this week's feasts
St. Stephen
The Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, is celebrated on Dec. 26, the day after Christmas. Why would such a sad and violent death be remembered on such a day. I think that the Church wants to make sure that we do not forget that the child Jesus is born into this world to do battle with the forces of evil and to die, and that we, His followers, must be willing to suffer and to face even death ourselves.
Stephen was a follower of Jesus, who was chosen by the early Christian community to be one of seven deacons who would assist the Apostles and would especially be focused on service to the poor. He was a fire and brimstone preacher, who spoke fiercely to the crowds, infuriating many. Finally, his enemies had enough and decided to stone him to death. Standing there, holding the cloaks of Stephen’s murderers, and egging them on, was a man whose name was Saul. He would, of course, become Paul, the greatest evangelist the Church has ever known.
As he was dying, Stephen looked up and saw Jesus at the right hand of the Father, and prayed, “Father, forgive them,” and “Lord, receive my spirit.”
Stephen was a follower of Jesus, who was chosen by the early Christian community to be one of seven deacons who would assist the Apostles and would especially be focused on service to the poor. He was a fire and brimstone preacher, who spoke fiercely to the crowds, infuriating many. Finally, his enemies had enough and decided to stone him to death. Standing there, holding the cloaks of Stephen’s murderers, and egging them on, was a man whose name was Saul. He would, of course, become Paul, the greatest evangelist the Church has ever known.
As he was dying, Stephen looked up and saw Jesus at the right hand of the Father, and prayed, “Father, forgive them,” and “Lord, receive my spirit.”
St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
Dec. 27 is the Feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist. John is one of the sons of Zebedee (with his brother James), who were both apostles. They tended to be very hot-headed, so Jesus called them the Sons of Thunder. John became known as the Beloved Disciple, or the Disciple whom Jesus loved, as he seems to have had a very special connection to Jesus. As the youngest of the Twelve, Jesus may have had a very paternal relationship with him, even, from the Cross, giving John and his mother, Mary, to each other to care for and love one another.
John will be the only apostle not to die a martyr’s death, though he will be imprisoned on the island of Patmos, as we see in the Book of Revelation. He will become the writer of the fourth Gospel and three epistles.
John will be the only apostle not to die a martyr’s death, though he will be imprisoned on the island of Patmos, as we see in the Book of Revelation. He will become the writer of the fourth Gospel and three epistles.
The Feast of the Holy Innocents
It is only in the Gospel of Matthew that we are told of the Slaughter of the Holy Innocents. Herod, informed by the Magi, that a newborn King of the Jews had been born, was determined to eliminate what he saw as a threat to his reign. He orders that all the boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding area be executed. They become the first to die for the sake of Christ.
Joseph, being warned in a dream about the threat from King Herod, took the child and his mother and fled to Egypt. They will remain there until Herod has died and will return to Nazareth. The Holy Family lived in Egypt for three to five years.
Joseph, being warned in a dream about the threat from King Herod, took the child and his mother and fled to Egypt. They will remain there until Herod has died and will return to Nazareth. The Holy Family lived in Egypt for three to five years.