Believing, Crib to Cross

~~~Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr~~~
~~~ Acts of the Apostles 6:8-10; 7:54-59 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~
~~~ Matthew 10:17-22

Amid the Joy of the Birth of Jesus
 we are confronted with the death
of Saint Stephen, the first martyr.

The manger is still warm from our swaddled king...
a man is stoned to death for believing.
The death was not in vain for the good works
 of the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped by death.

Saul, who later became known by his new name Paul,
saw the horrific stoning of Stephen.
He must have been in a state of shock at what had happened.
Later his conversion and subsequent fervor
would lead to his own cruel death.

I am pretty sure that I am not strong enough to be a martyr,
but their deaths continue to give us real evidence
of what it means to be a true believer.

Not one martyr has lost his/her life in vain.

Their death inevitably brings forth new life in the days to come.
Their death gives us the courage to move forward
toward greater faith in our God.

Our faith must grow, just as the child Jesus grows from
the Baby of Bethlehem we adore today.

We adore you Jesus,
from the wood of your crib to the wood of your cross.
Come let us adore him and remember those who die for loving him.
Christmas Blessings of Peace and Joy.

Beneath the Hay

(2013)