Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

Readings of the day: RB 68

Mass: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Resp. Psalm 31; Matthew 10:17-22

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord:

the Lord is God and has given us light.

ALLELUIA.

 

Icon of St Stephen

The story of the stoning of Stephen from Acts woven into what we hear Jesus say to us in today’s Gospel, culminating in Psalm 31, provides a beautiful tapestry of the WORD. 

Beware of men, they will hand you over, throw you out of the city as they did Stephen.

Don’t worry about what to say, though, the Spirit will fill you—they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which Stephen spoke; they were infuriated and ground their teeth. ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ Brother will hand over brother, children will rise against parents—they will put you to death. They cried out, covered their ears, and rushed upon Stephen. They began to stone him. 

You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.

BE MY ROCK OF REFUGE,

A STRONGHOLD TO GIVE ME SAFETY.

YOU ARE MY ROCK AND FORTRESS;

FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE YOU WILL LEAD AND GUIDE ME.

INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT;

YOU WILL REDEEM ME, O LORD, O FAITHFUL GOD.

I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD BECAUSE OF YOUR MERCY.

RESCUE ME FROM THE CLUTCHES OF MY ENEMIES AND MY PERSECUTORS,

LET YOUR FACE SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT;

SAVE ME IN YOUR KINDNESS.

Saint Stephen,

pray for us.

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