Today December 26

Today is the ancient feast of St. Stephen (? - 34). Rare indeed is a feast so old and so equally celebrated both East and West. But then today's saint is well-known and his history rock-solid, being recorded faithfully in the Scriptures themselves.

He was one of the first seven deacons, and their acknowledged leader. He attended to charitable works among the widows, making sure both Hebrew- and Greek-speaking women got their fair share, thereby freeing the apostles to preach and to pray. But Stephen himself prayed and preached too, as deacons do today. And his words were full of wisdom and spirit and his reason unassailable, as the contingent of jealous Jews found. He refuted each point they brought against him. Beaten back, they decided to fight dirty and hired several men to swear falsely against him. Stephen's face "shone like the face of an angel" and his gave his brilliant and impassioned defense in Acts 7:2 - 53. He ended with a brave fraternal correction of them: "You, stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you have always resisted the Holy Spirit. Like father, like son. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?" And then he was rewarded with a triumphant vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (I am reminded of the prophetic words of Daniel: "one coming like a Son of Man in the clouds of glory.") And he was stoned to death outside the walls. He died begging forgiveness for his executioners and with the immortal words, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," he gave over his spirit. They were the words many saints ended their lives with, including the immortal Japanese martyrs, burned to death in a gorge, the mothers holding up their babies, saying "Lord Jesus, receive their souls!" I can hardly read that without tears.

And finally, the Golden Legend says that Stephen triumphed. He triumphed. I've often pondered the heavenly assurance to St. Joan of Arc that she would be saved . . . and then her shock that she found herself burned at the stake! Well, Stephen was stoned. But think about it: he triumphed, he was saved, in the only way that matters. St. Stephen, pray for us.