The birthday of Jesus on earth yesterday gives Saint Stephen the grace to be born into heaven today. Jesus calls us all to be born again in baptism, and to walk in newness of life. Baptism, allows us to walk in newness of life by uniting us to the death of Jesus who died and rose for us. This is nowhere more evident than in the persecution and martyrdom of Saint Stephen.
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.
Jesus does not exaggerate. Just as he is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaks the words given to him by the Father so to do those who follow in his footsteps. That is why Stephen makes the very words of Jesus his own words when he asks that his killers be forgiven and when he pleads, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
The babe in the crib unites divinity to the entirety of our humanity. The possibility, and indeed the certainty, of the Cross is manifest even on that most joyous day. After all, he was born to be a ransom for us. But in joining himself to our sick, suffering, and dying, human nature, Jesus conquers all of those things. We see that victory manifest from the very first in the Acts of the Apostles with Saint Stephen. It is his victory that we celebrate today. It is a victory that ripples throughout history, helping to change the heart of Saint Paul and so many others.
Let us ask Saint Stephen for the grace to follow Jesus as closely as he did. May we be filled with the same Spirit. When our moment of testing comes may we prefer the words God gives us to our own. If we do we will surely see his face shine upon us.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
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