do you know who saint stephen was?

St. Stephen, Deacon

Stephen was an extraordinary man, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, loved and venerated by all members of the Christian community. His preaching was widely accepted and the conversions attributed to him were numerous. The people during his time came to him to hear him speak, then left the synagogues and joined his group as followers and believers in Jesus. Stephen, whose name means “crowned”, is known as the “protomartyr”, the first man who shed his blood in the name of his faith in Jesus Christ. 

		Martyrdom of St. Stephen

He became one of those men whom the apostles depended on the most in spreading their message. As seen from the Acts of the Apostles, the presence of Stephen and the other deacons in the public life of Jerusalem became valuable at a time when the Apostles were not able to attend to the welfare and concerns of the non-Israelite widows and poor.

During that time, the Apostles made possible the selection of seven just men who took care of the poor. The citizens themselves selected these seven men, one of whom was Stephen. These men were presented to the apostles and then ordained deacons. 

The work of Stephen became evident when the newly arrived Jews started to converse with him, not able to resist the wisdom that his words contained, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Those of the synagogue of the Libertines brought him to the Sanhedrin, presenting false witnesses and accusing him of affirming that Jesus Christ was going to destroy the temple and put an end to the laws of Moses.

Stephen gave a discourse before the members of the Sanhedrin in which he retold the history of Israel, making them realize the blatant opposition of the Jews to the prophets and how they even reached the point of killing the Redeemer Jesus Christ himself.

Hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were infuriated. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked firmly to the heavens and exclaimed: “I am looking at the open heavens and at the Son of God standing at the right hand of God”. In that moment, those who heard him went to arrest him.

They detained him outside the walls amidst all the screams and shoves; the executioners, after removing his cloak and garments and giving them to a young man named Saul, prepared to throw rocks at the body of the first Christian martyr. 

Stephen went on his knees and with his eyes directed towards the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended to the heavens a year or two ago, prayed to Him for those who were persecuting him. He cried out when he received the first few blows: “Domine Iesu, suscipe spiritum meum, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. His body fell on the ground bathed in his own blood.

		St. Stephen

The forgiveness of his persecutors, Christian charity among all men, and the mandate of love took root in the heart of the Church. The first Christian martyr died having forgiven his executioners, the way Jesus Christ had done on the Cross.

This Christian gentleness and charity is the distinct mark of the life of St. Stephen. He was full of grace and wisdom; but above all, he was full of love – he had a heart formed by the teachings of Christ. 

The hatred of men against Stephen and Jesus had been converted into love. Saul, the Pharisee, before long becomes Paul, the Servant of Christ. The greatest triumph of Stephen will be the conversion of Saul, who, turned Apostle, changes the world spreading the Word of Jesus Christ.

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