Stephen, is venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity,

accused of blasphemy at his tria, stoned to death.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊      

 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59

Stephen,

Full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Some persons then came forward who belonged to the so called Synagogue of Freedmen,

from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with tephen.

But they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

 

When they heard this reproach, they were enraged; and they gnashed their teeth against Stephen.

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God,

and Jesus at God's right hand; so he declared:

"I see the heavens open, and the Son of Man at the right hand of God."

 

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands, and rushed together upon him.

They brought him out of the city and stoned him;

and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

 

Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 & 8ab, 16bc & 17 

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊       

 Matthew 10:17-22

Be on your guard with with people, for they will hand you over to their courts,

and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of me,

so that you may witness to them and the pagans.

 

But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say, or how you are to say it;

when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say.

For it will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father, speaking through you.

Brother will hand over his brother to death, and a father his child;

children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"As the Father sent me so I send you."

We can see the action of the Holy Trinity in the life and death of Saint Stephen.

As one of the first deacons of the Church,

he assisted at the Eucharist and cared for the needy of the Christian community (Acts 6:1-7).

Filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands,

Stephen "did great wonders and miraculous signs," and these signs witnessed to the truth of the Risen Christ.

 

Jesus said, "As the Father sent me so I send you" (Jn 20:21).

Stephen remained faithful to this mission which was united to the Son and the Father,

even in the face of danger and false testimony.

Thus, Stephen also imitated Christ in the manner of his death.

 

This is shown in the account in Acts where his words of forgiveness and surrender to God

reflect Christ's words at his trial and on the cross.

We celebrate feasts of martyrs around Christmas to remind us that

Christ was born on earth so that we might be born again in heaven.

This is why the Church calls the day of a saint's death the dies natalis:

his or her birthday in heaven. Saint Stephen, pray for us.