21 April 2026 -- Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
H O M I L Y
The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, continues to describe the early days of the Church in Jerusalem. Yesterday we saw how the deacon Stephen, filled with the grace and power of God, performed signs and wonders, and how his opponents could not compete with the divine wisdom with which he was filled. Today we have the account of his violent death. Stephen is not only the first martyr in the history of the Church, but the quintessential model of steadfastness and strength in the supreme witness unto death. He commends his spirit to Jesus just as Jesus had commended His spirit to the Father, and in this supreme act of surrender, his eyes are opened and, even before he breathes his last, he beholds the glory of God.