Feast of Saint Stephen

I love St. Peter for many reasons, but I always thought it a bit impetuously ill worded that he said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables." But he did say it, and I think his words might have been regretted later.

St. Stephen was one of seven chosen for that specific task, in order that St. Peter could "devote himself to prayer and the ministry of the word".

And St. Stephen with the alacrity of the truly humble, got up and waited on the brethren in such a way.

But WHAT a surprise for St. Peter and the other apostles when Stephen revealed that "he was filled with grace and power".

This man worked at table and took care of the distribution of goods. A most practical and time consuming task. BUT he carved out spaces to read and memorize his Scriptures, he prayed, he worked wonders among the very people who simply sat at his table. He was diligent and used every inch of his time to good purpose. That is a difficult thing to do as we all know by our own daily experience - and he did it simply and humbly. He never felt “reduced” by just waiting on tables. He grew in holiness - and incredible holiness - through his tasks.

This is such a lesson to us. Moms, Dads, sisters and brothers. Day in and day out we do these practical, sometimes un-thanked tasks.

We sometimes are under the impression that preaching and wonders are for priests and holy Scholars, and that we are therefore overlooked or exempt. This is not so.

St. John Paul II spent his whole pontificate urgently telling us otherwise! We ARE asked to know our faith, to preach with power in our actions and words, to defend our catechism to those who would scoff. These are sacred duties.

We serve at table but it must be with truth and power. And it may lead to a martyrdom - perhaps not as heart rending and dramatic as Stephen's, but a martyrdom of "pin pricks" as St. Therese so aptly put it. To preach in season and out of season, mocked or hated, envied, disputed or otherwise.

I pray to St. Stephen for a share in his Courage and his fire within. For always training up and using the “better part” - his love for the Gospel and for Jesus it’s author.

And I really do hope that St. Peter, when he heard of Stephen's holy death, might have eaten his words about "waiting on tables" and realized he had been in the company of one of the shining ones - the first to mingle his blood with that of Christ’s.

Beautiful Stephen, pray for us!