Today, we look to the example of St. Stephen, who was martyred after proclaiming his faith in Jesus Christ. Christ tells us in today’s Gospel that we need not worry about how to speak when we receive criticism for our faith. And of course, this is very true. God knows our hearts; He knows where we stand in relationship with Him, and He won’t disregard that. He will help us. If we ever are criticized, He will give us the strength to stand up for our faith. In turn, we are called to fully trust that God will give us the words we need to do so, and we are called to fully adhere to whatever He asks of us, regardless of what the consequences may be.
If St. Stephen never fearlessly proclaimed his faith, we would not have such a beautiful example of what full adherence to God looks like. We don’t know how our faith may inspire others. Even if one person is brought to Christ through our example, it would all be worth it. Enduring faith is what will ultimately give us (and potentially others!) life.
"Stephen (c. AD 5 – c. 34) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, he was a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who angered members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death. Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and Roman citizen who would later become Paul the Apostle, was also involved as a witness in Stephen's execution." - Wikipedia.