Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Alleluia Psalm 118:26a, 27a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 10:17-22
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
December 26, 2025 // Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Psalm: Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
Reflect on the Word //
Overwhelmed by the world news as well as typical family life one night, I bounced from email to texts to emotional snacking before finally directing my anxious energy to the Lord. I turned on a calm worship playlist, lit an incense-scented candle, and breathed deeply. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You’re in control; lead me.
The words “I commend my spirit” (Psalm 31:6) once made me think only of death. I probably associated this Psalm with Jesus’ dying words from the Cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). As a child, I didn’t understand the idea of a daily surrender to the Lord. Instead, I could only imagine myself uttering the words as a final prayer with my last breath, like Jesus did.
A friend introduced me to the Surrender Novena, which includes the words, “Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything.” Perfect for all circumstances, I frequently whisper specific intentions throughout my day inspired by this prayer. It’s become my “Jesus, fix it!” prayer.
It turns out that the Surrender Novena isn’t too different from Psalm 31:6. I no longer think of my last breath as the only time to commend my spirit to God; rather, I see that every offering of my self counts. Today and each day, I commend myself to the Lord. Jesus, I surrender myself into Your hands, take care of everything. Take care of me as I face challenges. Take care of my relationships. Into Your hands, I place my plans; align them to Your will. Into Your hands, Lord . . . I give You everything.
In today’s liturgy, we celebrate Saint Stephen, the first martyr. I like to imagine him as a man who knew and prayed often with the words of the Psalm: “Lead and guide me. [. . .] Into your hands I commend my spirit” (Psalm 31:4, 6). In imitation of Saint Stephen, we too can freely surrender to God’s will, commending our spirits to Him each day and at our death.
Relate to the Lord // Pray slowly and in faith, Jesus, I surrender myself into Your hands, take care of everything.
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