Greetings,
December 26 is the Feast of St. Stephen. Read Matthew 10:17-22 and Acts 7:54-8:1.
On the 25th we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. On the 26th we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier. Yesterday our king, clothed in his robe of flesh, left his place in the virgin’s womb and graciously visited the world. Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.
Our king, despite his exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet he did not come empty-handed. He gave of his bounty, yet without any loss to himself. In a marvelous way he changed into wealth the poverty of his faithful followers while remaining in full possession of his own inexhaustible riches.
And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen form earth to heaven; shown first in the king. It later shone forth in his soldier. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspirited him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment.
Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in live can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him; protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end.
Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.
December 27 is the Feast of John the Apostle and Evangelist.
The feast of John goes back to the fourth century. From the early Middle Ages down to our own day the custom of blessing and distributing “St. John’s wine” has been observed. It is connected with the pagan custom (among Greeks, Romans, Germans) of partaking of a drink in honor of a god. Once Christianity had been introduced, and in its usual method co-opted this custom to become one of drinking to the honor of certain saints, the drink in loving memory of John acquired special significance and lasting popularity. The blessing in turn was certainly connected with the legend of St. John’s drinking of the poisoned wine.
The Office of Readings for this day is by Augustine.
Consider what is said to you: Love God. If you say to me: Show me whom I am to love, what shall I say if not what Saint John says: “No one has ever seen God!” But in case you should think that you are completely cut off from the sight of God, he says: “God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God.” Love your neighbor, then, and see within yourself the power by which you love your neighbor; there you will see God, as far as you are able.
Begin, then, to love your neighbor. “Break your bread to feed the hungry, and bring into your home the homeless poor; if you see someone naked, clothe him, and do not look down on your own flesh and blood.”
What will you gain by doing this? “Your light will then burst forth like the dawn.” Your light is your God; he is your “dawn,” for he will come to you when the night of time is over. He does not rise or set but remains for ever.
In loving and caring for your neighbor you are on a journey. Where are you traveling if not to the Lord God, to him whom we should love with our whole heart, our whole soul, our whole mind? We have not yet reached his presence, but we have our neighbor at our side. Support, then, this companion of your pilgrimage if you want to come into the presence of the one with whom you desire to remain for ever.
We celebrate this feast (whether with wine or Methodist wine [Welch’s]) and give thanks for the blessings of God which come to us through the faithful witness and example of John and through his writings.
Yours & His,
DED
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