26 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2024
Saint Stephen, The First Martyr (Feast)
Liturgical colour: Red
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mysteries
FIRST READING
Acts 6: 8-10; 7:54-59
Behold, I see the heavens opened.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
In those days: Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into 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 with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
V/ The word of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
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