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Christian Witness, Saints and Martyrs

St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr

A wonderful reflection from Jim Kushiner, Executive Director, The Fellowship of St. James: The Truth About St. Stephen’s Day

46392_462077173855168_1103209793_nDec. 26, St. Stephen’s day in the West (Dec. 27 in the East) is also known in some countries as “Boxing Day”–there are various explanations for the name, as well as various customs–some may date back to late Roman times and the collection of funds in boxes on St. Stephen’s Day.

My thoughts today center on St. Stephen himself, proto-martyr. What has St. Stephen to do with Christmas?

We think of Stephen as one of the first deacons, and picture a practical man. Yet, says Luke, he was “full of grace and power,” and “did great wonders and signs among the people.” At his death, this deeply spiritual man saw the man Jesus standing at the right hand of God. No apostolic witness prior to this makes such a claim. The apostles had seen Christ ascend, but it is not said that they saw into heaven itself. What’s different here?

Martyrdom. The supreme witness of the martyr is that he grasps, by charism of the Holy Spirit, we should add, the fullness of his life in Christ: the martyr is keenly aware that he belongs to a different world by virtue of being in Christ, and that he is “not of this world.” His faith is full. Stephen saw his true home just as he was about to depart from this world. He saw, as it were, the Big Picture.

The truth of Christmas is not just Christ’s Birth, but the full arc of His salvation, as we sing, for example in the Christmas song, “Good Christian Men, Rejoice!”–“He has op’ed the heavenly door and man is blessed evermore.” The door opened is the one to paradise, which Christ promised to the Good Thief. St. Stephen, first martyr, witnessed not only this open door, but also the One who is Himself the Door. Jesus is the Way, and Stephen saw Him as the final destination of his own way.

On the day after Christmas, remember what St. Stephen saw. Christ is our destination, too. We, having “an assurance of things not seen,” may also see this by faith. “Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!”

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Art for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

The Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by the Deacon Philip, Lambert Sustris, ca 1545

Philip went down to a city of Sama’ria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did. For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama’ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can’dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this:

“As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.”

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus. And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azo’tus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesare’a. — Acts 8:5-8,14-17,26-40

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Art for the 5th Sunday of Easter

Saint Peter consecrating the Seven Deacons, fresco in the Niccoline Chapel, Fra Angelico, ca 1447

Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch’orus, and Nica’nor, and Ti’mon, and Par’menas, and Nicola’us, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem – Acts 6:3-7

Christian Witness, Saints and Martyrs

To my brother deacons

A happy feast of St. Stephen, Proto-Martyr. May we follow his example in fearlessly proclaiming the truth of the Gospel and witnessing to the reality of heaven.

saint-stephen-the-martyr-08

We give Thee thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to Thy Son Jesus Christ, Who standeth at Thy right hand; where He liveth and reighneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. — Traditional Collect for the Feast of St. Stephen, Book of Common Prayer (1979).

Christian Witness, Poland - Polish - Polonia,

Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord!

From the Green Bay Press Gazette:

Deacon Phil S. Andrastek, age 69, Manitowoc, died Tuesday evening, July 1, 2008, at his residence. He was born Jan. 11, 1939, in Manitowoc, son of the late Stanley and Viola (Krejcie) Andrastek. Phil was a graduate of Manitowoc Lincoln High School, Class of 1957. After graduation, he entered the United States Army National Guard until 1965. On Oct. 11, 1958, he married the former Lucy Schultz at St. Mary [Roman] Catholic Church, Manitowoc. He was a 15-year veteran of the Manitowoc Police Department as a motorcycle officer, logging over 100,000 miles with the department. Phil had a short career as the owner of “Polish Phil’s.” He was employed as a security guard at the Manitowoc Company for many years. During his retirement, Phil was a member of the maintenance staff at Silver Lake College and noon supervisor at LB Clarke School, Two Rivers. Phil was ordained a Deacon with the Green Bay Diocese in the fall of 1986, being assigned to St. Mary Catholic Church in conjunction with Manitowoc Jail Ministry. He also ministered to numerous local nursing homes as well as St. Francis of Assisi Parish where he was a member…

Figure larger than life; friend to the “little guy” and the oppressed; gifted storyteller; friendly conversationalist; generous spirit; loving husband; proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather; man of God.

Lord, grant eternal rest to our brother deacon.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.

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