As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them";
and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution. (Acts 7:51-8:1a)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041624.cfm
The martyrdom of Stephen is the first after the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Stephen is called the Proto-Martyr. The death of Stephen recalls the death of Jesus in the Lucan gospel and of course sets up the conversion of Saul (later Paul).
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Tuesday, Week III, Easter
