Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/804

 he die  in  the  Lord,  but  also  for the  Lord. All stains  of  sin  and  all temporal punishment  are  wiped  away  by  martyrdom,  and  the  soul  of a martyr  goes  at  once  to  God  in  heaven,  and  is  rewarded  with  an especial  degree  of  glory— a martyr’s  crown.

Comparison between  the  Martyrdom  of  Stephen  and  our  Lords  Death on  the  Cross. 1. Our Blessed  Lord  was  sentenced  to  death  on  the charge of  blasphemy,  because  He  had  affirmed  on  oath:  “I  am  the Son of  the  living  God,  and  hereafter  you  will  see  the  Son  of  Man sitting at  the  right  hand  of  God.”  In  the  same  manner  Stephen  was stoned on  the  assumption  that  he  was  a blasphemer,  and  because  he professed  his  belief  in  the  Divinity  of  Jesus,  and  said:  “I  see  heaven open, and  Jesus  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.”  2. Both our Blessed Lord  and  St.  Stephen  were  treated  as  outcasts,  and  put  to death  outside  the  city. 3. Both,  when  dying,  prayed  for  their  enemies: “Father, forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do.” — “Lay  not this sin  to  their  charge.”  4. Both, before  dying,  commended  their souls to  God:  “Father,  into  Thy  hands  I commend  My  spirit.” — “Lord Jesus, receive  my  soul!”

The Feast  of  St.  Stephen.  The  first  Christian  martyr  has  from  the beginning of  our  era  been  highly  honoured  by  the  Church  on  account of his  great  holiness. From the  earliest  times  the  Church  has  kept  a special  feast  in  his  honour,  on  the  day  after  Christmas  Day.

The power  of  prayer.  Stephen’s  dying  prayer  for  his  enemies  was not offered  up  in  vain. God granted  it  by  giving  the  grace  of  conversion to  Saul,  the  fiery  persecutor  of  Christians. St. Augustine  writes thus: “If  a Stephen  had  not  prayed,  the  Church  would  not  have  had a Paul.” We  ought  therefore  to  have  great  confidence  in  the  power of prayer.

The Invocation  of  the  Saints.  If  Stephen  and  other  Saints  could obtain so  much  from  God  by  their  prayers  even  while  they  were  on earth,  how  much  more  efficacious  must  their  prayers  be  now  that  they are in  heaven  and  united  by  love  to  God? It is,  therefore,  right  and reasonable to  ask  the  Saints  in  heaven  to  intercede  for  us.

Sins against  the  Holy  Ghost.  How  did  the  unbelieving  Jews  resist the Holy  Ghost? St. Stephen,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  proved  to them  the  truth  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  answered  all  their  objections, so that  they  had  nothing  more  to  say,  and  could  bring  forward  no arguments  against  him. Added to  this,  the  incontestable  miracles  of  the apostles and  of  the  holy  deacon  bore  irresistible  testimony  to  the  truth of Christianity. Nevertheless, the  Jews  wilfully  resisted  the  truth. They hardened their  hearts  against  all  exhortations,  and  remained  resolutely impenitent. Thus they  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost  in  three  ways: they resisted  the  known  truth,  they  remained  obstinate  in  sin,  and  were finally impenitent.