Word to the Wise
Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - St. Stephen, the first Martyr
[Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59 and Matthew 10:17-22]Brother will hand over brother to death, and the faither 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.
The celebration of the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, is rather a sobering interlude in a season of joy! Yet, from the outset, Jesus did not sugar-coat the possible consequences of faith in his message. The message and the believer would become a threat to others and could result in violence - even in families! The Gospel of Matthew shows that early on in the story of the Magi and the slaughter of the innocents. The incredible event and mystery of God becoming human takes on very serious aspects. We don't just go to a stable and look at a baby much like looking through the plate glass window at a maternity ward. Our encounter with Christ can make a disciple of us with profound consequences for our lives. Like the shepherds we go away with new understanding. But we may not meet with understanding in our all too secular world. Enduring to the end will require courage and faith. Stephen the Martyr traditionally leads the way. AMEN
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