Monday, December 29, 2025

 

Memorial of Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr

(II Timothy 2:8-13.3:10-12; Matthew 16:24-27)

The twentieth century poet T.S. Eliot wrote a play about today’s patron saint, Thomas Becket.  Titled Murder in the Cathedral, the play paints a vivid picture of the bishop-martyr’s final days.  A section called “Interlude” presents Archbishop Becket last sermon.  It is a tour de force combining a heightened spiritual consciousness with beautiful prose

Archbishop Becket is preaching his Christmas homily in his Canterbury cathedral.  He says that this Mass celebrates not only the birth of Christ but, being the Eucharist, his death as well.  For this reason, the archbishop proclaims, the occasion is one of both joy and sorrow.  There is joy, of course, because the Savior has come.  However, sorrow accompanies the joy because every Mass reenacts the death of Christ on the cross to atone for human sin.  Becket explains that the Church has placed the Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, on the day after Christmas so that Christians temper their celebration with a realization of their weakness.  Then the archbishop foretells his own martyrdom.

Most of us love Christmas.  Every year we look forward to its air of friendliness and generosity. But we must not allow the conviviality of the season to turn into debauchery.  Even more important, we should contemplate how full joy only comes from living the self-sacrificing love that Jesus Christ showed on the cross.

 

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

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

T.S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170.  Half-way through the play, the archbishop delivers his Christmas sermon.  He tells the congregation that at Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus is remembered but also his passion and death.  He adds that this dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow.  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?” Not at all, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration.  We must keep in mind that Jesus became human to sacrifice himself for others.

Unless people think that the dual sentiment is solely the invention of the Medieval Church, we can point to the same juxtaposition of elation and ominous sorrow in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts.  In Luke after Jesus is born his parents take him to the Temple.  There the holy man Simeon makes the foreboding prophecy that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted.  In other words, Jesus will extend God’s love to people, but his offer will in some cases be brutally rejected.  In Matthew the horror is more evident.  Jesus’ birth occasions the jealousy of King Herod.  To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area two years or under murdered. 

We must take to heart the cross sentiments of Christian life.  Our happiest celebrations like a dear friend’s birthday should not ignore the fact that fellow humans are suffering often dire circumstances.  Similarly, our most intolerable burdens like the loss of a loved one should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over sin and death.  Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor unrelenting pessimists.  No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts everyday.

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.

Homilette for December 26, 2007

Wednesday, Feast of St. Stephen, Proto-martyr

(Acts 6:8-10;7:54-59)

The play Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. Half-way through the play, the archbishop delivers his Christmas sermon. He tells the congregation that in the Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus but also his passion and death are remembered. This dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow. 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?” No, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration. We must keep in mind the dual sentiment of Christian life.

Unless people think that the dual sentiment is solely the invention of the Medieval Church, we can point to the same duality in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts. In Luke after Jesus is born his parents take him to the Temple where the holy man Simeon makes the foreboding prophecy that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted. In other words, Jesus’ enemies will do him in. In Matthew the horror is more obvious. Jesus’ birth occasions the jealousy of King Herod. To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area two years and under murdered.

We must take to heart the traverse sentiments of Christian life. Our happiest celebrations like a dear friend’s birthday should not ignore the fact that fellow humans are suffering often dire need. Similarly, our most intolerable burdens like the loss of a loved one should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over sin and death. Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor unrelenting pessimists. No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts everyday.

Homilette for Monday, December 26

The Feast of St. Stephen

The play Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170. Half-way through the play, the archbishop delivers his Christmas sermon. He tells the congregation that at Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus but also his passion and death are remembered. This dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow. We live both at every minute. 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?” No, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration. We must keep in mind the dual sentiment of Christian life.

Unless people think that the dual sentiment is solely the invention of the Medieval Church, we can point to the same duality in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts. In Luke after Jesus is born his parents take him to the Temple where the holy man Simeon makes the foreboding prophecy that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted. In other words, Jesus’ enemies will do him in. In Matthew the horror is more obvious. Jesus’ birth occasions the jealousy of King Herod. To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area two years or under murdered.

We must take to heart the cross sentiments of Christian life. Our happiest celebrations like a dear friend’s birthday should not ignore the fact that fellow humans are suffering often dire circumstances. Similarly, our most intolerable burdens like the loss of a loved one should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over sin and death. Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor unrelenting pessimists. No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts everyday.