unstoppable
"This man never stops..." —Acts 6:13
St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr:
- was "a man filled with grace and power" (Acts 6:8),
- was full of the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 6:5),
- was so full of wisdom that the international all-star team of debaters "proved no match for the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke" (Acts 6:8-10),
- lived so full a life that, even though he was commissioned to handle the time-consuming job of distributing food, he still found plenty of time to witness about Jesus,
- "worked great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8),
- evangelized so powerfully that the Jews rated him as a greater enemy than the twelve apostles, choosing him as the first Christian to be killed, and
- focused so intently and lovingly on Jesus that even while hostile enemies sought his life, he radiated heavenly joy (Acts 6:15).
The false witnesses who testified against Stephen managed to speak one true statement: "This man never stops" (Acts 6:13). Like Stephen, may we be so full of the Holy Spirit that we never stop serving, loving, praising, and sharing the risen Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I imitate Jesus with the attentiveness, faith, and devotion of St. Stephen.
Promise: "You should not be working for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal, food which the Son of Man will give you." —Jn 6:27
Praise: Marty, a non-Catholic, discerned that Jesus was calling him to be a Catholic priest. He joined the Church that he once criticized and is now studying for the priesthood.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 2, 2012
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