On the day after we celebrate the birth of Christ, we commemorate St Stephen, the first martyr in the early Church after Christ’s death and resurrection. This commemoration reflects the way that Christ’s birth is part of the pascal mystery, which also includes Christ’s life and ministry, his death and resurrection, his ascension into heaven, and his coming again in the end times. As we celebrate with great joy Christ’s birth, we also know that with our joys in life, we also have sufferings and struggles, which we recall today in our commemoration of St Stephen.
Stephen is described as a man of faith filled with God’s grace and wondrous powers, of proclaiming the kingdom of God through great signs amongst the people. His great faith and wisdom did not touch the hearts of the leaders of the people of Israel, but rather infuriated them, so he was stoned to death through the hardness of their hearts. We note how the Acts of Apostles states that Paul was present at his stoning, and probably participated in that event.
We all have joys in life. We have our crosses to bear as well. As I write this homily on a day in November, the very next day I celebrate a baptism and have a funeral as well. Often the ministry of us priests reflects the great joys and the great sorrows we have in life. Yet, we never forget Christ’s victory over sin and death, a victory that allowed St Stephen to keep the faith until the end. We unite our prayers with the prayers of St Stephen today.
No comments:
Post a Comment