Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Tuesday 26 December 2017 The Feast of Saint Stephen the first martyr.
How good it is to know that out of this great conflict , that took place on the one hand between Saint Stephen , on the other hand Saul’s hallmarked team, everybody came out as a winner ! There are altars in our churches for both Saint Stephen , but for Saint Paul the converted Saul as well! Yes we Christians believe and profess , that every conflict , even if we pay with our life for it , has a good outcome if we do not abandon the way of love ! The world does not consist out of good and bad people, but from stumbling people and supernatural forces ! According to the teachings of Christ , part of the supernatural forces is evil :"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. “ Peter 1, chapter5 ! Clinging onto Jesus, the commandment of love we can not only save our own soul , but even the souls of those who are persecuting , injuring us ! In the name of justice we should never embark on the way of hatred , anger , but together with Saint Stephen we have to pray for our persecutors , who unfortunately very often blindly “do not know what they are doing “!
With love,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
Photo: young Coptic Christians praying for the murderer of their sister….
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.”
Matthew 10, 17-22
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Tuesday 26 December 2017 The Feast of Saint Stephen the first martyr.