Dec 26 – St Stephen (1st century) deacon and martyr
Summary of St Stephen, deacon, martyr. Stephen’s only “crime” was to have spoken hard truths that his audience did not want to hear. So the frenzied mob put him to death by stoning. Under the rocks crushing out his life, Stephen commended his spirit to Jesus, and with his dying breath, prayed for his killers.
Stephen is the first Christian martyr after Jesus himself. His story is told in the Acts of the Apostles chapters 6 and 7. His cult spread widely from Jerusalem to Constantinople, north Africa, Rome and Prague.
Patrick Duffy summarises what is known about him.
A Hellenistic Jew
Stephen was probably a Hellenistic Jew. When the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews complained against the Hebraic Jews that their own widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, Stephen was among those chosen by the apostles to be one of the seven deacons appointed in charge of the distribution of alms to the faithful and especially the widows. But as things turned he also had a charism for preaching. Perhaps it was because of his witness that deacons later took on the ministry of preaching.
Engaged by the Hebraic Jews
Certain Jews engaged Stephen in argument and made false charges against him. Stephen’s powerful discourse as recorded in Acts 7 argues that God had always found a way to look after his people in the history of salvation, but that all the institutions like the Mosaic Law and even the Temple were temporary institutions that had been fulfilled in and superseded by Jesus.
Jesus, Stephen argued, was the prophet promised by Moses and the New Temple whom the Jews – “stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart“ – had destroyed and put to death. They, the Jews, had resisted the Holy Spirit!
Stoned to Death: A Hellenistic Jew
Stephen was probably a Hellenistic Jew. When the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews complained against the Hebraic Jews that their own widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, Stephen was among those chosen by the apostles to be one of the seven deacons appointed in charge of the distribution of alms to the faithful and especially the widows. But as things turned he also had a charism for preaching. Perhaps it was because of his witness that deacons later took on the ministry of preaching.
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Memorable Saying for Today
I never knew how strong I was until
I had to forgive someone who wasn’t sorry,
and accept an apology I never received.
~ Anonymous ~
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