Coming persecutions

JESUS

said to his disciples: “Beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

REFLECTION A WITNESS BEFORE THEM.

Immediately after Jesus’ birth in a manger, the Church celebrates today the feast of St. Stephen. The offering of his life for the sake of Jesus’ gospel signals the birth of God’s new creation, a people with firm faith and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

We do not know for certain whether Stephen personally heard these words spoken by Jesus: “Beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues” (v 17). Before he witnessed to Jesus, Stephen served the Church as a deacon. His main duty was to help in the distribution of relief goods to the Greekspeaking widows. He performed miracles and wonders before the crowds. He debated with the enemies of Christianity and since he was filled with the Holy Spirit, nobody could defeat him.

The teachings of Jesus Christ, as taught by Stephen to people of his time, may receive different reactions from people. Some may accept them wholeheartedly, others may remain indifferent towards them, while still others may cringe in fear. Those who killed Stephen by stoning were gripped by fear. They started spreading the lie that Stephen disregarded the Mosaic law and ignored the teachings of Jesus.

Like Jesus, Stephen was dragged outside the city. A host of angels sang in the heavens on the birth of Jesus. At Stephen’s martyrdom, he saw the glory of heaven where the Son of Man is seated at the right hand of God. Stephen cried out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And for those maligning him he prayed, like Jesus: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”