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A team of 200 priests comment on daily Gospel
Liturgical day: December 26th: Stephen, First Martyr
Gospel text (Mt 10,17-22): Jesus said to his disciples, «Be on your guard with respect to people, for they will hand you over to their courts and they will flog you in their synagogues». Jesus said to his disciples, «Be on your guard with respect to people, for they will hand you over to their courts and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of me, and so you may witness to them and the pagans. But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say and how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak; but it will be the Spirit of your Father in you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved».
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Today we have mixed feelings: yesterday we were celebrating the Birth of Jesus and now we remember the death of St Stephen. It looks like it makes no sense. but it is no nonsense! Stephen was the first Christian in completely imitating Christ. He rendered his life as Christ did, praising the Father in Heaven and forgiving those who abused him. The matter of fact is that today we celebrate the triumph of St Stephen (his true birth”).
-Jesus was born to give His life for us. Stephen was the first one to follow Him. Now it is time for us to die a little bit every day through serving God and our Neighbor.