28- SAINT STEPHEN
		
		
		St. Stephen was one of the seven deacons mentioned in the 
		Acts of the Apostles (6: 5-7) who was ordained by the 
		Apostles themselves. The Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated
		on December 27. The joy of our Lord's Nativity is joined 
		with the gladness we feel at the triumph of the first 
		martyr who, as the Church sings of him, "was the first to 
		pay back to the Savior the death suffered by the Savior." 
		
		
		The Feast of St. Stephen has special reference to the 
		Nativity, a connection beautifully developed in the 
		Kontakion: "Yesterday the Master came to us in life and 
		today His servant departs from life; yesterday He Who is 
		King was born as man, today His servant is stoned to death.
		Through Him, the beloved of God, Stephen, became the first
		martyr of all." 
		
		
		In the Icon, Stephen is vested in the deacon's sticharion. 
		As the deacon who serves in the Church's worship, he 
		carries the censer in his right hand. In his left hand he 
		holds a church, symbolic of that which in his office he 
		has been called to serve. 
		
		
		Stephen was the first who willingly shed his blood for 
		Christ, and hence is known as the "proto" or first martyr. 
		The actual day of his death is unknown, but since he was 
		the first to sacrifice his life for Christ, his heavenly, 
		"birthday" is celebrated immediately after the earthly 
		birth of Christ. 
		
		
		St. Gregory of Nyssa, in a sermon on St. Stephen, says: 
		"Yesterday the Lord of the Universe rejoiced our soul; 
		today His follower gladdens us. Christ, for the sake of 
		men, assumed the form of human nature; while St. Stephen, 
		for the sake of Christ, laid aside the corruptible body." 
		We, too, praise Stephen who has given his life for Christ.
		 
		
		TROPARION -You fought the good fight, First Martyr of 
		Christ, and Apostle. You exposed the perversion of the 
		persecutors; for when you were killed by stones from the 
		hands of wicked men, you received a crown from the Right 
		Hand on High, and you cried out to God, saying: "0 Lord, 
		do not charge this sin against them."

		I am the you that can do it
		
		
		You are the only one who can do it like you do it. You are 
		the best. You have what it takes. You've got juice. You've 
		got the power. You and only you have what you have, and 
		nobody can take that away form you. You come from the best, 
		the beginning, the source. You are destined to be great. 
		You inherited a legacy of success from those who come before 
		you. They knew you could do it, too! You are the light in life.
		You light up the world. You make life worth living. You can't 
		loose with the stuff you use. You are the beginning and the 
		end of the phenomena called you. You are the one who makes the 
		bed. You call the shots. You stand heads above the crowd. They 
		can't hold a candle to you. When you put your mind to 
		something, you get it done. So what are you waiting for?
		
		
		You've got the right one, baby! Un-huh!
		

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