On Stephen

The Commemoration of Mar Stephen A Metrical Homily The Commemoration of Mar Stephen A Lament Blessed is your death, the first of the martyrs. Stephen, the beloved of Jesus, who opened a path for the blessed martyrs. They run after you to the kingdom of heaven. The king of Rome, who conquers with wood, overcame the evil one and chose death for himself, a servant, and sent him ahead of his camp. Before the camp, a generation of athletes went forth and stood between the walls of the king of Rome, the adversary. The king sent Stephen ahead of his camp, so that he might first take up the contest with the rebel. With a wondrous order of the guards, the king sent him, so that when the Roman forces saw him, they would be terrified of him. He anointed him with spirit and armed him with armor that could not be defeated, and before the wall of the apostolate, he cried out in the midst. The king gave him all the armor of the warriors, so that he might make a terror of fear and a treaty with the rebel. He held the sword of the spirit in his hand, the sign of the one who sent him, to destroy and cast down the evil ones who rebelled against the truth. Faith, the shield of truth, he held in his hands, and with it he received the sharp arrows of his adversaries. When the arrows of iniquity were shot at their altars, he received them on the shield of hope and was not shaken.

The robe of righteousness was wrapped around his limbs, without being rent, and it became a laugh for their forces. He placed the helmet of salvation, the life which the king gave him, with which he covered the faith, the head of his life. All of him was wholly girded with faith, and there was no place in it where he would strip away from truth. The head of his life was faith for him, and with the helmet he concealed it without its being rent. The king warned him and his companions and commanded them, "Be destroyed by the swords in your nakedness." The wise serpent that guards itself without being rent, while its head lives, is not harmed by the swords. In this death it is right that you guard faith, so that while it is guarded, you will not fear the swords. To this command the strong worker held fast, and in the likeness of a head he guarded the blood of the covenant. In the likeness of a lock he held faith in his hand, and with his feet he trampled the error of the Evangelists. He rode upon the word of holiness as upon a horse, and upon the chariot of righteousness the wheels are light. He mounted the word and took the sword and put on truth, and placed the helmet and trampled with his feet the error of his Lord. He cried out in the camp of the adversary like a commander, and the thunders began from the sound of his voice, which was like thunder.

Before the walls of the forces of Rome the king sent him, that he might tread a path for his camps to sleep in him. He was the first to open the way of the martyrdom of his Lord, and he was the first of the martyrs of Jesus, the king of Rome. The forces of the chief of the air were troubled, that they might see him in the battle array that he kindled among them. They saw that they were weakened from the helmet of the face of his power, and they sent and brought the sons of Abraham who were with them. The sons of Abraham and the evil forces were one wall, that they might condemn Stephen, the servant of truth. They hired themselves out to the adversary in the bosom of Abraham, and they took the wages of their hire, the judgment that is prepared. Through the Hebrews the evil one offered against the servant, as he offered through their firstborn against the kings. Stephen was filled with power and grace, and he performed signs for us in the land of Judah. The wicked men of the lie arose, the evil ones of Libertinum and the Cyrenians with their companions who sought to be with him. They were not able to find the foundations of truth, not even a little, to stand on one side against the spirit that spoke in him. They were ashamed from the words of the good servant, and behold, their condemnation is proclaimed throughout all generations.

In their envy they sent men and taught them to say that they might hear him blaspheme with his words against God and also against the king. They seized him and brought him to the midst of the arena of the workers of iniquity, that they might put him to death as one who had blasphemed against God. With the arrows of his words he was proclaiming to them the martyrdom of Jesus to the sons of Abraham who were not heirs of the hope of Abraham. The chosen one of Abraham, whose sign was among the Babylonians, said, "The stone speaks to the sons of Abraham, 'Be ashamed and come.'" The sign chose for the sons of Abraham from all the peoples, and his honor in his house was better than all. He did not leave a man to oppress him, and he struck him, and he saved him from the Egyptians and from the Babylonians. Hard of neck and without circumcision, they were cut in their hearts; they were for him and against the spirit of holiness that was from him. To your fathers resembles the error of your thought, who persecuted the stones and killed the righteous whom the sign sent. With the sounds of words he was striking them like a rod, and he was raising them up in bitterness without a door. The myrtle of the bitterness of wrath blossomed in their hearts, and they did not suffice to be strong against the sharp arrows of his words. He condemned the worshippers of the snares of the evil one, the good worker, and they were embittered because they saw the side of condemnation.

