During the Angelus Prayer at the feast of Saint Stephen, Pope Francis exhorts Christians to bear witness to the faith in Christ, repaying good for evil, and breaking the circle of hatred with love.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis prayed the Angelus on Saturday at noon as the church marks the feast of St. Stephen.
The Pope said that the saint was the first person to testify to Jesus with his life, making him the first Christian martyr, meaning ‘witness’.
St. Stephen was “the first of many brothers and sisters who continue even today to bring the light into darkness.” These men and women, the Pope added, do not succumb to violence, but break the chains of hatred with meekness and love.
“In the nights of the world these witnesses bring God’s dawn,” he said.
Forgiveness sows the seeds of repentance
Pope Francis said that St. Stephen shows the path for all other Christians, which is to “imitate Jesus”.
Still, the Pope added, you might ask, “Are these witnesses of goodness really necessary when the world is rampant with wickedness?” The first reading of the day (Acts 6: 8-10; 7: 54-59) provides the answer in a little detail, he said.
As Stephen lay dying of his injuries, he prayed that God might forgive his murderers. “The text says that among those for whom Stephen prayed and for whom he forgave, there was ‘a young man named Saul’ who ‘agreed to his death.’ ”
Saul, the Pope noted, would become Paul, the greatest missionary in history. “Paul was born by God’s grace, but by Stephen’s forgiveness, his testimony. That was the seed of his conversion. This is proof that acts of love change history. “
Ordinary acts of love change history
Even small acts of love can change the course of history, the Pope said, because God “guides history through the humble courage of those who pray, love, and forgive.”
Pope Francis said that we too can make a difference through the ordinary events of daily life.
“We are called to testify of Jesus wherever we live, in our families, at work, everywhere,” he said, “even by giving the light of a smile and fleeing the shadow of gossip and chatter.”
He also gave advice. Instead of complaining when we see something wrong, we should pray for the person who made the mistake.
Saint Stephen, while on the receiving side of the stones of hatred, answered with words of forgiveness. So he changed history. “
Turn evil into good
Each of us, Pope Francis said, can turn evil into good if we return love for hate.
And he urged everyone to pray for the many Christians who are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus.
“Let us entrust these brothers and sisters to the Virgin Mary, that they might respond with meekness to oppression and that, as true witnesses of Jesus, they might overcome evil with good.”