"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
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
The gates of heaven opened up for St Stephen. Following the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we are immediately reminded that following Jesus can at times be met with calumnity and persecution.
St Stephen became the first martyr. We might lament that so soon after Christmas we are reminded of life and what happens to those who follow Jesus. We are filled with joy as we received presents, had family over, or simply memories of Christmas pasts fill us with fond happiness.
Jesus promises He will never leave us, always present. He gives us the voice, the strength. St Stephen saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. That is our reward if we remain faithful to God: to spend eternity with Him.
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