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| “Martyrdom of St. Stephen” by Bernardo Cavallino, 1660’s |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Now
Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was
working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain
members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians,
and Alexandrians,
and
people from Cilicia and Asia,
came
forward and debated with Stephen,
but
they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When
they heard this, they were infuriated,
and
they ground their teeth at him.
But
he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked
up intently to heaven
and
saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and
he said,
“Behold,
I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing
at the right hand of God.”
But
they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and
rushed upon him together.
They
threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The
witnesses laid down their cloaks
at
the feet of a young man named Saul.
As
they were stoning Stephen, he called out
“Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.”
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Commentary on
Acts
6:8-10; 7:54-59
The evangelist tells the story of how St. Stephen, one of the
first deacons selected by the apostles, was martyred. It is interesting to note
that the "Saul," at whose feet the cloaks were laid, is our own St.
Paul, who before his conversion was a talented prosecutor of Christians.
"'It is clear', St. Ephraem comments, 'that those who suffer
for Christ enjoy the glory of the whole Trinity. Stephen saw the Father and
Jesus at His side, because Jesus appears only to his own, as was the case with
the Apostles after the Resurrection. While the champion of the faith stood
there helpless in the midst of those who had killed the Lord, just at the point
when the first martyr was to be crowned, he saw the Lord, holding a crown in
His right hand, as if to encourage him to conquer death and to show that he
inwardly helps those who are about to die on his account. He therefore reveals
what he sees, that is, the heavens opened, which were closed to Adam and only
opened to Christ at the Jordan, but open now after the Cross to all who share
Christ's sufferings, and in the first instance open to this man. See how
Stephen reveals why his face was lit up: it was because he was on the point of
contemplating this wondrous mission. That is why he took on the appearance of
an angel--so that his testimony might be more reliable, (Armenian Commentary,
ad loc.)." [4]
CCC: Acts 7:56 659
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6
and 8ab, 16bc and 17
R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be
my rock of refuge,
a
stronghold to give me safety.
You
are my rock and my fortress;
for
your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord,
I commend my spirit.
Into
your hands I commend my spirit;
you
will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I
will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord,
I commend my spirit.
Rescue
me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let
your face shine upon your servant;
save
me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord,
I commend my spirit.
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Commentary on
Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
This is an
individual lament. The section links nicely to the death of martyrs with “Into your hands I commend my spirit” and
“You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plottings of men.”
The psalmist gives us a song of faith very appropriate for the one who is put
to the test for their faith. It is a prayer for rescue and a submission of will
to God's saving power.
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Gospel: Matthew
10:17-22
“But
beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and
scourge you in their synagogues,
and
you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as
a witness before them and the pagans.
When
they hand you over,
do
not worry about how you are to speak
or
what you are to say.
You
will be given at that moment 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 brother to death,
and
the father his child;
children
will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You
will be hated by all because of my name,
but
whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
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Commentary on
Mt 10:17-22
Jesus gives his disciples instructions
on how to deal with the persecution they are to undergo at the hands of those
who do not accept him, especially those in power. His instruction is one that
relies on faith that the Father, through the Holy Spirit, will supply the
words. There is also a presumption that there will be loss of life. Here the
Lord tells us that those who are steadfast in their faith cannot die a
spiritual death.
"Here, the hostility the
apostles will face comes into sharp focus. They are being sent out like
sheep in the midst of wolves - an image of vulnerability and helplessness
before fierce attackers. Yet the apostles are not to be passive when
enemies assail them. They are to be as shrewd as serpents, prudently
anticipating threats and finding ways to survive. But they must at the
same time be as simple as doves. The word for simple means 'unmixed,'
suggesting that the apostles' shrewd tactics should be animated by pure motives
and single-mindedness for their ministry. Shrewdness should never lead them to
seek survival or advantage in a way that compromises their integrity." [5]
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Reflection:
Each
year, on the day following Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of St.
Stephen. The Gospel of St. John used at
the Christmas Mass during the day tells us that the Word incarnate will be
rejected by those who are His own (John 1:10). In today’s
Gospel, the Lord cautions his followers that they too will face rejection,
persecution, and possibly death. With
the glow of the Morning Star that illuminated the manger still warming our
hearts, we are given a stern reminder of what discipleship means.
For
the Order of Deacons (the diaconate), this day is very special. St. Stephen,
the first martyr, is also one of the first deacons, ordained by the Apostles to
serve the Church. His feast day is the day upon which we celebrate the
establishment of the diaconate. Since all ordained clergy in the Church (deacons,
priests, and bishops) are ordained to that rank and order, this is a very
important day in the life of the Church as a whole.
In
scripture today we are given selections that tell us of the unique connection
between Jesus, the Apostles, and those first seven deacons, most especially St.
Stephen. Upon him and the other six, hands were imposed, dedicating them to the
service of the poor and marginalized members of the faith community. We hear
the story of how St. Stephen was put to death for essentially the same reason
as the Lord. He was proclaiming the good news in a way that infuriated the
Hebrew leadership. We see the irony of the participation of Saul (later St.
Paul, who also died a martyr's death) in the condemnation and execution of St.
Stephen. One must wonder if St. Stephen's words did not, in some way, pave the
path for St. Paul’s later conversion.
We
hear in the psalm a prayer for strength in the face of persecution, and we are
given in the Gospel words of encouragement by Jesus. He tells us: "whoever endures to the end will be saved.” We must expect the same kind, if not the same
degree, of resistance in our own Christian witness based upon what the Lord
tells us earlier in that same verse: "You
will be hated by all because of my name." It is ironic that we are now
called “haters” by many of those who reject Christian morality.
On
this great feast of the Church, let us give thanks to God for the gift of all
his saints, especially St. Stephen, martyr and deacon. Let us also give thanks
to all those throughout history who have laid down their lives for the faith
and pray that we can be courageous and follow in their steps.
Pax
[1]
The picture today is “Martyrdom of St. Stephen” by Bernardo Cavallino, 1660’s.
[3]
The readings are taken from the New
American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4]
The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, ©
2002, p. 763.
[5]
The Gospel of Matthew, © 2010 Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri, Baker Academic,
Grand Rapids, MI, p. 145.
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