Thursday, December 26, 2019 — Saint Etienne Martyr — Gospel of Jesus-Christ according to Saint Matthew 10, 17-22 — "Blessed is he who is coming as King in the name of the Lord"
It is in the hardest trials that our faith and our fidelity to God is revealed. Christ wants his disciples and later us Christians to follow the way he has traced out: faithfulness to God the Father no matter what happens in our lives.
On this day, the Church celebrates Saint Etienne, one of the first seven deacons to assist the apostles and one of the first martyrs for the faith in Jesus-Christ. He is never been afraid or ashamed to enforce the truth and justice and he does not forget to forgive those who persecuted him.