Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 10: 17-22
December  26, 2023 | Tuesday

Today’s Gospel

Be on your guard with 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, so that you may witness to them and the pagans.

But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say,or how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given 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 his brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.

Today’s Reflection:.

The feast of Saint Stephen is commemorated the day after Christmas. The memory of his martyrdom seems to mar the joyful character of this season. In the octave of Christmas, several martyrs are celebrated: St. Stephen, St. John the Apostle and Evangelist (although he did not die a martyr’s death, he is still regarded as one), the Holy Innocents and we may also include the great English martyr, St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. These celebrations of the martyrs’ feast days on the days following Christmas clearly point out to us the fact that the Child of Bethlehem is the King of Martyrs. His disciples who remain faithful to Him will not be free of persecution and maltreatment. But with him, they will be victorious over tyrants, over death, and ultimately win the crown of everlasting joy. May Saint Stephen, the first martyr, help us to remain always faithful to our Christian faith all the days of our life despite all the challenges we may face as we follow this faith .                                / Vulnerasti, 2023