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
PsalmPS 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.
AlleluiaPS 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.
GospelMT 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.
The
cost of following and serving the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what they might expect if they followed and served 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 glory, honor, and success. After the defeat at Dunkirk during World War II, Churchill offered his country "blood, toil, sweat, and tears." Suffering for the name of Jesus 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?
Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what they might expect if they followed and served 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 glory, honor, and success. After the defeat at Dunkirk during World War II, Churchill offered his country "blood, toil, sweat, and tears." Suffering for the name of Jesus 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".
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Your Father speaks through you in
every age, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"To
be sure, we heard in that reading, 'But when they deliver you up, do not be
anxious how or what you are to speak... for it is not you who are speaking but
the Spirit of your Father who speaks through you.' And he says in another
place: 'Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world' (Matthew
28:20). Does this mean that the people who heard those words of the Lord would
be here until the end of the world? The Lord was referring, rather, not only to
those about to depart from this life but also to the others, including us and
those who would come after us in this life. He saw everyone in his single body,
and the words he spoke, 'I am with you even to the end of the world,' were
heard by them and by us too. And if we did not hear them then in our knowledge,
we heard them in his foreknowledge. Therefore, safe as sheep among the wolves,
let us keep the commandments of him who directs us. And let us be 'innocent as
doves but cautious as snakes' (Matthew 10:16). Innocent as doves that we may
not harm anyone; cautious as snakes that we may be careful of letting anyone
harm us." (excerpt from SERMON 64A.2)
FEAST OF SAINT STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, MATTHEW 10:17-22
(Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Psalm 31)
WEDNESDAY, 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).
TO KNOW: 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 (Greek: martus, by analogy, a martyr). 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. In fact, it is said that he had the face of an angel as he, like Jesus, commended his spirit to the loving mercy of God (Acts 6-7).
TO LOVE: St. Stephen, help me to have courage to profess my faith despite opposition from others.
TO SERVE: Pray for the persecuted Church throughout the world.
FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN, FIRST MARTYR
Stephen's name means "crown," and he was the first Christian to receive the martyr's crown. 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 dragged him outside of Jerusalem where they stoned him to death. In the crowd watching the martyrdom of Stephen, was a man named Saul, who would later be known as Paul.
BOXING DAY -- December 26.
In the 1800s, Boxing Day became a custom in the United Kingdom. Servants received their "Christmas boxes" or gifts on the day after Christmas in return for service throughout the year. Churches opened their alms boxes and distributed the monetary donations to the poor. The Carol "Good King Wenceslas" is set on the Feast of St. Stephen 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 countries such as Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Kenya, Guyana, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica and other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations with a mainly Christian population. In South Africa this public holiday is now known as the Day of Goodwill.
KWANZAA -- December 26 - January 1
Since 1966 many people of African descent have spent the days from December 26 to January 1 honoring ancient African principles and values. The candles lit each day represent the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa First, the black candle represents 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.
Wednesday 26 December 2018
St
Stephen.
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59. Psalm 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17. Matthew 10:17-22.
Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit – Psalm 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17.
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59. Psalm 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17. Matthew 10:17-22.
Into your hands, O Lord, I entrust my spirit – Psalm 30(31):3-4, 6, 8, 16-17.
‘Stephen
was filled with grace and power.’
The Book
of Acts tells us that Stephen was ‘full of the Holy Spirit and boldly spoke
out’. His message was met with hostility, but he ‘saw the glory of God’. When
he was being stoned, he had the fortitude to pray, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit’, and then, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’. We see here a
parallel story with Jesus’ own life. In his Transfiguration, he saw God the
Father in a personal encounter. On the cross, he prayed, ‘Father, forgive them.
They know not what they do’, and then he entrusted himself into his Father’s
hands.
May we
receive Stephen’s gift of being ‘full of the Spirit’, giving ourselves completely
to God.
Saint Stephen
Saint of the Day for December 26
(d. c. 36 )
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| Detail | Saint Stephen | Domenico Ghirlandaio | photo by www.wga.hu |
Saint Stephen’s Story
“As the number of disciples continued to grow, the
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 of the Apostles 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. “…you always oppose the holy
Spirit; you are just like your ancestors” (Acts 7:51b).
Stephen’s speech brought anger from the crowd. “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.’ …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).
Reflection
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.
Saint Stephen is the Patron Saint of:
Deacons
LECTIO
DIVINA: ST. STEPHEN THE FIRST MARTYR
Lectio Divina: Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Christmas
Time
1) Opening
prayer
Lord our
God,
we honor
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 councils 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.”
3)
Reflection
• This
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,
which is the feast of Stephen, the first martyr, the liturgy presents us a
passage from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 10: 17-22), taken from the Sermon of the
Mission (Mt 10: 5-42). In it, Jesus advises the disciples 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 to his faith in Jesus to 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 say, because it will be given 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 in resisting
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.
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 people who are persecuted up to
the point of death because of their fidelity to the Gospel. Do you know any
people in this situation?
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)
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