Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr
This is from the Office of Readings from the Liturgy of the Hours for today:
From a sermon of St. Fulgentius of Ruspe:
"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."
When we think of just what happened yesterday, the virgin birth of the Savior, it almost seems odd to celebrate the feast of anyone during the Octave of Christmas. Yet, the Church proudly celebrates the feast of the Protomartry (first martyr), St. Stephen.
Moreso, when we look at St. Fulgentius's words, we can look at just how important the body really is.
Christ didn't spurn the Blessed Mother's virginity when He was born. In the sense of the physical virginity, this is amazing. When birth occurs, the actual physical characteristics of a woman can prove that this birth really did occur. However, when Christ was born, the Blessed Mother maintained ver virginity. She didn't have to suffer the pangs of childbirth, being that they were a result of original sin. Neither did her buffer alter do the birth of Christ. This is simply amazing. Unfathomable, but still real.
Similarly, we can see in the Protomartyrs birth into heaven, the virginal sense of his union with the Divine. His assent to heaven at his death, shows that his body, like the Blessed Mother's was a tabernacle. Similarly, when he was born into the Divine, he did not suffer, even though, martyrdom should bring about physical pain. We can see the joy in his face above, and there is no doubt that even if he felt pain, it was a completely sweet sensation (just like St. Catherine of Siena drinking puss).
So when we think of our own lives, let us not forget that our bodies are tabernacles, and that one day they will be reunited with our souls, and we shall have our glorified bodies in union with the Divine.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Cor. 6:19-20
From a sermon of St. Fulgentius of Ruspe:"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."
When we think of just what happened yesterday, the virgin birth of the Savior, it almost seems odd to celebrate the feast of anyone during the Octave of Christmas. Yet, the Church proudly celebrates the feast of the Protomartry (first martyr), St. Stephen.
Moreso, when we look at St. Fulgentius's words, we can look at just how important the body really is.
Christ didn't spurn the Blessed Mother's virginity when He was born. In the sense of the physical virginity, this is amazing. When birth occurs, the actual physical characteristics of a woman can prove that this birth really did occur. However, when Christ was born, the Blessed Mother maintained ver virginity. She didn't have to suffer the pangs of childbirth, being that they were a result of original sin. Neither did her buffer alter do the birth of Christ. This is simply amazing. Unfathomable, but still real.
Similarly, we can see in the Protomartyrs birth into heaven, the virginal sense of his union with the Divine. His assent to heaven at his death, shows that his body, like the Blessed Mother's was a tabernacle. Similarly, when he was born into the Divine, he did not suffer, even though, martyrdom should bring about physical pain. We can see the joy in his face above, and there is no doubt that even if he felt pain, it was a completely sweet sensation (just like St. Catherine of Siena drinking puss).
So when we think of our own lives, let us not forget that our bodies are tabernacles, and that one day they will be reunited with our souls, and we shall have our glorified bodies in union with the Divine.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Cor. 6:19-20
Labels: Liturgical Year, Saints
posted by Matthaeus Evangelista at 7:42 PM
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