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Acts: 6: 8-10, 7:54-59
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Yesterday hundreds of millions of people gathered into churches around the world to celebrate Christmas.
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Today the Church takes us in what feels like the opposite direction.
We’re not celebrating the birth of a child, but the death of an innocent man, Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
Why such an abrupt change?
To remind us that faith always comes at a cost. It’s one thing to believe in Jesus – and another thing to act on that belief.
As our first reading reveals, Stephen was a deacon who preached, took care of widows, performed miracles, and debated skillfully with the religious leaders of his day.
Much like his Lord, Stephen was put to death because of what he proclaimed. And as a final act of faith, he cries out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Words which echoed that of his Savior from Calvary.
Stephen gave his life willingly for the Gospel because he believed that, like his Lord who was raised from a dark, dusty tomb shortly beforehand, he would be raised, as well.
There is no greater – or more important – belief that should shape our lives as Christians than the resurrection of the dead.
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Yesterday hundreds of millions of people gathered into churches around the world to celebrate the birth of Christ in faith. Today we’re reminded to act on that faith.
What might that mean for me?
Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) Saint Stephen the Martyr, Carlo Crivelli (2) Saint Stephen, Public Domain Wikimedia (3) FreePik