How quickly things change! Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Jesus and today we celebrate St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The Greek word “martyr” means a witness. So, anyone who witnesses to the faith is a martyr. Sometimes this witnessing is to the point of giving up one’s own life as in the case of Stephen.
St. Stephen’s whole life was a witness to Jesus. As we hear in today’s first reading, Stephen was “filled with grace and power…wisdom and the spirit.” He not only preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ but quite literally followed in his footsteps. At his death Jesus said:
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (23:34)
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (23:46)
When Stephen died, he echoed these words of Jesus:
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59)
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60)
A true follower of Jesus, a true witness or martyr, follows Jesus’ way of faith and forgiveness.
We are called upon to commend our life to God not only in our death but each day as we try to discern and do God’s will. Both Jesus and Stephen show us that God’s will is that we strive to love and welcome all people since all are created in God’s image and likeness. God loves the world and each one of us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17).
As we continue to celebrate Christmas this week, we will be reading from the Epistle of John who will constantly remind us of the love of God:
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God…In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us…Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another…God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in them. (1 John 4:7, 9-12, 16).
Image: “IMG_4428P Lorenzo Lotto 1488-1557 Venise Loretto La lapidation de Saint Étienne The stoning of Saint Stephen 1513-1516 Bergamo Accademia Carrara” by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.