December 26
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
First Reading
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
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.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 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.
Alleluia
Psalms 118:26A, 27A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 10:17-22
Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”
Give a Mass Offering
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
“Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”
Readings & Reflection
St. Stephen, the Protomartyr (first Martyr) was one of the first seven deacons of the infant church in Jerusalem. Stephen met his death by stoning. We honor Stephen today, the day after Christmas, because his death as a Martyr reminds us that the truth of Jesus Christ is worth standing up for.
If we imagine the courage it takes to die for a cause, we also can see that celebrating the birth of Christ and the death of the first martyr relate to each other. Christ is the cause for our belief. Our belief in the words and actions of Christ propel us to action through the conviction that we hold.
The Gospel or Matthew tells us that we should not worry if we are taken prisoner for our beliefs, and we are not to worry as to what we will say in defense of our belief in Christ. We are told that, “…the Spirit of your Father will speak through you”. If we have to courage to speak openly and honestly about what Christ teaches, then we not only pay tribute to the birth of Christ, but we help prepare others for the second coming of Christ, which Advent and Christmas also look forward to and celebrate!
Peace,
Fr. John Kurgan
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