Today is the feast day for the first Christian Martyr, St. Stephen.  As with many of the holy men and women we encounter in the biblical text, we know very little about Stephen before the disciples presented him to the apostles as a man filled with the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:6).  They trusted he would be a good steward, showing care and concern for the equitable distribution of resources.  He was filled with grace and power, working great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8).  When challenged to a debate, they could not withstand the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke (Acts 6:10).    He is knowledgeable about salvation history as seen in his discourse to the high priest (Acts 7:1-53).  This short description of who he was within the Christian community leaves me with questions about the man, Stephen. 

When did he join the community, before or after Jesus’ death?  Did he have a family, and did they accompany him?  Was he well-educated?  What did he experience that led him to believe in Jesus?  And the question I keep returning to, when taken to the high priest, did he recall the teaching we hear in today’s gospel?    

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.  Mt.10:19-22

I gained insights about saints from Fr. James Martin’s webcast, My Life With the Saints**, beginning with a quote from Thomas Merton. 

For me to be a saint means to be myself.  Therefore, the problem of sanctity
and salvation is in fact the problem of finding out who I am and of
discovering my true self.  (from the text, New Seeds of Contemplation)

There is no book describing “ten rules for becoming a saint.”  There are no restrictions on the type of work one does.  Saints in the making are everywhere – parents, teachers, catechists, social workers, doctors, nurses - anyone who commits themselves to pointing the way to Jesus within the concrete circumstances of their life.  There is no minimum age requirement, as evidenced by the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis.  Carlo Acutis: The Newest Patron Saint Of The Internet? - Catholic-Link

Saints are ordinary people who do not back away from their faith when faced with difficult choices.   Sometimes, their actions appear to make no sense but do make “perfect sense” within the context of faith in Jesus.  This describes Stephen.  He knew he was a disciple of Jesus.  He did not seek an audience with the High Priest, hoping to become a martyr.  But, before the authorities, he was open to God’s Spirit speaking through him.  He could have chosen to save his life.  Instead, he chose the path that made no sense in the secular world; he surrendered his life.  He chose to “endure to the end” because he knew his True Self belonged to Jesus.      

I still do not know who Stephen was before becoming a disciple, but I know what is important for my faith journey – living into my True Self and letting God handle everything else.    

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.  Ps 32:17

**youtube fr. james martin my life with the saints youtube
This reflection includes content inspired by Fr. Martin’s book and webcast, My Life With the Saints, available from Loyola Press and other retailers.