Feast of Saint Stephen
December 26, 2022
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Matthew 10:17-22
Saint Stephen is the first public martyr of the fledgling Christian Church. He proclaimed Christianity to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and enraged them to the point that they stoned him. Stephen was a deacon, and unbeknown to him his death would be one of the causes for Saul–the greatest persecutor of Christians–to become a Christian himself. Saul both witnessed and supported this terrible act of violence.
It is a constant theme in the Gospels and for our own lives that sometimes the worst events can be the catalysts for some major change for the good in our behavior. Actually that is the most common way for humans to grow in wisdom; that is to know what is good and right to do and what is not. In other words, wisdom comes from the ways in which humans learn from their mistakes. And we understand that quality as insight.
Watching Stephen die, Saul could never have imagined that one day he too, would be a martyr or witness for Christ. Trusting in God brought St. Paul to his greatest challenges and greatest glory. It will do the same for us.
Trusting in God must be one of the most difficult things a person can do. It is so easy to not trust in God because it is so easy to even dismiss his very existence! Then where is he? Well, where we put him. Is God in your heart? Let’s start there. It’s been said that with God, we can find peace. How many of us are really at peace with God and ourselves? We all have to look back on our respective lives and ask more questions about our own identity. Who are we? We say we are Christians, but what does that mean? If you don’t love those that are closest to you, then how can you say you love anyone? Do you even love yourself? As I think about our society, I think there is just too much self-hatred. But why? Who’s trying to fool us?