Sant Stephen the Protomartyr
19 Saint Stephen the Protomartyr
December 27
St. Stephen was one of the seven first dea -
cons ordained by the Apostles. he was a Gri -
cian, i.e., a Jewish youth with a Greek educa -
tion and a Greek name Stephanos (crown).
Endowed with eloquence, courage, enthusiasm,
zeal, and warm faith, he excelled not only in
performing his philanthropic duties, but also in
preaching and converting Hebrews and Gre -
cians into the Christian faith.
His powerful preaching made the fanatic
Jews in Jerusalem furious. Dtirred up by their
religious chief, they rushed angrily into the
synagogue where Stephen was preaching, caught
him, brought him before their Council and
placed him on trial.
Stephen listened to their accusations very
calmly. Then be began to speak with courage
and great eloquence, not to prove the accusa -
tions false but to make them realize how cruel
they had been to Jesus, the Savior of the World.
His courageous words provoked violence
among the fanatic Hebrews who, crying out in
loud voices, ran upon him like a madmen,
dragged him outside of the wall of the city
and stoned him to death.
"Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,"
were his last words. Stephen was the first mar -
tyr of Christianity (Protomartyr).
~Let Your Life Be A Wonderful Adventure~
Let your life be an exploration
Let people and places and be
A part of your life,
And experience each and every
Unique situation
With a sense of wonder and delight.
Look in all directions to seek out
The answers you long to know,
And discover the secrets that
Keep questioning your heart.
Be willing to make changes and
Be ready to face the challenges.
Accept the opportunities
That present themselves,
And endure and cope with
The difficulties
That can arise from time to time
Remember that there is no one way
To live your life
But a thousand different ways for
Each of us to be
Make your life the way
You want it to be
And create a lifestyle that
Brings you happiness
Search for your true meaning in life
By devoting yourself to your ideals,
And enjoying your wonderful adventure
Through time
By making every day special