Commentary
Saturday, 12/26/2020, St Stephen the First Martyr
Persecution Similar to Jesus
First Reading Commentary: Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59
How strong is your faith? Is your faith so strong that you are willing to stand up to any and all persecution that might come your way and/or lay down your life to defend it? Whenever your faith is attacked, what do you do? What crosses your mind? Why am I asking you these questions when I need to ask myself these questions? We are human and there is a limit to how much we can be tested.
Jesus was telling Peter this when He said to Peter, “Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 Keep this in mind while reading today’s first reading from Acts of the Apostles. Also keep in mind that it is St Paul, who was first known as Saul, who wrote the Book of Acts.
Today we celebrate the Feast of St Stephen, the first martyr of the Church and as we meditate on the first reading, we can notice striking similarities between the death of Stephen and Jesus. Even though Stephen was stoned and Jesus was crucified, there are striking similarities. These things send some profound messages.
Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He performed great wonders and signs among the people. In other words, Stephen healed the sick and performed other miracles. He also proclaimed the Gospel with the Spirit’s wisdom.
There were those who debated with Stephen and Paul tells us that they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. Paul does not tell us that those who debated with Stephen could not understand—Paul tells us that they could not withstand. In other words, their minds were closed and they made a deliberate decision to not accept what Stephen was proclaiming.
They became infuriated and ground their teeth at him. Picture the looks on their faces and then remember that Jesus told us on more than one occasion that hell is where there will be whaling and grinding of teeth. These people who debated with Stephen were not simply non-believers.
Consider this as the first similarity. Despite the works performed by Jesus. Despite His teachings. Despite the prophecies which had been foretold about the Messiah. Despite all of the obvious signs. Despite all of the knowledge of the Pharisees and Scribes, many of them refused to accept Jesus for who He was and plotted against Him. On one occasion, the people drove Jesus out of town and were going to stone Him. This was after Jesus had read the passage in the scroll which proclaimed His divinity. Luke 4:29 Stephen was rejected in the same way that Jesus was and Stephen was stoned to death.
Jesus accepted His persecution quiet as a lamb. But Jesus did speak while on the cross. Stephen was filled with the Spirit and Paul tells us that Stephen, “looked up intently at heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Focus on the word “intently.” Somehow, I get the feeling that Paul used this word for lack of a stronger word. I get the feeling that at that moment, Stephen was with God.
Consider the fact that each of us is a part of the Mystical Body of Christ which makes us one with Christ. Now ask yourself, is my faith so strong that I could look up and see God as Stephen did while I am being put to death in such an unjustified and painful way?
Consider this as the second similarity. Just as Jesus spoke while being put to death, so did Stephen speak and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But the people cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears and rushed upon him.
This similarity takes us back to Jesus standing in front of Pilot as the people cried out, “Crucify Him.” And just as the people were determined to put Christ to death, so too, the people were determined to kill Stephen. They had been taken over by the evil one and nothing was going to stop them.
Similarity number three is an answer to the question; why did Jesus and Stephen give their lives? Jesus willingly gave His life on the cross so that each of us might be saved and enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. Stephen willingly gave his life so that he might be saved and be with God in heaven. Stephen also set the example for each of us to follow. Of course, I am not suggesting that we should be stoned or martyred in any other way, but we should be of the same resolve as Stephen in our desire to be with God in heaven.
Paul admitted to the fact that he was a witness to Stephen’s death. Stephen was martyred prior to Paul’s conversion. Remember that Paul, who was Saul at the time, was zealous in his pursuit of and persecution of those who were followers of Christ, who at the time were known as Followers of the Way.
I believe that Paul’s telling of this account is one of the ways that he repented for his sins. I don’t know. That is between Paul and God. What I do know is that Paul admitted to his sin. Admitting to one’s sins is the first step in being forgiven for their sins. Consider this as the fourth similarity. Remember Jesus heard the confession of one of the criminals being crucified with Him and granted absolution by saying, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43
Today’s first reading ends with Stephen saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” This is similarity number five. The final words of Jesus were, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Luke 23:46 Stephen asked Jesus to receive his spirit. Notice that by asking, Stephen did not take salvation for granted. Neither should we.
A Prophecy from Jesus
Gospel Commentary: Matthew 10:17-22
When Jesus gave us the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-11, He said, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, your reward will be great in heaven. Thus, they persecuted the prophets who were before me.” The Beatitudes are the Proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven of heaven, the Third Luminous Mystery of the Rosary. They are our promise of heaven from Jesus.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us what some people will have to do in order to get to heaven. Jesus actually gives a prophecy of martyrdom and Jesus tells us exactly what will ultimately happen to Him.
The first part of what Jesus says is a summary what happens to Him from the time that He is arrested to the Scourging at the Pillar which is the Second Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary. Stephen was not scourged but he was handed over to courts so to speak and he was persecuted for Jesus’ sake.
Then Jesus says that we should not worry about what we should say because the Father’s Spirit will speak through us. In other words, we will be given the gift of tongues. Stephen was blessed with the gift of tongues which is why his persecutors could not withstand what he was saying.
When someone prays in tongues, their prayers are all full of honor and praises to God. A non-believer who has been taken over by the evil one cannot stand to hear tongues because they cannot stand to hear praises to God. Such a person will be possessed with bringing harm to and getting rid of the believer who speaks in tongues.
When this happens, mayhem and chaos take over. This is what Jesus is telling us when He speaks of people turning against each other and having each other put to death. When this happens, people of faith will be hated simply because of their faith. There is no sanity in it and it makes no sense but that is the way of the devil.
But the beauty of it all is that with Jesus, the end is always good news! Jesus said, “…whoever endures to the end will be saved.” The message here is very simple. As Paul tells us many times, “Keep the faith.”
