Third Day of Christmas

I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas. Today, the Third Day of Christmas is one of my favorite days of the year. Everyone in English speaking lands knows the excellent song that begins "Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen…" And many probably wonder why this is a Christmas song since it doesn't even mention Christmas, elves, reindeer or chestnuts. Well, it is a Christmas song because the Feast of Stephen occurs during the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus.

Though yesterday, the 2nd Day of Christmas was the commemoration of St. Stephen in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist (yes, Virginia, some Methodists still remember the Saints) and Lutheran Churches, today, the 3rd Day of Christmas is the day the Orthodox Church remembers St. Stephen.

If there is a hierarchy (and I bet there is) among saints in the Orthodox Church, the Martyrs are right up near the top of that hierarchy. And first among the martyrs is St. Stephen. In fact, his official title is Protomartyr.

I'm sure everyone reading this is familiar with the story of St. Stephen: How he was chosen to be one of the first deacons to take care of the complaining widows, how he was tried for blasphemy by the Sanhedrin, and how was stoned to death. You have read how during his stoning Heaven was opened to him and he saw the Father and the Son. After his death, as you might not know, his body was left to be eaten by dogs, but was secretly taken by the famous rabbi Gamaliel, who buried St. Stephen on his estate. (Gameliel and his son both secretly believed in Jesus, but were later baptized.)

As marvelous as all that is, there is one thing I think of every time I think of St. Stephen: Ahead of all others, God chose a deacon, one who's only job is to be a servant, to first receive the crown of martyrdom. Certainly many others have received that glorious crown since St. Stephen, but he was first. The honor of being Protomartyr did not go to any of the Apostles, nor to Bishop James, nor to any of the priests or laity. But the crown was first given to a deacon, one of those who in all things is called to serve all the other members of the Church, even the bickering and complaining widows.

Thus the word of the Lord is fulfilled: "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. - Mark 9:35"