Stephen was the first deacon and the first martyr for the Church. His martyrdom is recounted by St Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. He was stoned to death by the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem while Saul (the future St Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles) looked on approvingly.
Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Psalm 30; Matthew 10:17-22
Our first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles gives an account of Stephen’s belief in the Son of God and of the “great wonders and signs” he worked and which led to his arrest and trial before the supreme court of the Jews. It goes on to tell us of his martyrdom for holding such beliefs. The Psalm could quite easily have been the last words of Stephen as he died – “Into your hands I commend my spirit, it is you who will redeem me Lord.” In the gospel passage from St Matthew we see Jesus warning his followers that they will be handed over to others and betrayed for believing in him. But he tells them not to worry because they will have the Spirit of God with them and those who stand “firm to the end will be saved.” Having just celebrated the birth of the Saviour we are challenged to believe in him even to the point of dying for him as St Stephen did.
Our first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles gives an account of Stephen’s belief in the Son of God and of the “great wonders and signs” he worked and which led to his arrest and trial before the supreme court of the Jews. It goes on to tell us of his martyrdom for holding such beliefs. The Psalm could quite easily have been the last words of Stephen as he died – “Into your hands I commend my spirit, it is you who will redeem me Lord.” In the gospel passage from St Matthew we see Jesus warning his followers that they will be handed over to others and betrayed for believing in him. But he tells them not to worry because they will have the Spirit of God with them and those who stand “firm to the end will be saved.” Having just celebrated the birth of the Saviour we are challenged to believe in him even to the point of dying for him as St Stephen did.