Twelve Days of Christmas,Feast of Saint Stephen

Have you ever heard of a feast day to remember a faithful Christian from the past? Today is the Feast of Stephen, a deacon and martyr of the early church. I hope you are blessed by the following excerpts from God With Us.

Feast of Saint Stephen

December 26

The day after Christmas is set aside as a memorial of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Once again, the church seems to take a counter-intuitive approach, reminding us of sin and suffering hard on the heels of the joyful celebration of the nativity.

But it is possible to see the reason behind this decision. In Advent we were reminded that our longing for the light of Christ is conditioned by the darkness that often surrounds us. In remembering Stephen on the second day of Christmas, the church contemplates the link between life and death, between Christ's incarnation and his crucifixion...

The Christians who made this day a commemoration of Stephen's martyrdom were not sentimental, but neither were they without hope. They believed that we should celebrate our redemption, but never forget its cost.

Written by Beth Bevis in: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas; God With Us, Pennoyer & Wolfe, Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA, 2007 (link given below)

Carracci, The Stoning of Saint Stephen

We often think that when December 25 is past, Christmas is over. But no, this rich, extended feast is just beginning. The whole of Christmas- all twelve days of it- is about the Incarnation. This central mystery of Christian faith is brought home to us by the infant in the manger, the Child wrapped in swaddling-clothes. The cradle scene stays with us- or at least, is supposed to remain set up- throughout the twelve days. Gazing on the scene of the Nativity is one way to grasp the Incarnation vividly, completely...

December 25 is past, but in Stephen's feast our sense of the Incarnation deepens. Stephen said not a word about the infant in the manger. Instead, Stephen's faith was about the full sweep of who Jesus is. Christmas is about wonder, about the mystery of God entering our world; but it is also about how the Incarnation transforms our world, so that even suffering and death can be endured with hope.

Written by Emilie Griffin in: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas; God With Us, Pennoyer & Wolfe, Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA, 2007

The above quotes are from this great new book. I have enclosed the link if you are interested in getting it. This is a fantastic book that has helped me savor Advent and enter into the season of Christmas with a heart of worship. Thanks Sara!

http://www.paracletepress.com/god-with-us-rediscover-the-meaning-of-christmas.html