Author: WebDept ParishAdmin

“But they did not understand what he said to them.”

Mary and Joseph have just experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: their son was missing for THREE DAYS, as they searched and asked and retraced the steps of their journey. Imagine their relief when they returned to the Temple and saw him at last. Surely they ran to him with joy and exasperation, only to hear his answer, “Why were you looking for me?” Why? WHY?!

Of course they did not understand what he said to them. Their hearts had gone through the wringer of fear and anxiety, their imaginations had probably thought of worse case scenarios, their minds could not understand why he would separate himself from the ones who loved him and had supplied his every need in every moment of his life up until then. And he seems to give a dismissive answer, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Like a sword to the hearts of Joseph and Mary, his response does not seem to take their anxieties into account.

This is hard to understand, so hard that Mary must store it away to ponder later, as we are told she “kept all these things in her heart.” But he returns to their home in Nazareth, and is obedient to them.

This Holy Family did not have a schedule given to them from Heaven. Yes, they were holy; yes, Jesus was the Incarnate Son of God; yes, Mary was sinless; yes, Joseph was a just man. They were good Jews, subject to the Jewish Law and open to the will of the Father. But they did not know where the will of the Father would take them. It took them to Bethlehem when they should have been preparing at home for the birth of Jesus. It took them to Egypt for several years to flee the murderous rage of Herod when they wanted to return home with their infant. It took them back to Nazareth at last, where they raised a child they knew to be the Messiah. And it took them over a painful journey of three days to find him in the Temple.

What did this require of them? The same thing that it requires of us: loving trust. They are the model for us of a life of love and trust, obedience and patience, great faith and hope and humility, knowing the will of the Father is always for our good, even when it is difficult.

Let us pray for the grace to continue to submit ourselves to the will of the Father, especially when it is hard to understand, when it seems something else would be better, when it costs us. It is then that our trust is deepened and our love grows.

“Ellos no entendieron la respuesta que les dio.”

María y José acababan de experimentar la peor pesadilla de todo padre: su hijo se desapareció por TRES DÍAS, mientras lo buscaban, preguntaban por él y volvían a seguir los pasos de su viaje. Imaginen su alivio cuando regresaron al Templo y por fin lo vieron. Seguramente corrieron hacia él con alegría y exasperación, solo para escuchar su respuesta: “¿Por qué me andaban buscando?” ¿Por qué? ¡¿POR QUÉ?!

Por supuesto que no entendieron lo que les dijo. Sus corazones habían sufrido demasiado por el miedo y la ansiedad, su imaginación probablemente había pensado en los peores escenarios, sus mentes no podían entender por qué se había separado de quienes lo amaban y habían provisto cada necesidad en cada momento de su vida hasta ese momento. Y parece dar una respuesta despectiva: “¿Por qué me andaban buscando? ¿No sabían que debo ocuparme en las cosas de mi Padre?” Como una espada en los corazones de José y María, su respuesta no parece tener en cuenta sus ansiedades. Esto es difícil de entender, tan difícil que María tiene que guardarlo para meditarlo más tarde, ya que se nos dice que ella “guardaba todas estas cosas en su corazón”. Pero él regresa a su hogar en Nazaret y les es obediente.

La Sagrada Familia no tenía un horario dado desde el Cielo. Sí, eran santos; sí, Jesús era el Hijo encarnado de Dios; sí, María no tenía pecado; sí, José era un hombre justo. Eran buenos judíos, sujetos a la ley judía y abiertos a la voluntad del Padre. Pero no sabían a dónde los llevaría la voluntad del Padre. Los llevó a Belén cuando deberían haber estado preparándose en casa para el nacimiento de Jesús. Los llevó a Egipto durante varios años para huir de la furia asesina de Herodes cuando quisieron regresar a casa con su bebé. Los llevó de regreso a Nazaret por fin, donde criaron a un niño que sabían que era el Mesías. Y los llevó a un doloroso viaje de tres días para encontrarlo en el Templo.

¿Qué requirió esto de ellos? Lo mismo que requiere de nosotros: la confianza amorosa. Ellos son para nosotros el modelo de una vida de amor y confianza, de obediencia y paciencia, de gran fe, esperanza y humildad, sabiendo que la voluntad del Padre es siempre para nuestro bien, incluso cuando es difícil.

Oremos por la gracia de seguir sometiéndonos a la voluntad del Padre, especialmente cuando es difícil de entender, cuando parece que otra cosa sería mejor, cuando nos cuesta. Es entonces cuando nuestra confianza se profundiza y nuestro amor crece.

Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Mccartyv, pixabay.com/photos/nativity-christmas-mary-joseph-447767/

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Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5—2:2

Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,”
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.

My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8

R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Alleluia See <a href="https://bible.usccb.orgroute? “>

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 2:13-18

When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

– – –

We Still Grieve the Holy Innocents / Seguimos Apenados por los Santos Inocentes

Today in the Gospel of Matthew we not only read about one of the most faithful men in the Bible, but we read about one of the most devastating events in the Bible. First we hear about St. Joseph’s obedience, and then we remember the Holy Innocents.

St. Joseph was not just the foster father of Christ; he was the faithful husband who took care of Mary when she was expecting Baby Jesus. He supported Mary throughout her pregnancy and through Jesus’ birth. He protected Mary and Jesus when King Herod sought to kill Him. And we can assume that he taught Jesus carpentry and served as a valuable role model for how a father and husband should treat his family. Although we never hear any spoken words of St. Joseph in the Bible, we can discern from his actions that he was obedient, loving, kind, and generous. We know that he was the very epitome of what a father and husband should be.

The Holy Innocents were baby boys under the age of two whom King Herod ordered to be killed after he learned that Baby Jesus was born. Herod felt so threatened by Jesus that he couldn’t stand to let any baby boy within that age range continue to live. This infanticide still shocks and saddens us today.

These two men show us both love and the antithesis of love. Joseph was a compassionate father who cared for his family. Herod was a king who should have had the best interests of his people at heart, but who, in a horrible display of hatred, ordered the slaughter of the innocents.

Though some estimates offer higher numbers, today’s estimates say that about 14,000 babies were killed. Regardless of the actual number, we know that all of those children were senselessly and needlessly killed. The grief the parents felt must have been crushing.

As we think about this model father and these lost babies today, let us reflect on the fathers in our lives, the kind of father we want for our children, and the kind of father you are if you are a father. Let us also think about the holy innocents of our day—the 2,900 babies killed every day in the US through abortion. Let us pray for their souls, for their mothers and fathers, and for the souls of everyone involved in the abortion industry.

Herod is alive and well in abortion clinics today, but we have the power to help stop this modern-day slaughter of the innocents. And so we need the intercession of St. Joseph to pray for families, to give strength to fathers, and to protect all babies who are in danger of abortion. St. Joseph, pray for us!

Hoy, en el Evangelio de Mateo, no solo leemos acerca de uno de los hombres más fieles de la Biblia, sino también acerca de uno de los eventos más devastadores de la Biblia. Primero escuchamos acerca de la obediencia de San José, y luego recordamos a los Santos Inocentes.

San José no solo fue el padre adoptivo de Cristo; fue el esposo fiel que cuidó de María cuando estaba esperando al Niño Jesús. Apoyó a María durante su embarazo y durante el nacimiento de Jesús. Protegió a María y a Jesús cuando el rey Herodes intentó matarlo. Y podemos asumir que le enseñó a Jesús carpintería y sirvió como un valioso modelo a seguir de cómo un padre y esposo debe tratar a su familia. Aunque nunca escuchamos ninguna palabra hablada de San José en la Biblia, podemos discernir de sus acciones que era obediente, amoroso, amable y generoso. Sabemos que él era el epítome mismo de lo que un padre y esposo debe ser.

Los Santos Inocentes eran niños varones menores de dos años que el rey Herodes ordenó matar después de enterarse de que había nacido el Niño Jesús. Herodes se sintió tan amenazado por Jesús que no podía soportar que ningún niño de esa edad siguiera con vida. Este infanticidio todavía nos conmociona y entristece hoy.

Estos dos hombres nos muestran tanto el amor como la antítesis del amor. José era un padre compasivo que se preocupaba por su familia. Herodes era un rey que debería haber tenido en el corazón los mejores intereses de su pueblo, pero que, en una horrible muestra de odio, ordenó la matanza de los inocentes.

Aunque algunas estimaciones ofrecen cifras más altas, las estimaciones actuales indican que se mató a unos 14.000 bebés. Independientemente de la cifra real, sabemos que todos esos niños fueron asesinados sin sentido ni necesidad. El dolor que sintieron los padres debe haber sido devastante.

Al pensar en este padre modelo y en estos bebés perdidos hoy, reflexionemos sobre los padres en nuestras vidas, el tipo de padre que queremos para nuestros hijos y el tipo de padre que eres si eres padre. Pensemos también en los santos inocentes de nuestros días: los 2.900 bebés que mueren cada día en Estados Unidos a causa del aborto. Oremos por sus almas, por sus madres y padres, y por las almas de todos los que participan en la industria del aborto.

