What St. Stephen teaches us About Christmas.

Homily for 26^th December 2019. Read Acts 6:54-59, Psalm 31 and Matthew 10:17-22)_

 

_“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” *(Matthew 10:21-22)*_

Year after year, I never cease to wonder why the feast of St. Stephen is placed side by side with Christmas. What a sharp contrast! Just hours after celebrating the birth of Jesus, here we are talking about the stoning of a man to death.

Our morning prayer today says: “Grant Lord, we pray that we may imitate what we worship, and so learn to love even our enemies, for we celebrate the heavenly birthday of a man who knew how to pray for his persecutors.” Today’s feast is in the spirit of birthday celebrations; yesterday was that of Jesus and today is St. Stephen.

What was Stephen’s offence that led to his stoning? False accusation by persons who tried but could not defeat him in some theological arguments. Stephen’s death was fuelled by envy and jealousy, inspired by lies against him and orchestrated by a mob who could not stand it when Stephen revealed his vision of heaven with Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

It is an irony that while we all claim to know God, we are ready to fight each other when it comes to doctrinal differences. We say we love God but we boil with hatred for persons who belong to a different denomination. Some of us go as far as preaching against each other’s church. Several times, I have seen how some Christians condemn the Catholic Church and the Pope with so much passion that if given the chance, they would stone all Catholics to death.

What is so unique about St. Stephen is that he refused to allow bitterness and hatred becloud his mind. He prayed for his killers. By the example of his death, St. Stephen imitated Jesus Christ who while on the cross prayed for his persecutors: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).

Our celebration of St. Stephen just a day after Christmas is a sharp reminder that Christmas is not all about eating and drinking. It is a celebration of the SACRIFICIAL LOVE of God for us. If God so loved us even when we were His enemies due to our sinfulness, we too must love our enemies; we must love those who persecute us, we must pray for them and ask God to forgive them even when we keep receiving their stones.

We may have spent time yesterday with the special persons in our lives. We have invited our close friends and family members, we have shared food, clothes, drinks and even money with our loved ones. Today, still in the spirit of Christmas, we are invited to become like St. Stephen; to pray for and show love to those who hate us. By showing love to our enemies, our Christmas celebration is complete.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to imitate you just like Stephen did. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Feast of St. Stephen the Martyr. Bible Study: Acts 6:54-59, Psalm 31 and Matthew 10:17-22).