St. Stephen, Thursday — 26th December 2019 — Gospel: Matthew 10, 17-22
Greater love for the master
Stephen is the first martyr who laid down his life for Jesus, the Lord and Master. Yesterday we celebrated the birth of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant death of a soldier of this King. Yesterday our King took on human form and came down to earth. Today a soldier of his leaves the earth and goes up to heaven. The growing hostility provoked by Stephen’s ministry was due to his likeness of Jesus. He continued what Jesus had begun in his mission. With courage and boldness he remained faithful and obedient to God for ever even at the face to face reality of death. He not only endured sufferings and persecutions, but bore witness to Christ because he was filled with God’s spirit and received grace, wisdom and power from God.
