 26,
2014. Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
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Mt 10:17-22
Jesus said to his
disciples: “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge
you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for
my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do
not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be
given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over
brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against
parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my
name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I open my heart to
you on this new day. Because of your unfailing love for me, you deserve my
deep gratitude and complete confidence in you, so I set my entire being at
your disposal. Do with me what you wish. I know that you love me and that
nothing that can truly harm me will happen as long as I keep striving to live
in your love.
Petition: Lord, help me to experience your forgiveness and learn
to forgive in return.
1. “Do Not
Hold This Sin Against Them!” - These words of St. Stephen (Acts 7:60) repeat Christ’s
last words on earth. He has entered into Christ’s heart. He is on fire for
his Lord. This fire is making him pass through the same crucible of rejection
and death that Christ passed through. And he is walking in the fire without
being scorched. His heart burns so much for Christ that it cannot fester with
hatred and despair. Like his Lord, he wants only the salvation of his
persecutors. Am I letting my heart to be ignited with the flame of love that
burns in that Child in the manger? Am I showing the zeal of love that is
selfless service?
2. The Case of
Saul:The Acts of the Apostles
records the approval of Stephen’s martyrdom by Saul. Saul was a man who
thought he understood everything. He thought he knew how evil Stephen was and
what a threat his teaching brought. His intentions seemed correct, but he was
dead wrong. Saul will later speak of himself as someone born dead. He was
dead –– dead in his soul – because he had missed the point. Yet God is
merciful. Saul soon becomes St. Paul. Jesus accepts the prayer of Stephen
just as the Father accepts the prayer of Jesus. We do not need to be afraid.
God accepts our prayers, too. He will do marvels if we persevere in prayer
and service.
3. Hard of
Heart:We’re often pushed out of
our comfort zone by Christ’s message. We are ready to be forgiven by Christ
and by others, but it is not so easy to take the logical next step of quickly
and easily forgiving others. To become a forgiving St. Stephen we need to
keep in mind that we, too, are Saul. The Christmas Season is a perfect time
for a change of heart. By contemplating today the loving face of God in that
child in the manger we can experience his tender, infinite love for us.
Anchored in his friendship we can gain the magnanimity of heart to set aside
any ill will from past injuries and desire for everyone to find the peace and
joy that only comes from knowing the Word Incarnate.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, thank you for the
example of St. Stephen, the first martyr of your young Church. On this day
after your birth, you also show me the birth of total courage in love. I
believe that I am safe in your arms no matter how hard the difficulties. I
believe that you entrust me with your mission. Today I renew the commitment
to be faithful to my mission as a Christian and an apostle “till death on the
battlefield.” Jesus, you are my Lord. I will follow you.
Resolution: Today I will look for the positive side in everyone I
meet. I will look beyond their limitations. I will forgive anyone who might
offend me.
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FEAST OF STEPHEN THE FIRST MARTYR
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, MATTHEW 10:17-22
(Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Psalm 31)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, MATTHEW 10:17-22
(Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Psalm 31)
KEY VERSE: "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved" (v 22).
READING: The day after the Feast of the Nativity, the shadow of the cross falls upon the Christmas crib. The mystery of the Incarnation must be seen alongside the mystery of the Passion. When Jesus shared his ministry and mission with his disciples, he warned them of the suffering and persecution they would face. His disciples would be despised by their fellow Jews and even be rejected by members of their own families. Jesus told them not to be concerned about how they would defend themselves; the Holy Spirit would inspire them to be faithful witnesses. Stephen was the first martyr to the faith. Charged with violating the Mosaic Law, he was stoned to death. Stephen died like Jesus, forgiving his enemies and praying for them. Like Jesus, he commended his spirit to the loving mercy of God (Acts 6-7).
REFLECTING: St. Stephen, help me to have courage to profess my faith despite opposition from others.
PRAYING: Do I pray for the persecuted Church throughout the world?
FEAST OF STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR
Stephen's name means "crown," and he was the first Christian to receive the martyr's crown. Stephen was one of the first deacons in the early Christian Church. When the apostles found that they needed helpers to look after the widows and the poor, they ordained seven deacons, which included Stephen, "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). God worked miracles through Stephen who spoke with such wisdom that many of his hearers became followers of Jesus. The enemies of the Church were furious to see how successful Stephen's preaching was, and they laid a plot for him. Stephen faced his enemies without fear. In fact, it is said that he had the face of an angel. His enemies dragged Stephen outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. He prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" In the crowd watching the martyrdom of Stephen that day was a man named Saul, who would later be known as Paul.
