December 26 — Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
Matthew 10:17–22
It may surprise us that the day after Christmas is dedicated to the first Christian martyr. The reason is ancient and joyful. On December 26, 415 AD, the tomb of St. Stephen was discovered near Jerusalem, and his relics were brought into the city amid great celebration. Many were healed, and Christians rejoiced as if God had restored His witness to His people. The date remained, and what began as a local celebration became a permanent part of the Church’s Christmas liturgy.
- Another Christ
The Acts of the Apostles describes Stephen as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5), working great wonders among the people (Acts 6:8). Such a beginning should have led to a beautiful story. Instead, it led him to the same place where Jesus walked.
Like Jesus, he was falsely accused. Like Jesus, he was brought before the council and the high priest. His vision of “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56) sealed his death—just as Jesus’ own words sealed His: “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matt 26:64)
Like Jesus, Stephen entrusted his spirit to the Lord, and like Jesus, he prayed for those who killed him (Luke 23:34, 46; Acts 7:59–60).
The first martyr did not simply die for Christ. He died like Christ. He truly became another Christ.
- Why the World Still Hates the Light
Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel: “You will be hated by all because of my name.” (Matt 10:22)
But why?
The 2nd-century Letter to Diognetus tries to explain this mystery. It begins with a striking observation: “Christians love all people, yet all people persecute them.” The author admits that no simple explanation exists.
He then offers an image drawn from his cultural world. In Greek thought, the soul was often seen as imprisoned within the body, and the body resisted the soul’s guidance. The author applies this image to the persecution of Christians:
Christians are to the world what the soul is to the body. The soul is present everywhere in the body, yet distinct from it. And the body wages war against the soul —not because the soul harms it, but because the soul restrains its passions.
So it is with Christians. The world hates them —not because Christians injure the world, but because they challenge what the world calls “enjoyment.”
Even if we do not accept the Greek idea of body and soul at war, the fact remains that Christian martyrdom has continued through the centuries— and the 20th century saw more Christian martyrs than all previous centuries combined.
- The Christmas After Christmas
By placing the martyrdom of Stephen beside the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the Church proclaims that the crib and the cross cannot be separated. From the moment the Light entered the world, the darkness has continued to resist.
Portrayed as another Christ, Stephen is presented to us as an ideal follower of the Lord.
To follow Christ is to:
speak truth in love,
forgive our persecutors,
entrust our lives to God,
and see what others refuse to see.
When ancient Christians discovered the tomb of Stephen, they declared: “God has restored him to us.” By placing his feast immediately after Christmas, the Church restores to us the true meaning of discipleship:
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)
- Prayer
St. Stephen, teach us to love truth more than comfort, to prefer mercy over anger, to forgive even when it wounds, and to see the Son of Man standing beside us.
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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