Festival of St. Stephen, Protomartyr and Deacon
Posted on December 26, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 2:1-14 (NKJV)
2:15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Devotion
The heavenly choir had filled the night sky with the sound of singing. Their song proclaimed that the Lord Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born. The shepherds who heard this message went with haste, even as the Virgin went with haste to share this good news with Elizabeth. Just as Mary found the things that were told her about Elizabeth to be true, so too, the shepherds found it exactly as the angel proclaimed to them. They in turn made these events widely known.
This Child would suffer and die for the sins of the whole world, so that all those who believe on Him would be justified. St. Stephen, whose festival is today, also proclaimed this Child who had become a man. He preached that this Man was the Savior of all mankind, that He had come to redeem His people from sin, death, and the power of the devil. For this Stephen was stoned to death. He saw our Lord sitting on the right hand of the Father, interceding for us poor sinners. Let us go into the world with haste and share this good news!
Prayer: Grant, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon Earth for the testimony of Thy truth we may steadfastly look up to Heaven and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of Thy first martyr, Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to Thee, O Blessed Jesus, who stands at the right hand of God to help all those who suffer for Thee, our only Mediator and Advocate; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
