THE FINDING OF THE BODY OF
SAINT STEPHEN, THE FIRST
MARTYR
DOUBLE/RED
In
the year 415 the precious relics of St. Stephen, the first martyr, were
miraculously discovered by a priest near the city of Jerusalem. The
Church commemorates this event by celebrating a second feast in honor of
Stephen, a man aflame with the charity of the Holy Spirit. In our
efforts to follow after Christ in loving our enemies, we can turn to
this martyr who died praying for his murderers and crying out with a
loud voice, "Lord, do not lay this sin against them" (Acts 7:60).
INTROIT (Ps. 118:23, 86, 23)
Princes
met and spoke against me, and the wicked persecuted me. Help me, O Lord
my God, because Your servant has followed Your commandments.
Ps. 118:1.Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
V. Glory Be . . .
GLORIA
COLLECT
O
Lord, we celebrate the finding of his body, Stephen, who prayed for his
persecutors. May we imitate this saint, whom we revere, and learn from
him to love even our enemies. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son . .
.
LESSON (Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-60)
In
those days, Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and
signs among the people. Now there arose some, of that which is called
the synagogue of the Libertines and of the Cyrenians and of the
Alexandrians and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with
Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that
spoke. Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart: and they
gnashed with their teeth at him. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus
standing on the right hand of God. And he said: "Behold, I see the
heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one
accord ran violently upon him. And casting him forth without the city.
they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet
of a young man, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, invoking
and saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling on his knees,
he cried with a loud voice, saying: "Lord, lay not his sin to their
charge": And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
GRADUAL (Ps. 118:23, 86; 6:5)
Princes met and spoke against me, and the wicked persecuted me. V. Help me, O Lord my God! Save me for Your mercy's sake.
Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Acts 7:56)
I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL (Matt. 23:34-39)
At that time, Jesus said to the scribes and pharisees,"Therefore
behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: and some of
them you will put to death and crucify: and some you will scourge in
your synagogues and persecute from city to city. That upon you may come
all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of
Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias,
whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen I say to you, all
these things shall come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth
gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? Behold, your
house shall be left to you, desolate. For I say to you, you shall not
see me henceforth till you say: 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord.' "
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Acts 6:5; 7:59)
The
Apostles chose Stephen, a Levite, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Spirit, whom the Jews stoned while he prayed and said, "Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit." Alleluia!
SECRET
O
Lord, receive our offerings in memory of Your saints; and as they were
made glorious by their suffering, may we be made sinless by our
devotion. Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Acts 7:56, 59, 60)
I
see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the
power of God. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin
against them.
POSTCOMMUNION
O
Lord, through the intercession of Your beloved martyr Stephen, may we
be aided by the reception of the Blessed Sacrament and rejoice in Your
everlasting protection. Through Our Lord . .
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On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.
Reading from The Acts of the Apostles:
-Acts 16:13-15
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