Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Feast of Saint Stephen, proto-martyr

As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
The Feast of Saint Stephen, by its placement on December 26, seems to jar us out of any Christmas complacency. And yet its message is just as peaceful as the great holiday, for amid the screaming, shouting violence of a savage mob our first martyr enjoyed the reassuring presence of Jesus.
How did he manage to do that? Saint Luke, who told us of the first Christmas night, the shepherds and angels, tells us,
filled with the Holy Spirit,
(Stephen) looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
The key phrase, I think, is he looked up intently.
Someday I should do a word search of the New Testament to see how often the authors urge us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. I think of several passages:
  • Saint Peter walked on water so long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. (Matthew 14:29-30)
  • Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2)
  • You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)
  • Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:29)
    • Saint Stephen was certainly aware of the brutal punishment that descended upon him, but he was utterly fascinated by what he saw above him:
    "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
    standing at the right hand of God."
    When the scriptures urge us to look intently that doesn’t mean glance at it on your way to somewhere else. It’s not even like, “Have you seen the morning paper?” It’s more like, “Stop everything, sit down, slow down, be calmed and gaze on the Lord your Lover; and see how beautiful he is.
    As you sit and rest before your own Christmas crèche, as you gaze on that beautiful baby, you might notice that Saint Stephen is sitting beside you, as happy and as peaceful as you are.
    -

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    I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.

    Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.

    I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.

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