St. Stephen the Protomartyr

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Sunday, 1 June 2025 : Seventh Sunday of Easter, World Social Communications Sunday (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 7 : 55-60

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand, so he declared : “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying : “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Then he knelt down and said in a loud voice : “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he died.

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Wednesday, 7 May 2025 : 3rd Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 8 : 1b-8

This was the beginning of a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem. All, except the Apostles, were scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the Church. He entered house after house and dragged off men and women, and had them put in jail.

At the same time, those who were scattered went about, preaching the word. Philip went down to a town of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. All the people paid close attention to what Philip said as they listened to him, and saw the miraculous signs that he did. For, in cases of possession, the unclean spirits came out shrieking loudly. Many people who were paralysed or crippled, were healed. So there was great joy in the town.

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Tuesday, 6 May 2025 : 3rd Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 7 : 51 – Acts 8 : 1a

Stephen said to the Council, “But you are a stubborn people, you hardened your hearts and closed your ears. You have always resisted the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did. Was there a prophet whom your ancestors did not persecute? They killed those who announced the coming of the Just One Whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the Law through the Angels but did not fulfil it.”

When the Council heard the reproach Stephen made against them, they were enraged and they gnashed their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand, so he declared : “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying : “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Then he knelt down and said in a loud voice : “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he died. Saul was there, approving his murder. This was the beginning of a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem.

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Monday, 5 May 2025 : 3rd Week of Easter (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Acts 6 : 8-15

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Some persons then came forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

As they were unable to face the truth, they bribed some men to say, ‘We heard him speak against Moses and against God.’ So they stirred up the people, the elders and the teachers of the Law; they took him by surprise, seized him and brought him before the Council.

Then they produced false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against our Holy Place and the Law. We even heard him say that Jesus the Nazarean will destroy our Holy Place and change the customs which Moses handed down to us.” And all who sat in the Council fixed their eyes on him, and his face appeared to them like the face of an Angel.

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Thursday, 26 December 2024 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today is the day after the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, the actual day of Christmas, and it is celebrated in the Church as the Feast of St. Stephen, the Protomartyr of the Church. On this day we may wonder why is it that after the festive celebration of Christmas and the fact that this is still during the joyful Christmas season that we commemorate this feast of the very first martyr or protomartyr of the Church. Indeed, this is in fact a reminder for all of us that our celebration and festivities cannot be separated from the focus we ought to have in Christ, and as Christians, each and every one of us amidst our living as faithful and devoted Christians, we may encounter difficulties, challenges, obstacles, rejection, disapproval, and even persecutions for our faith, for what we believe in, and for our works and efforts.

In our first reading today, we heard of the story of the last ministry of St. Stephen, who would become the first martyr of the Church. Now, St. Stephen was one of the disciples of the Lord, likely to be among those disciples who have followed the Lord during His ministry and when He was still in this world. He was one of the seven original Deacons selected and tasked by the Apostles to be the ones to carry out the ministry of the diaconate and service to the people of God, as at that time, with the rapidly growing number of converts and Christian believers, the expansion of the Church in terms of size, numbers and geographical extent made it increasingly difficult for the Apostles to do everything by themselves in ministering to the Church as well as in governing and leading the faithful.

Not only that, but they also still have their primary mission which has been entrusted to them by the Lord Himself, and that is the ministry of evangelisation. Therefore, the Apostles prayed over the matter and inspired by the Holy Spirit, they resolved to choose seven holy and worthy men to be the first deacons with the primary mission to distribute the goods of the Church and the property needed to support the members of the faithful. There was in fact a strife and division among the members of the community who were divided between the Jewish converts and the Greek converts, and there was unhappiness because apparently those Greek converts had been neglected in the distribution of goods and property, as the earliest Christian communities lived in a communal manner, sharing their goods and property with one another.

Thus, the seven holy men and deacons were selected to be the impartial distributors of those resources and as ministers to the needs of the people of God. St. Stephen was one of those seven men, and was also the most prominent one among them, not less due to his early martyrdom, the tale of which was partly highlighted to us in our first reading passage today. Earlier before this part of the passage, St. Stephen was confronted by his enemies, who made false accusations against him as he was doing his works, and they even employed false witnesses against him, accusing him of having uttered and committed blasphemy against God. And that was how St. Stephen was set up for a confrontation against the whole entire Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council and their supporters.