Hoy Herodes sigue vivo en las clínicas de abortos, pero tenemos el poder de ayudar a detener esta matanza moderna de inocentes. Por eso necesitamos la intercesión de San José para orar por las familias, para dar fuerza a los padres y para proteger a todos los bebés que corren peligro de ser abortados. ¡San José, ruega por nosotros!

Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 19 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Thirteen of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the executive editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program—an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students. You can reach her at slochner0.wixsite.com/website.

Feature Image Credit: Joshua Taylor, unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-person-holding-a-baby-IFJeki_f9_4

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Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

Reading 1 1 Jn 1:1-4

Beloved:
What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life —
for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us—
what we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

R. (12) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Alleluia See <a href="https://bible.usccb.orgroute? “>

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 20:1a and 2-8

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.

– – –

The One Whom Jesus Loved / El Amado de Jesús

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season we must stay grounded in Christ. As the days are short, and cold, it is time to embrace the light of Christ and carve out time to cultivate prayer and reflect on this beautiful Saint, John the Apostle and Evangelist. On this day we recall “the one whom Jesus loved.” Tradition holds that he outlived the other Apostles, dying around the year 101 AD, and is the only Apostle who died of natural causes, not martyrdom. He was also the only Apostle of Jesus who had the strength to stand at the foot of the cross during our Lord’s crucifixion and death.

On this feast day 351 years ago Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and invited her to be the Disciple of the Sacred Heart. St. Margaret wrote, “He made me rest for a long time on His divine breast, where He discovered to me the wonders of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.” He allowed her to encounter the same Heart that St. John the Apostle encountered as he rested his head on the chest of Christ at the Last Supper. On this day in the 12 Century, Jesus also invited St. Gertrude to rest her head on His chest and listen to the heartbeat of the Lord.

In today’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene panicked as she didn’t know where Jesus’ body was. Her heart must have been breaking as she had just watched the bloody and horrific crucifixion, and now his body had gone missing! This Gospel stresses the importance of staying close to the Lord, trusting the Lord, and allowing the Lord to lead us, even when life is very difficult. This Scripture reveals the importance of obedience and trust. It reveals that shortly after the triumph of the cross comes the power of the empty tomb. Our Lord was born to die and open the gates of eternal life for us through His resurrection.

Imagine the joy that came in knowing that His body had not been taken, but rather that He had resurrected from the dead. Jesus wants to calm our hearts and give us the joy of following His path and plan. In the midst of this joyful season after Christmas, may we carve out time to reflect on our faith and how the Lord desires to bring us peace and joy within our hearts.

En medio del ajetreo de la temporada navideña debemos permanecer arraigados en Cristo. Como los días son cortos y fríos, es hora de abrazar la luz de Cristo y sacar tiempo para cultivar la oración y reflexionar sobre este hermoso Santo, Juan el Apóstol y Evangelista. En este día recordamos a aquel “a quien Jesús amaba”. La tradición sostiene que sobrevivió a los otros Apóstoles, muriendo alrededor del año 101 d.C., y es el único Apóstol que murió por causas naturales, no por martirio. También fue el único Apóstol de Jesús que tuvo la fuerza para permanecer al pie de la cruz durante la crucifixión y muerte de nuestro Señor.

En este día festivo hace 351 años Jesús se apareció a Santa Margarita María Alacoque y la invitó a ser Discípula del Sagrado Corazón. Santa Margarita escribió: “Me hizo descansar durante mucho tiempo en su divino pecho, donde me descubrió las maravillas de su amor y los secretos inexplicables de su Sagrado Corazón”. Jesús le permitió encontrar el mismo Corazón que encontró San Juan el Apóstol cuando apoyó su cabeza en el pecho de Cristo en la Última Cena. En este día durante el siglo XII, Jesús también invitó a Santa Gertrudis a apoyar su cabeza en Su pecho y escuchar los latidos del corazón del Señor.

En el Evangelio de hoy, María Magdalena entró en pánico porque no sabía dónde estaba el cuerpo de Jesús. Su corazón debe haber estado rompiéndose porque acababa de ver la sangrienta y horrible crucifixión, ¡y ahora su cuerpo había desaparecido! Este Evangelio enfatiza la importancia de permanecer cerca del Señor, confiar en el Señor y permitir que el Señor nos guíe, incluso cuando la vida es muy difícil. Esta Escritura revela la importancia de la obediencia y la confianza. Revela que poco después del triunfo de la cruz viene el poder de la tumba vacía. Nuestro Señor nació para morir y abrirnos las puertas de la vida eterna a través de Su resurrección.

