26 December 2025 (Friday) / Saint Stephen, the first Martyr ‐ Feast / Saint Stephen, Protomartyr Feast

26 December 2025 (Friday)

Saint Stephen, the first Martyr ‐ Feast.

Saint Stephen, Protomartyr Feast.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church: 

First Reading: Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 31: 3-4, 6 and 8, 16-17
Alleluia: Psalms 118: 26-27
Gospel: Matthew 10: 17-22

First Reading : Acts 6:8‐10,7:54‐59

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.
  But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 30(31):3‐4,6,8,16‐17

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
  a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
  For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
  It is you who will redeem me, Lord.
As for me, I trust in the Lord:
  let me be glad and rejoice in your love.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
My life is in your hands, deliver me
  from the hands of those who hate me.
Let your face shine on your servant.
  Save me in your love.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Alleluia: Psalms 118: 26-27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
26-27 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD: the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 10:17‐22

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.
  ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.’

For our reflection today:

The day after the Solemnity of Christmas, we are celebrating today the Feast of St Stephen, deacon and the first martyr. At first glance, the memory of the "Protomartyr" alongside the birth of the Redeemer can leave us perplexed due to the striking contrast between the peace and joy of Bethlehem and the drama of Stephen, stoned in Jerusalem in the first persecutions against the newborn Church. St Stephen was the first to follow in the footsteps of Christ with his martyrdom. He died, like the divine Master, pardoning and praying for his killers (cf. Acts 7: 60). In the first four centuries of Christianity, all the saints venerated by the Church were martyrs. They were a countless body that the liturgy calls "the white-robed army of martyrs", martyrum candidatus exercitus. Their death did not rouse fear and sadness, but spiritual enthusiasm that gave rise to ever new Christians. For believers the day of death, and even more the day of martyrdom, is not the end of all; rather, it is the "transit" towards immortal life. It is the day of definitive birth, in Latin, dies natalis. The link that exists then between the "dies natalis" of Christ and the dies natalis of St Stephen is understood. If Jesus was not born on earth, humankind could not be born unto Heaven. Specifically, because Christ is born, we can be "reborn"! (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 26 December 2006)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)