Daily Reflection – Dec 26, 2018

Wednesday 26 December 2018

First Reading: ACTS 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Responsorial Psalm:
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
PS 31:3CD-4, 6 AND 8AB, 16BC AND 17
Gospel Reading: MT 10:17-22

Today’s Note: Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Gospel Reading:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
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.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father 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.”

Reflection:

I can see heaven thrown open. ACTS 7:56

Having just celebrated Christmas, we now celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen – the first martyr – which in some ways might seem a bit odd because we are jumping from the birth of Christ to a post-Resurrection event, missing out on everything that has happened in between. Yet, in many ways, the celebration of the feast of Saint Stephen immediately after Christmas does actually make sense.

At Christmas, we remember that God has given God’s own self totally to us in the child Jesus, and now, on the feast of Saint Stephen, we remember someone who in response to God’s generosity, has given himself totally back to God. It is a reminder to us that we are encouraged to do the same.

At Christmas, we also remember that Christ came down from heaven to be with us on this earth so that one day we might be with him in the glory of heaven. Christ came down from heaven to share in our humanity, our human nature, and our human life so that we might be raised up to share in his divinity, in the divine nature, in the divine life. Christ was born into our world so that we might be reborn into his kingdom of heaven.

This is what we celebrate on Christmas day and on the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Christ here on earth, and today we celebrate the birth of Saint Stephen into the glory of Heaven. It is a wonderful reminder to us that this sacred exchange between Heaven and earth, between God and humanity is already taking place. Int he words of Saint Stephen, Heaven is already thrown open for us.

Lord, help me to give myself totally to you just as you have given yourself totally to us. Amen.