Christian Art | King James Audio Bible KJV | Martyrdom Of Saint Stephen
From Acts Of The Apostles – The Word Aloud Recording Of The New Testament KJV
See also:
Daily Bible Verses | The Feast Of Saint Stephen | King James Audio Bible KJV |
Advent And Christmas
Office Of Readings | Christmas 26 December | Saint Stephen, Our First Martyr | A Reading From A Sermon By Saint Fulgentius Of Rome | The Armour Of Love
O glorious Saint Stephen,
Deacon and Martyr of the Church,
full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,
you who gazed steadfastly into heaven
and beheld the glory of God and Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand,
pray for us.
Strengthened by divine grace,
you bore fearless witness to the truth of the Gospel,
and in the hour of your martyrdom
you forgave your persecutors
and commended your spirit to the Lord.
Teach us, by your example,
to love even our enemies,
to remain faithful in trial,
and to trust wholly in Christ.
O holy Saint Stephen,
servant of charity and herald of truth,
intercede for us in our needs and struggles.
Obtain for us courage when we are afraid,
steadfastness when we are tested,
and hearts made merciful through forgiveness.
May we, like you, be filled with the Holy Spirit
and live as faithful witnesses to Christ in word and deed.
Through your prayers,
reconcile us always to our God,
preserve us from the loss of our souls,
and lead us, after this life,
to behold with you the glory of heaven,
where we may praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
with all the saints forever.
Amen
About Saint Stephen
- Saint Stephen was a Christian saint and martyr who is venerated as the protomartyr, or first martyr, of Christianity. He is mentioned in the New Testament as one of the seven deacons appointed by the early Christian community in Jerusalem to serve the poor and distribute food and other necessities. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and he was known for his powerful preaching and miraculous deeds.
- Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, on charges of blasphemy and spreading false teachings about Jesus. During his trial, Stephen defended his beliefs with eloquence and conviction, and his defense infuriated the council members, who eventually stoned him to death.
- Stephen is remembered as a hero of the faith, and his martyrdom is seen as a key event in the early history of Christianity. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, and his feast day is celebrated on December 26.
- According to tradition, Stephen was a native of Jerusalem and a member of the Jewish diaspora. He was likely well-educated and fluent in both Hebrew and Greek.
- The Acts of the Apostles describes Stephen as a man “full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” and it tells of his powerful preaching and miraculous deeds. Many people were converted to Christianity as a result of his ministry, and he became a leading figure in the early Christian community.
- Stephen’s preaching and teachings were seen as a threat to the religious authorities, who were deeply opposed to the spread of Christianity. They arrested Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, on charges of blasphemy and spreading false teachings about Jesus.
- During his trial, Stephen delivered a long and impassioned defense of his beliefs, in which he outlined the history of Israel and the coming of Jesus as the Messiah. His defense infuriated the council members, who eventually voted to have him stoned to death.
- Stephen’s martyrdom is seen as a key event in the early history of Christianity. He is remembered as a hero of the faith and an example of courage and devotion to the cause of Christ. His feast day is celebrated on December 26 by the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches.
Lord Jesus, Son of God, Pray for me a sinner – The Jesus Prayer
In these Bible verses, from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives to his people instruction regarding the three traditional works of mercy of the Jews, namely almsgiving, prayer and fasting. A key message is that, when we pray, when we fast and when we give charity, this is not supposed to be because we wish to be seen as pious by other people. Jesus satirizes those hypocrites who wish to be glorified by other people for their fasting, their giving of alms and their prayers. They sound a trumpet in the streets and strike extravagant attitudes in the synagogues. They visibly mortify their bodies and pull dismal expressions. Jesus portrays such hypocrites as ridiculous. Their piety is not to do with their love of God; it is to do with their wish to be seen as ‘pious’ by their fellow man. And such will be their reward [ … ]
Envy and the evil of material possession are closely related because envy is often directed at the material possessions of others. When we see someone else with something that we desire, such as a nice car, a big house, or a fancy watch, we can feel envy and a sense of dissatisfaction with what we have [ … ]
Help us to see ourselves as we truly are, Saint Anthony. Grant us the gift of self-awareness, that we may recognize our faults and weaknesses, and turn to God with contrite hearts. May we always remember that without God, we are nothing, and that all good things come from Him [ … ]
