Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. He was one of the deacons in the church in Jerusalem. Luke records the story of Stephen’s preaching which led to his death.
Jesus said that the time would come when his disciples would be called on to give witness before the authorities. The word witness comes from the same word from which we get the word martyr. A martyr is one who gives witness to the faith even unto death. Jesus predicted that there would be martyrs. “Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” If this is the case, how are we to live?
First, Jesus cautions us to “[b]eware of men.” Other humans will persecute you for your faith and this does not exclude close relatives. Most people who convert to following Christ as an adult or who grow up in the faith but get serious about it as an adult have experienced this. Close friends, family members, or colleagues wonder what has happened to us and they react. Perhaps the reaction comes in the form of snarky comments or an unspoken exclusion or parents who assure you that they are praying that you will see the light and return from the error of your ways. This is certainly not death by stoning but it can take its toll. Jesus assures us that “whoever endures to the end will be saved.” Living for Christ is indeed a marathon and not a sprint.
Second, Jesus assures us that we need not worry about what we will say when we are called upon to give witness, that the Spirit will speak through us and that it really will not be us doing the speaking. Saint Stephen demonstrated this in his preaching. Those who wished to debate him “could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.” He was filled with the Holy Spirit. Debates against the Holy Spirit are destined to fail. So, unable to refute what Stephen said, they killed him. Yet, Stephen kept his focus on Jesus. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He asked Jesus to receive his spirit. He endured to the end.
As a deacon, I have learned the value of Jesus’ teaching. For example, when preparing for homilies, I have learned to “beware of men.” I used to put a lot of trust in what was said in commentaries or what I came up with out of my own experience. These are not bad resources but we should be cautious. Let us trust more in the working of the Holy Spirit and less in our own ability, thinking, knowledge, or experience. Recently the Holy Spirit gave me an illustration in the middle of a homily, one that I had not prepared to use. After the homily, a person told me how much that illustration meant to them. Of all the things I had prepared to say, the one thing I did not prepare is the very thing that drew them closer to Jesus Christ. Whether it is preaching, teaching, or simply talking with a friend, trusting the Holy Spirit to give you the right words builds great confidence. I can personally testify that the Holy Spirit has never let me down.
Beware of men and trust the Holy Spirit, even unto death. Saint Stephen understood this. This is why we celebrate him today.
Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, pray for us.
George Butterfield
I served as the Legal Reference Librarian at the Creighton University Law School Library from August, 2007, until August of 2017. I also taught Legal Research to first year law students and Advanced Legal Research to second and third year law students. In August of 2017 I took the position of Director of Evangelization and Catechesis for the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, and served in that capacity until Covid hit and the church staff was cut in half. Recently I took a position with the St. Gerald Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska, and my wife and I moved back to the Omaha suburb of Papillion.
My wife, Deb, and I have been married since 1970. She grew up in Oklahoma City and I migrated south from southwestern Pennsylvania. God has blessed us with three children, four living grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. I spent the first thirty years of our marriage as a minister so our family moved a lot. We have lived in several states, including Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and California.
I enjoy walking, reading, listening to audio books, playing with my Pekingnese, Max, my Maltese-Schnauzer, Blaise, and seeing my grandkids grow up. I am a Catholic deacon, having been ordained by Archbishop George Lucas on May 5, 2012.
There is nothing to compare with reflecting on scripture. I feel privileged to participate in these daily reflections. Although we don’t know whether or not St. Francis ever said it, one idea associated with him is that we preach the gospel always and, when necessary, use words. May these reflections be gospel words, good news, of our gracious Lord Jesus Christ.
