Tuesday of the
Second Week of Easter
(Acts 7:51-8:1a; John 6:30-35)
Stephen almost taunts his enemies to kill him. He sounds like a zealot seeking martyrdom for
earthly fame more than heavenly glory. Jesus
had measured criticism for the Pharisees that opposed him. Stephen on the other
hand pulls no punches. But in the end
Stephen does conform himself to Jesus quite admirably.
As Stephen is being stoned, like Jesus he prays for his
enemies. Also like Jesus, Stephen
entrusts his spirit to God although in his case it is the eternal Son. God provides a final favorable comparison
between Stephen and Jesus. As Jesus’
death and resurrection ends with his disciples receiving the Holy Spirit to
carry on his work, Stephen’s death ends in St. Paul taking note and eventually preaching
the Lord Jesus in the Greek world.
God does not want us to seek martyrdom. That would be both unnatural and
foolish. But God does want us to imitate
Jesus’ willingness to forgive. That involves
a dying to self that is not unlike a martyr’s witness.