Yet, St. Stephen, encouraged and full of the Holy Spirit, courageously stood up before the whole assembly and spoke up about the salvation which God has shown to His people through Jesus Christ, telling them about the story of the people of God and the history of salvation, and how everything which God had promised His people and which He has spoken through His prophets and messengers, all the prophecies and predictions came true in Christ, the same One Whom those chief priests and elders, the members of the Sanhedrin had rejected and persecuted, and given to the Romans to be crucified at Calvary. It must have taken great courage for St. Stephen to speak of those words of great truth and wisdom, and yet, he did so, to the bewilderment and total surprise of everyone who listened to him.

St. Stephen gladly accepted suffering and death when all those who listened to him refused to accept the truth that he has presented to them, and stoned him accusing him of blaspheming against God. He was stoned to death by all the assembled people who were overcome with rage and anger against the words that St. Stephen had spoken to them, refusing to believe him even though he has spoken with such wisdom and convincing truth, as they had hardened their hearts and closed off their minds, allowing their pride, ego and ambitions to mislead them to the wrong path. But St. Stephen did not become angry at them or blamed them for all of that, and in fact, just as the Lord Himself had done at the time of His crucifixion, St. Stephen forgave those who persecuted and killed him, and prayed to God on their behalf.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel according to St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist the account of the words which the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples exactly about all these things that would come to pass and which would happen to many of them, how they would all face persecutions, struggles and challenges in the midst of their lives as Christians and disciples of the Lord. And yet, they must not be afraid, fearful or doubtful, as the Lord Himself would be with them, encouraging and strengthening them all in their path and in whatever that they would have to endure and go through. That was what St. Stephen himself has experienced, and his examples should serve as a good example and inspiration for all of us as well.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore strive to do our best to follow the faith and the inspiration of St. Stephen, the first or protomartyr of the Church. Let us all remember that as we rejoice in this Christmas season we must always keep in mind that Christ is truly at the centre of all of our festivities, rejoicing and celebration, and we must also put Him as the focus and the centre of our whole lives, in each and every moments. We must be strong and prepared for whatever trials, challenges, difficulties and obstacles that we may have to encounter in our journey, as we continue to go forth and live our lives worthily as Christians, and as we continue to proclaim the Lord and His Good News to more and more people. May the Lord continue to strengthen us all in our faith, and may His holy servant, St. Stephen, Holy Protomartyr, continue to intercede for us all as well. Amen.

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Thursday, 26 December 2024 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Matthew 10 : 17-22

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Be on your guard with people, for they will hand you over to their courts, and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of Me, so you may witness to them and the pagans.”

“But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say, or how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father in you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn again parents and have them put to death.”

“Everyone will hate you because of Me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.”

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Thursday, 26 December 2024 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 30 : 3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17

Be a Rock of refuge for me, a Fortress for my safety. For You are my Rock and my Stronghold, lead me for Your Name’s sake.

Into Your hands I commend my spirit; You have redeemed me, o Lord, faithful God. I will rejoice and be glad in Your love, for You have seen my affliction.

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, from those after my skin. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your love.

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Thursday, 26 December 2024 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 6 : 8-10 and Acts 7 : 54-59

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Some persons then came forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When the Council heard the reproach Stephen made against them, they were enraged and they gnashed their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand, so he declared : “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying : “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

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Thursday, 26 December 2024 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Acts 6 : 8-10 and Acts 7 : 54-59

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Some persons then came forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. They argued with Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When the Council heard the reproach Stephen made against them, they were enraged and they gnashed their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus at God’s right hand, so he declared : “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God.”

But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and rushed together upon him. They brought him out of the city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen prayed saying : “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

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Tuesday, 26 December 2023 : Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on the day after Christmas Day, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr of the Church. He is known as such because he is the first (from the word Proto, which means ‘First’) among all of the martyrs of the Church according to the Scriptures and the Apostolic traditions. St. Stephen was one of the first seven Deacons of the Church, appointed by the Apostles to be the ones who were assisting the people of God, showing care and attention to them, distributing the goods and the properties of the Church to care for the common good. At the same time, they also continued to proclaim the Good News and truth of God, and amidst that ministry, St. Stephen was the first to be martyred.