Stephen's name means "crown," and he was the first Christian to receive the martyr's crown. Stephen was one of the first deacons in the early Christian Church. When the apostles found that they needed helpers to look after the widows and the poor, they ordained seven deacons, which included Stephen, "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). God worked miracles through Stephen who spoke with such wisdom that many of his hearers became followers of Jesus. The enemies of the Church were furious to see how successful Stephen's preaching was, and they laid a plot for him. Stephen faced his enemies without fear. In fact, it is said that he had the face of an angel. His enemies dragged Stephen outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. He prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" In the crowd watching the martyrdom of Stephen that day was a man named Saul, who would later be known as Paul.
BOXING
DAY - December 26
Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26th. Boxing Day, also known as the Feast of St. Stephen (after the first Christian martyr), originated in England in the middle of the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria. It originated as a holiday for members of the merchant class to give boxes containing food and fruit, clothing, and/or money to trades people and servants. The gifts were an expression of gratitude similar to the bonuses many employers offer their employees today. These gifts, usually given in boxes, gave the holiday its name, "Boxing Day." The Carol, Good King Wencelas, or ‘The Feast of Stephen,’ is set on Boxing Day and is about a King in the Middle Ages who brings food to a poor family. Boxing Day has now become a public holiday in other countries such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
KWANZAA
BEGINS - December 26 -- January 1
Since 1966 many people of African descent have spent the seven days from December 26 to January 1 honoring ancient African principles and values. Each day, the appropriate candle is lit, the black candle first, representing the Black people in unity. From the second day onwards, the candles are lit from left (red for struggle) to right (green for the future). This symbolizes how all people must struggle in order to attain a great future. The candles, represent the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa: 1.Umoja (Unity) 2.Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) 3.Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility) 4.Ujamaa (Cooperative economics) 5.Nia (Purpose) 6.Kuumba (Creativity) 7.Imani (Faith)
Friday 26 December 2014
St Stephen. Day of penance.
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59. Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit—Ps 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17. Matthew 10:17-22.
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59. Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit—Ps 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17. Matthew 10:17-22.
The day after we celebrate
your birth, Lord, we celebrate the martyrdom of Stephen.
The closeness of birth and
death echoes the shadow of suffering and death that hangs over all our lives
and our loves. It is a shadow we need not fear. Always our life is fragile and
mysterious like a newborn babe’s.
All our loving, all our
following of you, will cost us something: it may cost us dearly. The cost of
imagining that we don’t need you and that we don’t need one another is even
greater. As the gospel says so starkly, sin can divide families and
communities.
As much as we might
sometimes like to try, we cannot live cut off from the world’s neediness. So we
reach out, trusting in your promise, and in love we find our salvation.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Spirit of Gratitude
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Oh Jesus, with joy in my heart and in a spirit of gratitude, I
thank you for your great blessings in my life. Thank you for the celebration of
your birth. Thank you for restoring my hope of eternal life with you. Thank you
for all the gifts I have received from your generous hand.
December
26
St. Stephen
(d. 36 A.D.?)
St. Stephen
(d. 36 A.D.?)
All we know of Stephen is found in Acts of the Apostles, chapters
Six and Seven. It is enough to tell us what kind of man he was:
At that
time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenist
(Greek-speaking) Christians complained about the Hebrew-speaking Christians,
saying that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the
Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not
right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select
from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we
shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to
the ministry of the word.” The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit... (Acts
6:1-5).
Acts says
that Stephen was a man filled with grace and power, who worked great wonders
among the people. Certain Jews, members of the Synagogue of Roman Freedmen,
debated with Stephen but proved no match for the wisdom and spirit with which
he spoke. They persuaded others to make the charge of blasphemy against him. He
was seized and carried before the Sanhedrin.
In his
speech, Stephen recalled God’s guidance through Israel’s history, as well as
Israel’s idolatry and disobedience. He then claimed that his persecutors were
showing this same spirit. “[Y]ou always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just
like your ancestors” (Acts 7:51b).
His
speech brought anger from the crowd. “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 he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God....’ They threw him
out of the city, and began to stone him.... As they were stoning Stephen, he
called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.... Lord, do not hold this sin
against them’” (Acts 7:55-56, 58a, 59, 60b).
Stories:
: “The
witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul....
“Now Saul was consenting to his execution. On that day there broke
out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem.... Saul, meanwhile, was
trying to destroy the church; entering house after house and dragging out men
and women, he handed them over for imprisonment....
“...[S]till
breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord...as he was
nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around [Saul]. He fell
to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting me?’ He said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom
you are persecuting’ ” (Acts 7:58b; 8:1, 3; 9:1a, 3–5).
