Face of an Angel

“Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8

St. Stephen is the first martyr and was stoned to death because the Jews got infuriated with the wisdom of his words! The members of the Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyreneans, Alexandrians, people from Cilicia and Asia tried to debate with him but they were no match for him for he was filled with the Holy Spirit. So what did they do? They concocted fake news about him, saying he blasphemed against Moses and God. They seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin, presenting false witnesses against him.  Was St. Stephen worried, or frightened? No. All who looked upon him saw the face of an angel. 

This reminds me of what many have said of Mother Teresa. Sometimes when we see Mother Teresa of Calcutta in pictures, she looks like an old crone. But my cousin said, when she saw the Albanian nun up close, she was beautiful. Some journalists have also attested to this. “The saints are the luminous reflection and attractive witness of the singular beauty of Christ, beauty of infinite love of God who gives Himself and makes Himself known to men.” (From “The Via Pulchritudinis”, 2006)

St. Stephen is an example of an ordinary man who did extraordinary things because 

he followed Jesus day by day. He just started out as a "waiter", as he was appointed a deacon by the early church. His job was to serve food to the widows and orphans, and I suppose help the apostles with other lowly duties.

Let us stay close to Jesus, and go about our daily tasks with a heart full of praise and thanksgiving. We too can be ordinary people doing extraordinary things if we keep our hearts focused on the Lord! We too can be a reflection of the beauty of Christ!