At that time, St. Stephen was chosen by the Apostles to help administer to the people of God, and he was given the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands, instituting the Order of Deacons. And as we heard from our first reading passage today from the Acts of the Apostles, an argument and struggle happened when the members of the Jewish High Council, the Sanhedrin and their supporters were trying to discredit and challenge the works of St. Stephen, who courageously stood up against them and proclaimed the Good News of God. St. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and he refuted all those false witnesses and the people the Sanhedrin had manipulated and paid to give false witness against St. Stephen.

St. Stephen faithfully defended the Lord and His truth, His teachings and Good News against all those who tried to slander and mislead the people with their lies and falsehoods. This is because at that time, the Sanhedrin had also released the story that the disciples of the Lord had stoled His Body and claimed that He was Risen from the dead in order to try to cover-up and prevent the news and truth about the Lord’s Resurrection spreading ever more amongst the community. Thus, they targetted St. Stephen and attempted to bring him down, silence him and to stop his works, even using false witnesses in order to achieve that goal. But through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and his determination, St. Stephen overcame all the struggles and he pointed out bravely before all those assembled how wrong their path and actions had been.

St. Stephen recounted the summary of the story of mankind and how they had been created, guided and helped by the Lord along their whole journey, and how God had fulfilled and accomplished everything that He had promised to them all through the same Jesus Christ that many of those members of the Sanhedrin had decided to oppose, persecute and condemn to death on the Cross. He spoke with such great Wisdom and inspiration that no one could argue against him, and they saw how his face glowed like that of an Angel. But the hearts of those who continued to resist the truth were hardened, as they stubbornly refused to listen to the words uttered by St. Stephen, and rushed to stone him to death, and hence, that was how the very first martyr of the Church came to be.

In the Gospel passage today, the Lord Jesus has also spoken on the same matter to His disciples and warned them about the challenges, trials and persecutions that would likely happen to them as they carried out their missions and works, and lived as they should as Christians. The Lord reminded all of them that just as the world had resented, persecuted and rejected Him, therefore the same fate would likely be faced by those who have endeavoured and committed themselves to follow the Lord and walk in His path, just as St. Stephen had done. Many Christians throughout the history of the Church, right up to this very day are still struggling and enduring many trials and sufferings amidst their lives, as they had to endure those persecutions and oppressions by those who refuse to believe in Christ and His truth. However, at the same time, the Lord also reassured His disciples and followers that they must not be worried or fearful, for as St. Stephen himself has shown us, the Lord will be by our side and guide us in what we ought to do.

If we are wondering why so soon after we rejoice and celebrate Christmas, we come to this day of remembering and commemorating the memory of a martyr of the Faith, this is because once again we are reminded that Christmas is all about Christ, and all that He had done for us, so that through His salvation and liberation for each and every one of us, He has rescued us and brought us all into a new hope and existence. However, all of us have to realise that just as the Lord had told His disciples Himself and as St. Stephen and many other martyrs of the Church had shown us, through their sufferings and deaths, it is often required that if we are to truly believe in the Lord and His salvation, which He had brought forth into this world by His Incarnation in the flesh, then we may need to endure trials and sufferings for that.

That is why we are all reminded that our Christmas celebration and joy must also be tempered and aligned with the Lord, so that we do not end up being enamoured and distracted by the many worldly concerns, pleasures and all the other things that may distract and keep us away from the Lord and His saving grace. We should always remember our brothers and sisters around us who may be suffering the daily effects of the hardships of life, and being unable to celebrate Christmas the way that we do it. We should therefore be thankful for all the blessings that God has given us, and we should also strive to help and encourage our brothers and sisters around us who may need our help, so that all of us may continue to persevere in faith.

May the Lord, our loving God and Creator, Who has graced us all with His Holy and loving Presence, continue to strengthen our faith so that amidst all the challenges and trials, we will always be strong and able to endure the temptations and pressures to give in to wickedness of sin and evil. Let the examples and faith of His servant, St. Stephen, the Protomartyr of the Church, continue to inspire us always. May God be with us always and may He protect us in our respective journeys of faith and life. Amen.