The day after Christmas is the feast day of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church (Acts 7). Commemorating a martyr on this day may seem strange, but since the early days of the church calendar in the fourth century, the feast of the Nativity and that of St. Stephen have been bound together. Whatever the ancient reason for the date, this combination can teach us something important. As God's Son was born in humility, His humble servant Stephen had his heavenly birthday. Even celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Redeemer, cannot be isolated from the Cross. There is Christmas joy, but this joy is not worldly. Our joy is rooted in what C.S. Lewis calls the "deep magic"- salvation through loving sacrifice. We rejoice in faith and love because the divine work of redemption for us sinners is expressed in varied situations.
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