Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Friday in the 2nd day of the Octave of Christmas, December 26, 2025, Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr of the Church

Delivered by Angeline from the Church of Saint Catherine in the Archdiocese of Seattle, USA. Acts of the Apostle 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59; Rs psalm 31: 3cd-4.6.8ab.16bc.17; Matthew 10: 17-22. WAY OF THE CROSSAFTER CHRISTMAS The title for ourmeditation today is: Way of the Cross After Christmas. Today we celebrate thefeast of St. Stephen, a distinguished disciple of Jesus and the first martyr ofthe Church. He was one of the deacons chosen to serve the corporeal affairs ofthe Early Church community, while the apostles focused on the service of theword and prayer, as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles. With this feast ofmartyrdom on the second day of Christmas, the inspiration that is appropriateto us is the life in the Holy Spirit. The mystery of incarnation that wereflect upon, then understand and believe in, it's because of the help of theHoly Spirit. Jesus Christ who was lying as a baby in a manger knew clearly Hisdestiny that eventually brought him to the top of Golgotha. The calm, peacefuland joyful Bethlehem is closely connected with the ​​hill of Golgotha, and thisconnection is actually the path to be walked on by Jesus, the Savior. So the connectionbetween these two places in the Palestinian land actually reveals the mainreason why the Son of God, the eternal Word, became human in order to redeemhumanity from the bondage of sin and death. The outcome of this is a new lifegiven to all followers of Jesus Christ who are sons and daughters of theFather. From the beginning of his life Jesus taught the lesson of theScriptures, and he confirmed it through his way of life, that the way to theFather is the way of the cross. He shows us the example of his own path ofpassion and death. Saint Stephen is thefirst person in the Church who was in Jerusalem at that time facing and bearingthe cross. If we all choose to share in the glory of Jesus Christ, then we mustcarry our crosses daily and follow Christ through the path that He had walkedon. To give encouragement and strength, Jesus frankly tells the apostles,disciples and all of His followers about the risks of following Him. Thisbecomes possible only if we submit ourselves under the guidance of the HolySpirit. The Christmas messageactually contains risks to be faced by the followers of Christ. Jesus from thebeginning of His birth had those risks. Every baptized person is made clearabout this, that the risks and ultimate goal of taking part in Jesus Christ willonly be achieved through the cross. Glory and happiness in Christ must be paidfirst with a very high price, which is self-sacrifice and death, including theway experienced by Saint Stephen. Jesus' message to usis that He had given us sufficient grace so that everyone of us is able to takeup the cross and can endure sacrifices in life for the sake of glory andhappiness being with Him. So there will be no bad, cruel or empty cross,sacrifice, and suffering in Christ. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us always with Your grace so that we canaccept and carry our crosses with joy and hope. Glory to the Father and to theSon and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...