Discovering St. Stephen’s Day!
I feel like this was truly my first Lutheran Christmas, because I was not very tuned into the church calendar last year at this time. I credit bloggers for teaching me this. Of course my church closely follows the church calendar, but the reminders of Christians around me really woke me up to the beauty - historical and spiritual- of the use a calendar. I don’t know much about the church’s calendar, although I’m guessing that its use was more prevalent in past times than it is now. Many Christians of our generation and later have deemed it an unecessary encumberment to free-flowing worship.
Just the other day, I realized that I am probably the first in my generation and my parents generation to realize that my grandfather, Steve, was named after St. Stephen because of his birth the day after Christmas. His simple immigrant parents were orthodox Christians. No doubt, any other devout Orthodox Christian would see a January 7th birthday of a baby back in 1907, see that the baby was named Stephen and easily assume that the baby was named after St. Stephen. There would be no question or revelation. I plan to reintroduce the church calendar to my children and my grandchildren. There is so much to learn from the dear Christians who lived before us!
Rob Brazier on St. Stephen: Have We Heard?
Bunnie Diehl on St. Stephen: Saint Stephen, The First Martyr.
She writes, pointedly: “I know a bunch of people who read this blog celebrate only two (2!) of the many holidays Christians have. Those are Christmas and Easter. Well, there are many other holidays and today, the very day after Christmas, is an important one. No, it’s not Boxing Day. Today is the day we remember St. Stephen, the first martyr. Stephen was stoned for preaching the Gospel.” Read on… There are some excellent comments following her post! I was busy after Christmas and missed this great discussion. 
(Don’t forget: Bunnie hates emoticons!)
I know there are other great posts on St. Stephen’s Day, but I’ve got to get back to work packing boxes for the move. I would really appreciate it if others added links to those posts below. I can promise you that I will read them and will read them to my family.
Merry Christmas to you all!
I think Christina was named that because of her birthday being so close to Christmas (she was named Cristina by her birth family in Romania).
And–what move? Are you moving from your house? Not far, I hope…..
Suzi
Posting about St. Stven on St. John’s day? It’s almost as bad as me chastizing you for it on the Slaugter of the Holy Innocents. And just think New Year’s Day is when we celebrate Christ’s circumsicion. Ouch.
The church’s calendar is BEAUTIFUL! It teaches us so much about Jesus, creation, life itself. Here’s a cool thing: The last Sunday of the Church year is the Feast of Christ the King — and the very next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, where we begin to prepare all over again for His birth as a little human baby. Isn’t that neat? From Baby to King to Baby again — it’s an endless, perfect circle. I might have to post about a really good book on the Church year; it’s called “The Year and our Children”, I think. So many beautiful feast days — and then of course there is the fasting and sacrificing, too. Life has both feast and famine, in many senses of those words. And the Church teaches us all about it through the liturgical seasons. Very cool! Glad you’re discovering it!