A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (6:8-10; 7:54-60)
Stephen, filled with grace and power, began to work great wonders and signs among the people. Then certain people from the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and from Cyrene and Alexandria, and others from Cilicia and Asia, came forward to debate with Stephen, but they could not stand up against him because of his wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this they were infuriated 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 the right hand of God. He said, ‘Look! I see heaven thrown open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.’ They cried out in a loud voice and stopped their ears with their hands; then they made a concerted rush at him, thrust him out of the city and began to stone 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.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And with these words he fell asleep.
The celebration of the feast of the first Christian martyr stands in striking contrast to the feast of Christmas. And yet, the Messiah came not for glory but for self-giving. This reading is taken from two chapters of Acts, and the long speech of Stephen to his opponents is omitted. Stephen is full of ‘grace’ (charis) and ‘power’ (dunamis), and works both ‘wonders’ (terata) and ‘signs’ (semeia) for the people. The impact attracts opposition, particularly from Hellenist Jews from various locations, living in Jerusalem. Stephen’s very name shows he too was a Hellenist, and he was the first listed among those chosen to serve at tables (6:5). They cannot resist his ‘wisdom’ (sophia) and his ‘spirit’ (pneuma). They are incensed at the fierce tone of his speech (7:1-53). The story of Stephen is modelled by the evangelist on Christ’s passion and death. He has a vision of the glory of God and of Jesus at God’s right hand (see Luke 22:69). As they stone him, Stephen offers his life with the words: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ (see Luke 23:46) He prays: ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ (see Luke 23:34) This first martyr witnesses to his Lord not by words alone. Saul stands by. More general persecution will be the aftermath of the stoning of Stephen (8:1).
Psalm 31 (30) The psalm contains repeated words of trust in God.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew (10:17-22)
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be prepared for people to hand you over to assemblies and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as evidence to them and to the gentiles. 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 a father his child; children will come forward against their parents and have them put to death. You will be universally hated on account of my name; but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.’
Even in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had spoken of persecution in the cause of righteousness (5:10). In the discourse on mission, the second of the five great speeches of Jesus presented by the evangelist Matthew, Jesus speaks more fully about the coming persecution, emphasizing that the ‘witness’ (marturion) will be given not only before Jews but also for the nations. The theme will recur in the final discourse of Jesus concerning the future and the end (24:9).The Spirit of the Father will inspire what the disciples should say in their defence. Jesus himself, when he was interrogated, either remained silent or simply spoke the truth. Betrayal will even come from a person’s own family. Hatred will be universal. But anyone who ‘stands firm’ (hupomenein) to the end will attain salvation. Stephen, the first martyr, gives a fine example.
How can the Christmas feast give courage to those suffering the violence of persecution?
The words of Jesus in the gospel are fulfilled in the life of Stephen.