Jesus tells his apostles to be prepared to face persecution because of him. He assures his followers that the spirit of God will speak on their behalf. A day after celebrating the birthday of Jesus, we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Stephen, a sobering reminder that life and death are constantly intertwined. Perhaps a question we can ask ourselves today is: are we willing to live like Christ and face suffering for his sake? Whatever happens, may we always find our strength in him who gave up his life for us. Today, let us also ask St. Stephen to inspire us by his example to live and die bravely for the faith.
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