St. Stephen

Intro

I have always found it striking, like a dissonant note, that we celebrate the Martyrdom of St. Stephen the day after Christmas. This day seems out of place because we don’t understand the purpose of pain, suffering or the Cross in the Christian life. The plan of God is to invite us to take up our own cross, unite it to the Cross of Jesus and help him rescue souls from the prospect of hell and the world from self-destruction. 

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The martyrdom of Stephen Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this and ground their teeth at him.

But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

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You might think, how can we help Jesus save souls. Well, Jesus wants our participation in His sacrifice. CCC 618 tells us The Cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the one mediator between God and men. But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to "take up their cross and follow him, for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example so that we should follow in his steps."

In fact, Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice all his followers, beginning with Mary, His Mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering. 40 days after the birth of Jesus we have the Prophecy of Simeon that a sword would pierce the heart of Mary because of her love for her Son; then they had to escape and Flee into Egypt to avoid the slaughter of the children at the hands of King Herod; Mary endured the Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem; She accompanied Jesus in His Way of the Cross; stood by Him at Calvary; watched the piercing of His Heart and laid her Son in the Tomb. Like Mary, we are invited to help Jesus rescue souls by our own sacrifices and sufferings.

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To the three children at Fatima Mary asked on May 13, 1917

“Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?”

‘Yes, we are willing.’ They responded

To which Mary replied “Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”

As she pronounced these last words “The grace of God will be your comfort…”

Our Lady opened Her hands Communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths of our souls.

We are not expected to do this by our will power alone. Through the Rosary we will receive the grace to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

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An army is stronger than a solitary soldier. People band together, they associate together to do what they cannot do alone.

St John Paul II wrote a letter to the world called On the Mission of the Lay Faithful. There he called us to band together in movements or associations to carry out a particular calling in the name of the Church. The Movement of the Holy Family is a response to this call. It is a spiritual army that individuals choose freely to join. And the result is an army of people who now share in the spiritual power of all the members joined together to help their loved ones and friends to conversion and salvation.  

The Church offers benefits to those who choose freely to associate together to help one another – they share graces and merits that benefit all the members.

Once I become a member, then I am not just relying on myself but on the graces and merits of all the members - their prayer, works, joys and sufferings all joined in one spiritual reservoir that now benefits me and all those I choose to apply them to.

CCC 2027 No one can merit the initial grace which is at the origin of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods like health and friendship.

Now I can bring to bear all the merits and graces of this spiritual army for the good of all my loved ones. I can apply it to my family and friends – whoever I choose. Now, when you come to me and ask for prayer and sacrifices, you not only get mine, but all my comrades in spiritual arms. There is a spiritual army to back you up for your good. Can I count on you for the same?

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Practically speaking, what can we do to help Jesus rescue souls?

Begin each day with the Morning Offering. With these or your own words say:

Jesus I offer you my prayer, work, joy and suffering this day, and I unite it to your sacrifice made present in the Holy Mass. I offer it for all intentions of the members of the Movement.

Renew this offering throughout the day saying “Jesus, for the love of you and for souls.”

Second: Pray the Rosary every day and be Apostles of the Rosary – sharing it with others. The Rosary is the most powerful weapon against evil.

Third: Take up your cross daily by accepting what you did not choose, do not like and cannot change for the love of Jesus and souls.

Fourth: Go to Mass and receive the spiritual strengthening of the Eucharist as often as you can and receive spiritual healing in Reconciliation at least once a month.

Now all the merits of your prayer, work, joy and suffering are united to the infinite merit of Christ, which He uses for the good of the Members of the Movement and their loved ones and friends.

God the Father is pleased by His children who choose to band together out of love to help one another by their prayer, work, joy and suffering and the Church blesses this association, which the Movement of the Holy Family is one such example. So I invite you to join us and share in all the graces and merits of this Movement for the good of your friends and loved ones. I’m fighting for you and you for me.