Daily Catholic Lectio
Tuesday, 26 December 2024
Saint Stephen, Protomartyr – Feast
Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-60. Matthew 10:17-22
Shadow of Christ
The day that follows Christmas Day is celebrated as St. Stephen’s Day. Today we commemorate Saint Stephen, the First Martyr (protomartyr) of the Early Church. Seven deacons are appointed in the Early Church to serve at the table. St. Stephen was the first deacon to be named. In Greek ‘stephanos’ means ‘crown.’ The deacons of the Early Church were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and wisdom (cf. Acts 6:3). The Acts of the Apostles records the ministry of Stephen and Philip.
Luke, the author of the Acts, presents Jesus as the shadow (or replica) of Jesus: (a) Like Jesus, Stephen works miracles and signs; (b) Their enemies were not able to stand against them in speech; (c) The people, the elders, and the scribes rose against them; (d) Both were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit; (e) Both give up their spirit to God before their death; and (f) Both forgive their enemies before their death.
We celebrated Christmas Day with a lot of joy and zest. Christ, whose advent is celebrated, will be rejected and killed. St. Stephen symbolically represents to the Church what Christ suffered and tells them that imitating Christ is always possible. Stephen encourages the Early Christians to be firm in their faith.
What are the lessons that we learn from St. Stephen?
(a) Innocent suffering. Many books of the Old Testament present suffering as the effect of our sins. The problem of innocent suffering cannot be understood in the light of these books. The sufferings of Job, Jesus, and Stephen have no answer. Suffering is inflicted on them. However, they embrace pain and suffering.
(b) Fortitude that does not retreat. St. Stephen remains in fortitude despite the sufferings and rejections that he faced. The incarnated God does not retreat from himself. In the gospel reading, Jesus invites his disciples to be firm, perseverant, and courageous.
(c) Life witness. St. Stephen uses his power, wisdom, and skills for the proclamation of the Gospel. At the end of the day, we need to ask ourselves, ‘For whom or what did I spend my power and skills?
Saint Stephen followed Jesus like his shadow, and he invites us to do so.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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