But he, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."-Act 7:55.
God is good, all the time. Friends: It is almost surreal to think that a day after Christmas, the liturgy celebrates the feast of St. Stephen as the first Christian martyr. Yet, this year's Christmas not only confirms this long-standing celebration that portrays the relationship of Christmas to the mission of Christ and our lives as disciples, but it also raises our hope and endurance for life exigencies.
Christ glorious and joyful nativity as disclosed by the angel to the shepherd," I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!” (Lk 2:10b-11), was intricately connected with his suffering and death. The angel Gabriel had hinted that he would save his people from sin without much elaboration relating to the manner of saving. Simeon's prophecy that Mary's heart would be pierced with a sword due to his son offers the first clue that Jesus' mission would be shrouded in tragedy and pain.
In all Christendom, the belief that the joy of Christmas is not disconnected from the struggles and challenges of the everyday life and circumstances of Christians has not been denied. It is this understanding that explains Stephen’s painful death by stoning for the sake of Christ and the placement of his feast a day after Christmas.
Leaving the year 2020 behind us, we gravitate towards new hopes, aspirations, and dreams of making life better for ourselves and others, and we do so with courage and trust. A new, wonderful year is on the horizon, when we will move "from days of isolation to new days of inspiration; from days of frustration to new days of jubilation; from moments of private contemplation to moments of communal adoration; from days of quarantine to fresh days of evergreen." Let us live and act with courage. The difficulties that will accompany our lives as Christians should lead to great witness from us as Stephen so readily exemplified in his martyrdom.
Merry Christmas to you and looking forward to a blessed new year with you.