St. Stephen was martyred after he boldly witnessed to the mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.

Today’s martyrs, on the other hand, bore witness to the passion of the Christ before it happened.

Even today, when we hear of meaningless persecution and the deaths of so many innocents, the Church as mother weeps.

In a way it was, The Holy Innocents foreshadowed the passion of Christ.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

1 John 1:5-2:2

We heard his message,

The birth of John the Baptist is surrounded by miraculous signs and wonders.

His father Zechariahis from the Levite tribe. So John comes from the priestly class.

For a name carries with it the destiny of the bearer. The baby could not be named frivolously.

And so, after much debate, they named him John. It means that God is gracious.

His birth signifies that the fulfillment of God’s promise is near at hand.

 

St. John of Kanty, priest

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24

Now I am sending

 At the crucifixion, Jesus tells his mother, "Woman, here is your son",

and to the Beloved Disciple he says, "Here is your mother."

The "beloved disciple" alone, among the Apostles, remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross on Calvary alongside myrrhbearers and numerous other women.

Following the instruction of Jesus from the Cross, the beloved disciple took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his care.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

1 John 1:1-4

This is what has been,

Her short but powerful yes made the Sun rise from the East so that the “Radix Jesse” may sprout the shoot from whom the king of Israel can be born.

Mary announces the kingship of her Son, the king of the Nations.

His will be a kingship that will be concerned with the poor, satisfy the hungry and the thirsty, and establish justice.

His will be a kingsip that will bring all peoples together. His will be a kingship that will endure forever!

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

1 Samuel 1:24-28 

When the child was weaned,

Saint Stephen was a deacon in the early Church at Jerusalem.

Is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity.

The Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews.

Stephen denounces his listeners as Just as their ancestors had done, resist the Holy Spirit. 

"Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?

They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him."

listeners furious at this humiliation. accusing him of preaching against the Temple and the Mosaic Law.

When dying, prayed for their enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". – "Lay not this sin to their charge".

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

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

Stephen, full of grace and power,

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

 1st Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 

Once again Yahweh addressed Ahaz,

 Christmas is the only liturgical celebration with four Masses, the Vigil Mass, the Mass during the Night, the Mass at Dawn and the Mass during the Day. The readings are the same for each of these Masses for all three liturgical years.

Night: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:1-14).

Dawn: When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place… So they went in haste… Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God (Lk 2:15-20).

Day: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (Jn. 1:1-18).

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful

John the Baptist is like Samson of the Old Testament.

We are all called and dedicated by virtue of our Baptism.

Through Baptism we have been grafted to the root (or stump) of Jesse!

The Nazarene, born in the city of David, Bethlehem, will become the king of Israel.

And so thus fulfill the promise of God to Jacob and Jesse.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a

 

Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

  

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊    

Luke 1:5-25 

In the days of Herod,

 “dwelling place of God.”

David expressed his desire to build a Temple for God that would house the precious Ark of the Covenant,

God told him it would be his son who would build the temple.

Will be Mary, the Mother of Jesus who is honored with the title “Ark of the Covenant!”

The true “Ark of the Covenant!” is none other than Mary!

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 86-12, 142, 16 

When the king had settled

 Joseph, As a God-fearing Jew.

God assures Him in a dream. He is God's choice.

The Messiah, we were told yesterday is from the family tree of Jacob. Joseph was from the family tree of David.’

Joseph comes from the line of David who belongs to the tribe of Judah.

“Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

The reading closes with attention on Joseph (1:24-25). He takes Mary into his home as his wife,

and then, after the child is born, he names the child “Jesus”

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Jeremiah 23:5-8 

Yahweh further says,