Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 10:17-22 (NAB)

Prayer

Dear Father how easily we do that in this day, hand people over to the courts suing them for easy money. This was written so very long ago and yet it reflects so much of our own time in how we deal with others. We don't forgive as well as we should and over small matters and in the bigger ones either. So what must we do then dear Father, many of us pray to have issues resolved with what seems as if no end of the strife in sight. But do we pray to forgive or even go the extra and offer that forgiveness as well as give it. You forgive us and we are the stubborn ones who continue to cause strife and hardship out of our own pride. Thinking that we don't want to be the one's to say I'm sorry, forgive me, first. When we let go of that pride and do what we are called to do life becomes amazing then. Dear Father may we extend the hand of forgiveness to those who we have offended as well as ask for their forgiveness. But most of all may we seek yours first of all so we may offer it to our neighbor. Amen