Imagine la alegría que sintió al saber que no habían llevado Su cuerpo, sino que había resucitado de entre los muertos. Jesús quiere calmar nuestros corazones y darnos la alegría de seguir su camino y su plan. En medio de esta alegre temporada de la Navidad, dediquemos tiempo a reflexionar sobre la fe y sobre cómo el Señor desea traer paz y alegría a nuestros corazones.

Emily Jaminet is a Catholic author, speaker, radio personality, wife, and mother of seven children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mental health and human services from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is the co-founder of www.inspirethefaith.com and the Executive Director of The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network www.WelcomeHisHeart.com. She has co-authored several Catholic books and her latest one, Secrets of the Sacred Heart: Claiming Jesus’ Twelve Promises in Your Life, came out in Oct. 2020. Emily serves on the board of the Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference, contributes to Relevant Radio and Catholic Mom.com.

Feature Image Credit: Stock Photo, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/deign-to-speak-to-my-heart-and-make-me-listen-to-you-12993/

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Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17

R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Alleluia Ps 118:26a, 27a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 10:17-22

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

– – –

Joy in the Midst of Sorrow / Gozo en Medio del Dolor

It’s always been odd to me to have a feast of the first martyr the day after Christmas. Yes, as Christians, we know difficult things will be required of us, but does that mean we have to have a reminder right after we celebrate Jesus coming into the world? Can we just have joy for a little bit?

Based on my research, the reason this day was chosen as the feast of St. Stephen was because on this day in the 5th century, the relics of St. Stephen were discovered after having been forgotten for centuries. But, as I’ve often discovered in my own life, the reasons and ways of God are subject to multiple interpretations, and life is often both/and, not either/or.

While on this date God did restore the relics of the first martyr to us, it’s also a stark reminder to us that, amid our Christmas joy, Jesus came to us to die. God’s plan was beyond anything we ever could have imagined, but it involved sorrow and death.

But as we already know, sorrow and death weren’t the final answer. Everlasting joy and the beauty of Heaven wait for us who believe and live as we believe. I think that’s another reason why we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen on this day: Christ coming to the earth only prefigured the sorrow he would experience on the Cross, and the sorrow of the martyrs who would give their lives for the sake of the Gospel. On the other side of death, however, is everlasting life.

So is the Feast of St. Stephen on December 26th a stark reminder of what we are called to as Christians? Absolutely. But it is also a reminder of the promise of Heaven. That is why, even as we commemorate St. Stephen’s martyrdom, our joy is complete.

Siempre me ha parecido extraño celebrar la fiesta del primer mártir el día después de la Navidad. Sí, como cristianos, sabemos que se nos exigirán cosas difíciles, pero ¿eso significa que tenemos que tener un recordatorio justo después de celebrar la llegada de Jesús al mundo? ¿No podemos ser gozosos un rato, por lo menos?

Según mi investigación, la razón por la que se eligió este día como la fiesta de San Esteban fue porque en este día del siglo V se descubrieron las reliquias de San Esteban después de haber estado olvidadas durante siglos. Pero, como he descubierto a menudo en mi propia vida, las razones y los caminos de Dios están sujetos a múltiples interpretaciones, y la vida a menudo incluye ambas cosas, no una u otra.

Si bien en esta fecha Dios nos devolvió las reliquias del primer mártir, también es un duro recordatorio para nosotros de que, en medio de la alegría navideña, Jesús vino a nosotros para morir. El plan de Dios estaba más allá de todo lo que pudiéramos haber imaginado, pero implicaba dolor y muerte.

Pero como ya sabemos, el dolor y la muerte no fueron la respuesta final. El gozo eterno y la belleza del Cielo nos esperan a los que creemos y vivimos como creemos. Creo que esa es otra razón por la que celebramos la fiesta de San Esteban en este día: la venida de Cristo a la tierra prefiguró el dolor que experimentaría en la cruz y el dolor de los mártires que darían sus vidas por el Evangelio. Sin embargo, al otro lado de la muerte está la vida eterna.

Entonces, ¿la fiesta de San Esteban, el 26 de diciembre, es un duro recordatorio de lo que estamos llamados a hacer como cristianos? Absolutamente. Pero también es un recordatorio de la promesa del Cielo. Es por eso que, incluso cuando conmemoramos el martirio de San Esteban, nuestro gozo puede ser completo.