Pope
Francis: Ask Stephen for gift of Christian coherence
(Vatican Radio) By offering to Jesus the gift
of his own life, Saint Stephen, the first martyr, honoured the coming of the
King of kings – and showed us how to live the fullness of the mystery of
Christmas.
That was Pope Francis’
message during the Angelus on the Feast of Saint Stephen. The Holy Father
recalled the words of Jesus as He sent his disciples on mission: “You will be
hated because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” These
words, the Pope said, do not take away from the joy of Christmas, “but strip it
of the false, saccharine sweetness that does not belong to it. It makes us understand
that in the trials accepted on account of the faith, violence is overcome by
love, death by life.” If we are not all called to martyrdom, as Stephen was,
nonetheless, the Pope said, “every Christian is called in every circumstance to
live a life that is coherent with the faith he or she professes.”
Pope Francis
acknowledged that following the Gospel is a very demanding path. But, he said,
those who follow it “with fidelity and courage” will receive the gift promised
by the Lord to men and women of will – the promise announced by the angels to
the shepherds: “on earth, peace to those on whom His favour rests.”
The Pope called for
prayers today especially “for all those who are discriminated because of their
witness to Christ. He also asked us to pray that “thanks to the sacrifices of
the martyrs of today, the commitment to recognize and concretely to ensure
religious liberty” – which he called “an inalienable right of every person” –
would be strengthened in every part of the world.
Following the Angelus,
Pope Francis renewed his Christmas greetings and his prayers for peace. He
offered a special greeting to everyone named Stephen or Stephanie on their name
day – the feast of their patron saint. Pope Francis also thanked all those who
had sent him Christmas greetings. He said he was particularly grateful for the
gift of prayer, and prayed that the Lord might reward everyone for their
generosity.
Finally, Pope Francis
returned to the theme of “Christian coherence: that is, thinking, feeling, and
living as a Christian. And not to think as a Christian and live like a pagan.”
He prayed that Saint Stephen might give us the grace of Christian
coherence.
Below, please find the complete
text of Vatican Radio’s translation of Pope Francis’ Angelus address for the
Feast of Saint Stephen, 26 December 2014.
ANGELUS ADDRESS
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today the liturgy
recalls the witness of Saint Stephen. Chosen by the Apostles, together with six
others, for the diaconate of charity in the community of Jerusalem, he became
the first martyr of the Church. With his martyrdom, Stephen honored the coming
into the world of the King of kings, offering to Him the gift of his own life.
And so he shows us how to live the fullness of the mystery of Christmas.
The Gospel of this
feast gives a part of Jesus’ discourse to his disciples in the moment in which
He sends them on mission. Among other things, He says, “You will be hated by
all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” (Mt
10:22). These words of the Lord do not disrupt the celebration of Christmas,
but strip it of that false saccharine-sweetness that does not belong to it. It
makes us understand that in the trials accepted on account of the faith,
violence is overcome by love, death by life. To truly welcome Jesus in our
existence, and to prolong the joy of the Holy Night, the path is precisely the
one indicated in this Gospel: that is, to bear witness in humility, in silent
service, without fear of going against the current, able to pay in person. And
if not all are called, as Saint Stephen was, to shed their own blood,
nonetheless, every Christian is called in every circumstance to live a life
that is coherent with the faith he or she professes.
Following the Gospel
is certainly a demanding path, but those who travel it with fidelity and
courage receive the gift promised by the Lord to men and women of good will. At
Bethlehem, in fact, the angels announced to the shepherds, “on earth peace to
those on whom His favor rests” (Lk 2:14). This peace given by God is able to
soothe the conscience of those who, through the trials of life, know to welcome
the Word of God and observe it with perseverance to the end (cf. Mt 10:22).
Today let us pray in a
special way for all those who are discriminated against because of their
witness to Christ. I want to say to each of them: If you carry this cross with
love, you have entered into the mystery of Christmas, you are in the heart of
Jesus and of the Church.
Let us pray also that,
thanks to the sacrifices of the martyrs of today, the commitment to recognize
and concretely to ensure religious liberty — an inalienable right of every
human person — would be strengthened in every part of the world.
Dear brothers and
sisters, I hope all of you will enjoy a peaceful Christmas feast. May Saint
Stephen, Deacon and Proto-martyr, sustain on our daily path all of us, who hope
to be crowned, in the end, in the festive assembly of the Saints in paradise.
AFTER THE ANGELUS
Dear brothers and
sisters,
I greet you in the joy
of Christmas and I renew my best wishes for peace for all of you: peace in
families, in parishes and religious communities, in movements, and in
associations.
I greet everyone named
Stephen or Stephanie: Best wishes!
In these past few
weeks I have received so many Christmas greetings from Rome, and elsewhere.
Because it is not possible for me to respond to each one, I want to express
today my heartfelt thanks for all of them, especially for the gift of prayer.
Thank you from the heart! May the Lord repay your generosity.
And don’t forget:
Christian coherence — that is, thinking, feeling, and living as a Christian. And not to think as a Christian and live like a
pagan. Not that! Today let us ask Stephen for the gift of Christian coherence…
And please, continue
to pray for me. Don’t forget!
Happy Feast Day, and
have a good lunch. Arrivederci!
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