WEDNESDAY HOMILY: Saint Stephen Shows Us the Christ Child Was Meant for Sacrifice

12/26/2012

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Protomartyr, the first martyr after the death and glorious resurrection of Christ to witness to him unto the shedding of his blood. Saint Stephen's death this close, the very next day after, the birth of the Savior, teaches us why this child was born. He was born to be THE Martyr, the Witness of the Father's love by shedding his blood on the Cross. Yes, God wants us to rejoice and enjoy the glow of the manger scene, but not have illusion whatsoever about this little child. He was born in a town called Bethlehem, which means in Hebrew house of bread, and placed in a manger, where animals eat, so that it would be very clear that he is for us a sacrificial victim, which feeds and nourishes us. He is our Eucharist. It is sacrificial love that nourishes a soul, the sacrifice of a mother sheltering her baby from the cold, the sacrifice of a man who lays his life down for his friends that truly feeds the human heart with the love that it longs for. Saint Stephen is a good companion to the child we see in Bethlehem, because his example feeds us with strength of soul to witness to the identity of the child. Do we need strength today? When rights of babies in the womb are not respected and treated as intruders unworthy of the protection of law? When the sacred institution of marriage is threatened by all sorts of abominable distortions of the one-man, one-woman irrevocable covenanted union? When government leaders have the temptation like King Herod to seek to destroy Christ, to trample upon the commandments of God and rub out the name of God in our public institutions, schools, and communities? We need courage. Where does courage come from? Saint Stephen teaches us the answer. He gazed upon Christ seated at the right hand of the Father. Prayer - we need to find strength from the experience of being loved that can only come from frequent, intense, and profound contact with God through prayer, especially the source, summit, and center of Christian prayer, the holy sacrifice of the Mass. The Christmas Octave should be a time of profound prayer and silence, of powerful joy-filled communion with Jesus Christ. We should be overcome and swept up with his tiny littleness, the vulnerability, innocence, all clothed in divine Power and Perfection. This mystery ought to make our hearts strong and courageous. We ought to therefore be given the confidence which makes us, as it says in the Gospel, " not="" worry="" about="" how="" you="" are="" to="" speak="" or="" what="" say"="" when="" it="" comes="" situations="" that="" threaten="" the="" very="" basic="" core="" of="" a="" christian="" culture.="" rest="" christmas="" octave="" shows="" us="" different="" dimensions="" closeness="" with="" this="" mystery.="" feast="" saint="" john="" beloved,="" who="" placed="" his="" head="" upon="" breast="" redeemer;="" h0ly="" innocents,="" suffered="" and="" unknowingly="" witnessed="" innocent="" one="" like="" victims="" abortion="" today;="" thomas="" becket="" defied="" government="" day="" in="" favor="" divine="" governor;="" holy="" family="" lived="" intimate="" communion="" christ;="" finally="" mother="" god,="" worshipped="" tenderness="" infant-god="" love="" beyond="" all="" telling.="" these="" feasts="" should="" show="" sweet="" christ="" child,="" ought="" give="" courage,="" eloquence="" defending="" life,="" renewed="" sense="" being="" children="" eternal="" god.="" may="" prayers="" stephen,="" becket,="" good="" joseph,="" especially="" obtain="" for="" many="" graces="" octave.="" ------="" father="" samuel="" medley,="" solt,="" is="" priest="" society="" our="" lady="" most="" trinity,="" currently="" based="" hythe,="" kent,="" united="" kingdom.="" he="" speaks="" groups="" around="" world="" on="" blessed="" pope="" paul="" ii's="" theology="" body.="" visit="" homily="" blog="" http:="" medleyminute.blogspot.com="" sexual="" ethics="" loveandresponsibility.org"="">
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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Saint Stephen, Year of Faith, Christmas, Eucharist, Courage

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1 - 3 of 3 Comments

timothy canezaro
4 months ago
A beautiful Homily on this Feast of Saint Stephen Father Medley. In these trying times and on the heels of so much senseless tragedy and violence, during this Year of Faith and during the New Evangelization we the People need the example of the saints to help us live our lives in fuller Communion with Jesus Christ and His Church. During my Confirmation some years ago, I took the name Stephen to honor this great protomartyr. His Faith is something we should all look to.
Tomorrow on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, there is a special Mass at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago that will honor the victims of Sandy Hook. Will be going to join my voice to that prayer. Happy Saint Stephen day everyone! May the Holy Spirit fill God's people the same way it did Saint Stephen.
abey
4 months ago
That was what Moses & Elijah told Jesus in the Mount of Transfiguration.
AC
4 months ago
wish I could linger; better go pray! nice piece, Pater // Merry Twelve Days!

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