Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 26, 2025
First Reading: Acts 6.8-10; 7.54-59
8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.9Then 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, rose up and disputed with Stephen.10But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.
54Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.55But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."57But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.58Then 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.59And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Psalm 31
1In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!2Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!3For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;4you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.5Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.6I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.7I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,8and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.10For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.11Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.12I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.13For I hear the whispering of many--terror on every side!--as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.14But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."15My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!16Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!17O LORD, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol.18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.19Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!20In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.21Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.22I had said in my alarm, "I am cut off from your sight." But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.23Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.24Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!
Gospel: Matthew 10.17-22
17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,18and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.19When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,22and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Sermon
Today we hear the powerful account of Saint Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, in the Acts of the Apostles. Filled with grace and the Holy Spirit, Stephen performed wonders and spoke with such wisdom that his adversaries could not withstand him. Enraged by his testimony and his vision of Jesus at the right hand of God, they dragged him out and stoned him to death, while he, echoing Christ’s own words, prayed for the Lord to receive his spirit. This vivid narrative finds its prophetic echo in our Gospel reading from Matthew, where Jesus warns his disciples of the persecutions they will face: being handed over to councils, scourged, and hated for his name. He assures them, however, that the Holy Spirit will speak through them in their hour of need, and that salvation belongs to those who persevere to the end. Stephen's martyrdom is a direct fulfillment of these very words, showcasing the cost of discipleship and the divine strength granted to endure it.
In our daily lives, while we may not face literal stoning, we encounter various forms of opposition or indifference to our faith. It could be ridicule for holding fast to Christian values, pressure to conform to worldly ideologies, or even quiet exclusion in our workplaces or social circles. These readings call us to reflect on our own fortitude and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Are we prepared to speak the truth with wisdom and grace when challenged? Do we allow the Spirit to guide our words and actions, rather than succumbing to fear or the desire for human approval? Stephen’s unwavering witness, even to the point of death, reminds us that our faith is not merely a private belief but a call to courageous proclamation and steadfast endurance.
The profound lesson in these passages is the call to perseverance in faith, regardless of the trials we face. Stephen gazed upon heaven, seeing Christ, and this vision strengthened him to endure his violent death. Similarly, Jesus promises salvation to those who persevere to the end, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in earthly comfort but in eternal communion with God. Let us pray for the same grace and fortitude that filled Saint Stephen, that we too may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness to Christ courageously, trust implicitly in God’s providence, and persevere in faith and love until our journey's end, always looking towards the heavenly glory where Christ awaits us.