Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 26, 2024
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Earlier this year, I was preparing for my first court appearance, and my supervisor was role-playing as the judge. I had studied the relevant law and felt well-prepared—so prepared that I had brought nearly 30 pages of notes and materials to the lectern. While my thorough answers to every potential question were well-intentioned, my supervisor had none of it. She urged me to “keep it simple!” At times, there was some angry table pounding sprinkled in. Flashbacks from high school rolled through my mind: I always hated memorizing my jazz band parts, fearful of performing without sheet music!
Today’s gospel invites us to embrace the simplicity of our faith. Even after detailing the harrowing trials the apostles would soon face, Jesus gives them a simple, firm command: “Do not worry.” Is Jesus discouraging a thorough defense of our own faith? The theology major in me finds this hard to square with the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Jesus instead encourages us to discard all of our emotional crutches, which sometimes prevent authentic expressions of faith and complicate our relationship with God. If elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus tells us to “receive the kingdom of God as a little child,” could we pay more attention to small graces in our lives? Could we utter a short “Come, Holy Spirit” in times of uncertainty?
This Christmas season, we celebrate Jesus’ entrance into this world. While the prophets spoke of a savior whose mere words would overwhelm any resistance, God gave us an infant born in a modest manger to parents of simple means. With that in mind, may we cultivate a simple faith marked by the fact that Emmanuel – God with us – will have us prepared for any challenge life throws at us.
Prayer
Almighty God, the gift of your Son brings us assurance and confidence. Today, as we remember the first martyr Stephen, give us strength in every conflict and struggle. We pray for the end of all persecution and strife. May your Son’s peace rest in our hearts. We pray this in his name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Stephen was the first Christian to die for his faith in Jesus.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the apostles went about preaching the good news. As Christian communities grew, there arose a need to care for widows and the poor in the name of the community. The apostles, being busy with preaching, asked the communities to recommend seven men to serve the poor. Stephen was one of those seven; the apostles laid hands on these people and ordained them as the first deacons.
Stephen spoke about the faith with great wisdom and eloquence, and he was successful in winning many to Christianity. Enemies of the Church were angry that he was converting others and they tried to argue with him, but it didn’t work. They then found someone to lie and charge him with blasphemy.
He was taken to face a great assembly, and he remained calm and collected and defended his faith, claiming that Jesus is the Son of God and the fulfillment of God’s promises. He even scolded his opponents for their refusal to see the truth.
Fulgentius of Ruspe, a fifth-century bishop, wrote about Stephen's martyrdom:
"Love was Stephen's weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his name. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment. [...] Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven."
At that, they all became incensed and they dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. Stephen remained faithful to the end, crying out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He knelt and begged God to forgive those who were killing him. St. Paul was among the crowd who opposed Stephen and witnessed his martyrdom.
A number of Stephen’s relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. His relics also rest in the main altar of the Basilica. Today's featured stained glass image of him stands in the chapel in the new Stayer Center for Executive Education.
St. Stephen, first Christian to die for your faith in Jesus—pray for us!