Dec 26 2020 Reflection

Saturday 26 December 2020

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:

It will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father. (Matthew 10:20)

St. Stephen may not have known at first how to answer his detractors. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages his followers not to worry about what to say when they’re being persecuted because the Holy Spirit will speak through them (Matthew 10:20). So Stephen relied on the Spirit, who gave him not only the courage to preach but also the grace to forgive the people who killed him (Acts 6:10; 7:60).

We know what it’s like to feel tongue-tied in a tough situation. But God wants us to turn to his Spirit for help, just as Stephen did. We might think that because Stephen was a great saint, he had special access to the Spirit. But that’s not the case. Through our baptism, we all have the same access to the Holy Spirit. He lives in us, just as he lived in Stephen. The difference is that Stephen welcomed the Holy Spirit into his circumstances.

So how do we open ourselves to the Spirit? As St. Paul told Timothy, we can “stir into flame” his presence within us (2 Timothy 1:6). That doesn’t necessarily mean praying long, drawn-out prayers. It can be as simple as “Come, Holy Spirit!” or “Holy Spirit, help me!” The Holy Spirit is so close to us that even when we don’t know what to ask for, he “intercedes with inexpressible groanings” on our behalf (Romans 8:26). We just have to try to be aware, open, and expectant.

Such heartfelt prayers are perfect just before, say, a tough meeting at work. Or prior to delicate conversations with family members you will see around the holidays. Or when you’re trying to figure out how to share your faith. You don’t even have to wait for a tense situation—you can count on the Spirit to help you whenever you are at a loss for words! 

God is with us. He lives in us. Let’s trust that when we call on him, he will speak through us.

“Come, Holy Spirit, and speak through me today.”