Lives Of The Saints
December 26
St. Stephen the First Martyr
Stephen stands at the start of Christian martyrdom with unusual clarity. No legend is needed here, because Scripture already gives the whole outline: service, preaching, witness, vision, forgiveness, and death.
Saint Stephen, Carlo Crivelli
Brief life
St. Stephen's life is told almost entirely through the Acts of the Apostles, and that is enough to make it shine. Stephen is one of the first seven deacons, full of faith, grace, and the Holy Ghost, doing wonders among the people and speaking with a wisdom his opponents could not withstand. When he was dragged before the Sanhedrin on a charge of blasphemy, he answered by setting Israel's history in order and showing that the temple and the Mosaic shadows were temporary in view of the coming of Christ.
His final rebuke was fearless, his vision of heaven immediate, and his death like Christ's in both commending his spirit and praying for his killers. The young Saul standing there as a witness to the martyrdom deserves notice too, for that witness would help shape the future apostle.
Historical note
December 26 is one of the clearest Butler pages because the life of St. Stephen stands directly on the Acts of the Apostles.
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