Welcome to our daily rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Today, December 26 marks the celebration of St. Stephen's martyrdom, a striking contrast to the peaceful

message of Christmas Day. Acts chapter 6 tells us,

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs

among the people.

But then certain Jews argued with Stephen, but they could not

get the better of him because of his wisdom and because it was the spirit that prompted what

he said. They were infuriated when they heard all that

he had to say and they ground their teeth at him. But Stephen filled with the Holy

Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus

standing at God's right hand, and he said, I can see heaven thrown open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of the power of

God. At this all the members of the council shouted, stopped their ears with their hands and they rushed at him and drove him out of the city and stoned him to death.

And Stephen knelt down and cried aloud,

Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

And with these words, he fell asleep.

I have always found it striking like a dissonant note that we celebrate Christmas with the

angels proclaiming peace on earth and we adore the helpless little vulnerable baby in the manger.

And then the very next day we turn our focus to the violent martyrdom of St Stephen.

Why does the church put these two back to back?

And how can the baby Jesus and the sacrifice of martyrdom be so closely linked? Our Father who art in heaven,

Howlow it would be your name.

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