The day after

     Rejoice! Today we celebrate our very first martyr! St Stephen! Ordained a Deacon to go out and proclaim to all that Jesus Christ is the One and True Messiah. Those that stoned him to death were planted with the seeds of fear and hate and anger. Compliments of Satan. 

    You know how hard it can be to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ. Meeting all different kinds of people. The key is "no fear". God Himself said not to worry about what to say, because the Spirit will guide our voices. He will be on our lips. But we must do it. There are so many lost souls walking around. With no hope of a betterment in their lives but to think that when they die, they just go into the ground and that's that. I think that's so sad. To contemplate their state of being where fear must be quite heavy for them to carry that burden around all of their lives. 

     They just need a spark. Just like Saint Stephen had. Igniting thought. Stirring up the Spirit of God that enters when someone is praying for you. I feel those wicked men were just scared to death. They're driving force, the hate of Satan for the truth. In their pride and controlling demeanor, they wanted it to just go away. Dragging him outside of the city. To do their evil and dirty work alone. 

     So what does Stephen do? He forgives them, with his last words being just like Jesus's on the cross. Seeing his reward, he joyfully resigned his earthly body. Exchanging it for the real one. A Heavenly body. I pray for the Grace to say, "I forgive you" and to mean it. Just like Saint Stephen did. I am a work always in struggling progress. We all are. That's why God sent St. Stephen. To show us how it's done. With the Sacred backup of the One who hung on that cross. Our Jesus. 

     St Stephen. I love you! Intercede for us!