Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr
First Reading: (Acts 6:8–10; 7:54–59)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 31)
Response: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
- “Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to save me.”
- “Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord.”
- “Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.”
Alleluia
Blest is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
The Lord is God and has given us light.
Gospel: (Matthew 10:17–22)
Jesus warns His disciples that they will face persecution:
They will be handed over to courts, flogged in synagogues, and brought before governors and kings for His sake.
But they are not to worry about what to say, the Spirit of the Father will speak through them.
Families will be divided, hatred will arise because of His name,
but the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Reflection:
The Church places the feast of Saint Stephen immediately after Christmas, and at first it feels jarring, the joy of Christ’s birth followed by the violence of martyrdom. But spiritually, it is perfect.
1. Love Incarnate demands a response
Christmas is not sentimental; it is revolutionary.
God enters the world in weakness, and those who follow Him must be willing to love with the same costly courage.
Stephen shows what it means to take the Incarnation seriously:
to let Christ reshape one’s speech, actions, and even one’s death.
2. Stephen sees what others cannot
While his persecutors grind their teeth, Stephen gazes into heaven.
Persecution does not close his vision, it opens it.
He sees Christ standing at the right hand of the Father, as if rising to welcome His faithful witness.
3. The Spirit speaks through the faithful
Jesus’ promise in the Gospel is fulfilled in Stephen:
“It will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father.”
Christian witness is never about eloquence; it is about surrender.
When the heart is aligned with Christ, the Spirit supplies the words.
4. Endurance is the mark of true discipleship
The Gospel ends with a sober truth:
“The one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Endurance is not gritting one’s teeth, it is trusting that Christ is worth everything.
Stephen’s final words echo Jesus Himself:
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
This is the victory of Christmas:
the Child in the manger becomes the Lord who receives the spirit of His faithful ones.
God bless you
Ronnie Law
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