Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen, who was one of the first seven deacons and became the first Christian martyr. Led by the Holy Spirit, he became a zealous missionary. Stephen's mission was to oversee the distribution of the alms to the poor while preaching. A group of Jewish Hellenists resented Stephen's preaching of salvation through Jesus. They found witnesses to testify falsely that Stephen had committed blasphemy. Stephen was arrested and brought before the court. Although the odds were against him, he knew that the Holy Spirit would help him, and he wasn't afraid. When Stephen testified, he stated that the Lord came to save all, not merely the "Chosen People", and that the Church was separate and distinct from the synagogue. He reproved the Pharisees for their stubbornness and hardness of heart that prevented them from recognizing the long-awaited Messiah and instead crucified him. And finally, his declaration that he saw "the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" made the listeners furious. They rushed and dragged him out of town and stoned him. Stephen was the first person to be martyred for Christ. His last words were, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). Stephen is the patron saint of deacons, bricklayers, and stonemasons and is also invoked against headaches.
Prayer:
We give You thanks, O Lord of Glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to Your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at Your right hand; where He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
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