Monday, December 26, 2022

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew10:17-22)

Celebrating Christmas, we walk in the light of Christ.  Today’s Feast of St. Stephen reminds us that those who walk in light are bound to cast shadows.  In these shadows lurk evil spirits who would kill before being exposed to the light, especially the brilliant light of Christ.

The reading from Acts relates Stephen’s martyrdom but skips over his speech which provoked the wrath of his assassins.  In that discourse Stephen revisits the sins of Israel from the selling of Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, to the crucifixion of Christ.  The people who hear Stephen, not wanting to be enlightened about the sins of their ancestors and even less of their own sins, stone Stephen.  He dies begging forgiveness for his persecutors.

In proclaiming the whole truth of Jesus, we will find opposition.  Those who oppose us will not kill us, but they may criticize us unjustly.  Because we follow Christ, we are to respond to the criticisms like St. Stephen.  That is, we are not to condemn but to pray for our persecutors.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Feast of St. Stephen, Proto-martyr

 

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22)

This year as we celebrate Christmas with the usual flair, we should keep in mind the people of Venezuela.  They are undergoing extremely difficult times.  The poor in the countryside are dying of starvation despite the fact that Venezuela is rich with oil.  In its desire to control all the goods of the country, the Venezuelan government has refused capitalist economic reform.  The result has been disaster.  Many professionals have left the country in droves and the economy has been on a downward spiral for years.  The poor stay behind to suffer.  There is a parallel here with today’s feast.

There is no reason to place the martyrdom of St. Stephen on the day after Christmas other than to remind Christians of the death the new-born savior will endure.  His crucifixion seems like another case of evil crushing virtue.  But his resurrection unleashes the Holy Spirit to enlighten human hearts.  The first reading tells how Stephen spoke the truth to the promoters of Judaism.  Refusing to hear it, they finally murdered its source.  But Stephen’s death starts Paul on a path to conversion and apostleship.  The persecution which Stephen’s martyrdom sparked likewise moves Christians out of Jerusalem to evangelize the world.  Virtue is vindicated and evil is on the run.

Things should turn around in Venezuela soon.  Certainly people of goodwill should not stand idly by while a government allows its nation’s children to die of hunger.  We pray today that reform in Venezuela happens as soon as possible.  We also live attesting to others about Jesus as Stephen, Paul, and all the apostles did.

Friday, Decembrer 26, 2014

Feast of Saint Stephen, proto-martyr

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22)

In the nativity narratives of both Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels hints appear of the crucifixion.  In Luke at the presentation in the Temple, the visionary Simeon reveals the fate of Jesus to Mary.  When he says that her son will be “a sign that will be contradicted,” he is referring to the coalition of Jews and Romans who will crucify Jesus.  In Matthew the reference to the cross is more obvious. From the time of Jesus’ birth the Jewish authority connives to kill him.  For the same reason the evangelists hint of his death in the story of his birth, the Church juxtaposes the memorial of the first martyr, St. Stephen, with the celebration of Christmas.

Stephen is a Greek-speaking Jew elected with six others to administer the food needs of the Greek-speaking widows of the primitive Christian community in Jerusalem.  Evidently the service they rendered was more than supplying groceries as he and at least one other prove themselves as exceptional preachers.  In the full account of his execution Stephen gives a history of Israel showing how it leads to Jesus whom the Jews have recently crucified.

The inclusion of Jesus’ death in the celebration of his birth should temper our festivity.  At the very least, we should be careful not to eat or drink too much.  More to the heart of the matter, knowing that Jesus was born to bring us the love of God whatever the cost, our jubilation should include concern for those who suffer.  They are bearers living in our midst of the same Jesus in whose coming we rejoice.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Feast of St. Stephen, Proto-martyr

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22)

In T.S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, predicts hismartyrdom in his Christmas sermon. He tells the people that in the Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus but also his death are remembered. This dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow. No, we live both on every occasion. Thomas goes on to ask, “Is it an accident …that the day of the first martyr follows immediately the day of the Birth of Christ?” Of course not, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration.

We can point to this duality in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts. In Luke after Jesus is born, his parents take him to the Temple where Simeon prophesizes that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted. He means that Jesus’ enemies will do him in. In Matthew the horror is more evident. The birth of Jesus, the King of the Jews, occasions the jealousy of King Herod. To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area murdered.

 

We must take to heart the traverse sentiments of Christian life. Our happiest celebrations should include a remembrance of fellow humans suffering around the world. Similarly, our most intolerable moments, like the loss of a loved one, should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over death. Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor morose pessimists. No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts.

 

Homilette for Friday, December 26, 2008

Feast of St. Stephen, Proto-martyr

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew 10:17-22)

In T.S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, predicts his martyrdom in his Christmas sermon. He tells the people that in the Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus but also his death are remembered. This dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow. No, we live both on every occasion. Thomas goes on to ask, “Is it an accident … that the day of the first martyr follows immediately the day of the Birth of Christ?” Of course not, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration.

We can point to this duality in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts. In Luke after Jesus is born, his parents take him to the Temple where Simeon prophesizes that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted. He means that Jesus’ enemies will do him in. In Matthew the horror is more evident. The birth of Jesus, the King of the Jews, occasions the jealousy of King Herod. To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area murdered.

We must take to heart the traverse sentiments of Christian life. Our happiest celebrations should include a remembrance of fellow humans suffering around the world. Similarly, our most intolerable moments, like the loss of a loved one, should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over death. Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor morose pessimists. No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts.