Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordine.
It is a very Merry Christmas when we can see the gift of God made visible to us
in the mystery at Bethlehem and in the mystery that is celebrated on our altars.
And when, in the context of this solemn liturgy, during this week of Christmas,
this octave of Christmas, every day being the celebration of Christmas,
we also celebrate feasts like the one we do today in honor of a holy martyr, St. Stephen,
the proto-martyr, the first of all the martyrs of the Church.
We witness our hope.
We witness the child in the stable at Bethlehem
and everything that is difficult and sorrowful,
everything.
Everything that is a burden upon our shoulders is made lighter because we know that God is
with us and will bring us into everlasting life.
And so the stupendous miracle of Christmas, the mystery of the virginal conception and
birth of our Lord from our Blessed Lady's womb, is something that should lift our hearts
and should lead us to ponder the mystery, lead us to give thanksgiving to God.
For his wonderful gifts, St. Peter Chrysologus said in a very beautiful way, it's one of probably
the most beautiful thing I think was ever written about Christmas.
He says, I believe that the eternal word was begotten from all eternity of the Father,
and I believe that he became the child of Mary in time, but the manner of this generation,
I have learned to venerate you.
I have learned to venerate in silence.
And the mystery of Christmas should bring us to our knees, should make us wonder with
the wonderment of the shepherds, should make us bow our proud knees with the humility of
the wise men.
But in the midst of this celebration and this wonder, we also should wonder at the grace
of God.
That makes it possible.
That makes it possible for weak human nature to overcome all obstacles, as it did in the
case of St. Stephen.
So in the midst of this wonderment and joy, it is most fitting that we should celebrate
the feast of a martyr and wear red vestments, not only because we already see an intimation
of what is to come for our Lord, that the wood of the crib and the wood of the cross
are connected.
That our Lord was born into poverty.
That our Lord was born into poverty.
While men slept and so many of them did not see the signs, did not recognize his presence.
And that ultimately would lead to his crucifixion.
Not only for that reason should we see it as fitting to celebrate the feast of the martyrs,
but also because through the grace of God, through his presence with us, through his
Eucharistic presence, it is made possible for each one of us to follow our Lord, not
only with wonder and joy, but also with courage in the midst of difficulty, and to transcend
the obstacles because we know that the Lord is indeed with us.
So let us rejoice in this mystery of Christmas and in the power of God made manifest through
St. Stephen, the proto-martyr.
And the friars also today pray for our Father Founder, Father Stephano, whose feast it is.
May our Father Founder come.
Amen.
Amen.
continue to receive many graces to lead the flock entrusted to his care.
© transcript Emily Beynon