Comment:
Stephen died as Jesus did: falsely accused, brought to unjust condemnation because he spoke the truth fearlessly. He died with his eyes trustfully fixed on God, and with a prayer of forgiveness on his lips. A “happy” death is one that finds us in the same spirit, whether our dying is as quiet as Joseph’s or as violent as Stephen’s: dying with courage, total trust and forgiving love.
Stephen died as Jesus did: falsely accused, brought to unjust condemnation because he spoke the truth fearlessly. He died with his eyes trustfully fixed on God, and with a prayer of forgiveness on his lips. A “happy” death is one that finds us in the same spirit, whether our dying is as quiet as Joseph’s or as violent as Stephen’s: dying with courage, total trust and forgiving love.
Patron Saint of:
Bricklayers
Deacons
Hungary
Bricklayers
Deacons
Hungary
LECTIO DIVINA:
ST. STEPHEN THE FIRST MARTYR
Lectio:
Friday, December 26, 2014
Christmas Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
we honour today St Stephen,
the first martyr of your young Church.
Make us good witnesses like him,
people filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit,
men and women who are full of fortitude,
as we try to live the life of Jesus.
Give us a great trust
that we may live and die in your hands
and make us pray for those who harm us,
that you may forgive them and us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
we honour today St Stephen,
the first martyr of your young Church.
Make us good witnesses like him,
people filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit,
men and women who are full of fortitude,
as we try to live the life of Jesus.
Give us a great trust
that we may live and die in your hands
and make us pray for those who harm us,
that you may forgive them and us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading – Matthew 10, 17-22
'Be prepared for people to hand you over to sanhedrins and
scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings
for my sake, as evidence to them and to the gentiles. But when you are handed
over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will
be given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be
speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.
'Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will come forward against their parents and have them put to death.
You will be universally hated on account of my name; but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.
'Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will come forward against their parents and have them put to death.
You will be universally hated on account of my name; but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.
3) Reflection
• The contrast is enormous. Yesterday, Christmas Day, we had the
crib of the newly born child, with the singing of the angels and the visit of
the Shepherds. Today here is the blood of Stephen, stoned to death, because he
had the courage to believe in the promise expressed in the simplicity of the
crib. Stephen criticized the fundamentalist interpretation of the Law of God
and the monopoly of the Temple. This is why he was killed (Acts 6, 13-14).
• Today, the feast of Stephen, first martyr, the liturgy presents us a passage from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 10, 17-22), taken from the so called Sermon of the Mission (Mt 10, 5-42). In it Jesus advices the disciples saying that fidelity to the Gospel implies difficulties and persecutions: They will hand you over to the Sanhedrin and scourge you in their synagogues”. But for Jesus what is important in persecution is not the painful side of suffering, but rather the positive side of witnessing: “You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as evidence to them and to the gentiles”. Persecution offers the occasion of giving witness of the Good News which God brings to us.
• This is what happened to Stephen. He gave witness of his faith in Jesus up until the last moment of his life. At the hour of his death he says: “I can see Heaven thrown open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7, 56). And in falling dead under the stones, he imitated Jesus crying out: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7, 60; Lk 23,34).
• Jesus had said: “When they will hand you over to them, do not worry about how or what you have to day, because it will be suggested to you at that moment what you have to say: in fact, it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father who will speak in you”. This prophecy is also fulfilled in Stephen. His enemies did not succeed to resist the inspired wisdom with which he spoke” (Acts 6, 10). “The members of the Sanhedrin all looked intently on Stephen, and his face appeared to them as the face of an angel” (Acts 6, 15). Stephen spoke “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7, 55). This is why the anger of the others was so great that they killed him.
• The same thing happens also today. In many places, many persons are drawn before the tribunals and they know how to give responses which exceed the wisdom of the learned and the wise (Lk 10, 21).
4) Personal questions
• Placing oneself in Stephen’s place, have you suffered,
sometimes, because of your fidelity to the Gospel?
• The simplicity of the crib and the harshness of martyrdom go hand in hand in the life of the Saints and in the life of so many persons who, today are persecuted up to the point of death because of their fidelity to the Gospel. Do you know closely persons like this?
5) Concluding Prayer
Lord, be for me a rock-fastness,
a fortified citadel to save me.
You are my rock, my rampart;
true to your name, lead me and guide me! (Ps 31,2-3)
a fortified citadel to save me.
You are my rock, my rampart;
true to your name, lead me and guide me! (Ps 31,2-3)
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