In their fury they seized him, while he was yet alive from the arena, and they brought him out from the city and were stoning him. They did not suffice, they added the love of his word that he had brought forth the truth, and they saw the opportunity of their falsehood, the death of the sacrifice. The death of the sacrifice died a glorious death, not for the world, and because of this, while rejoicing, he received death. He learned from his Lord who conquered death and broke its torment, and because of this he rejoiced in it and was not afraid. Over his stoning he was entreating the Lord who chose him, that this sin which they were committing against him might not be established. In the Lord of all, the worker of truth was being compared, who reconciled his father over his crosses, that he might forgive them. The workers of iniquity arranged their ranks as in battle, and instead of weapons they took up their hands with stones and flints. The strong servant was not terrified by their wickedness, nor did he lower himself from the confession against iniquity. The king who chose him was encouraging him not to be terrified, and opened before him a way of height that he might again be encouraged. By revelation he saw the heavens that were opened, and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand. When he was standing, he saw the Messiah, the chosen martyr, while they were standing as one who wished to descend to him.

In this death he was showing Christ himself, as one who desired to come and release him from their hands. The love of Jesus the Ineffable saw the athlete, not as one seated showing himself, but as one standing. This is the order of those who are pure, of their beloved ones, who are not extinguished when they are stoned, while they are being perfected. The friend of the king was being martyred by the nobles, and the king saw his friend swallowed up and showing himself. He showed himself by means of a revelation to the friend of his love, and his face shone like the face of an angel of light. The light of his glory the athlete saw within the arena, and his eyes shone to be baptized in the kingdom of Rome. In the kingdom of Rome the friend of Jesus was being baptized, and because of this he was rejoicing and exulting over all sufferings. The light of the radiance of Jesus spread over his face, and the light of his own self was mingled with the radiance of his face. The light of his face was mingled with the radiance of the light of Jesus, and there was one glory of the Lord and of him. Christ in the height and Stephen among the earthly ones, and there was one glory of his Lord in the height and of himself below. Not like his Lord was he in the ineffable praise, but from the gift he gave him of his glory, and he was in glory.

Glory clothes the king of height in height for his servants, and Stephen he clothed in glory while he was on earth. While he was on earth, he gave him the glory that does not die, which confirms that which is prepared for the end. When the vile body is changed, Paul says, it was prepared that they might make it like the praise of the body of his glory. In this order he also now made Stephen, while he was on earth, his face was heavy with his own radiance. What wonder was being shown in Stephen, that death was dark and he was shining in the tones of his voice? Who ever saw a dying man whose face was radiant like Stephen when he was dying? Who ever saw a servant whose face shone at the time of stoning, except this servant of truth who was worthy of this? Who saw the stones of the stoning and the rocks with them, and his face shone and their faces were darkened at his death? All of them looked at him as if a writing of truth were written, and they were amazed at the vision of his face, what this was. Opposite his face the servants of iniquity were stirred up, and they brought down upon him a rain of stones as upon Abel. The stoning stoned him with stones of wrath as it did Abel, and better than Abel he cried out in the truth of him who was the athlete.

The envy of his brother killed Abel unjustly, and the brothers of Stephen stoned him unjustly. They gathered a cloud of stones of wrath upon the righteous one, and buried him within it, as Cain killed Abel. Cain killed Abel, his brother, and buried him in stones, and raised over him a cairn of stones that was not known. In this likeness they also wrought upon the perfect one. And in the likeness of Cain, they heap up a mound of stones for the reward of vengeance. Woe to the noble one who was not turned aside honorably, whose radiant body was crushed under the weight of stones. Woe to you, O head that was sanctified, O blessed hand, which was wholly covered with stones by the unjust one unjustly. O blessed hand of the apostolate, it was sanctified, and the sons of iniquity filled it with stones in their arrogance. The Spirit hovered and sanctified him with the power of his martyrdom, and the sons of iniquity washed his stature in the blood of his own self. The blessed band of the apostolate placed her hands, and she spread out the veils of the sanctuary, the mysteries of holiness. He was a minister of the mysteries of the powers divine, and through his ministry he became a type of the angelic orders. This type the deacons hold in the holy Church, when through their ministry they are likened to the powers of the height. To this rank the athlete attained in the life of the contest, a rank and vision that becomes in truth a watcher of the flesh.

The envy of the flesh and the face of the stone were seen, a spectacle of the valley weeping, a man whose blood resembles the watchers. Because of this, his Lord honored him with the radiance of the watchers, so that when he was transformed, he became in the glory of those who resemble their own. For the body of the Lord of blood, the body of the sons of the stone, in that manner which is exalted in it, death. The workers of iniquity did not cease at the light of his face, and insolently, in their audacity, they stoned the righteous one. The evil servants who were in the vineyard of Habib saw the shoot of the vine in the bush and covered it with wrath. They saw the insolent ones, the shoot that gives good fruits, and they covered it immediately, as if it would not bear sweet fruits. The vineyard of Habib is the people of the house of Israel, and the evil servants are the heirs who plundered the Lord of the height. The Lord of the vineyard sent his son to bring fruits, and they seized him, drove him out of the vineyard, and killed him unjustly. The judgment of truth was cut off by the iniquitous when they asked what the Lord of the vineyard would do to these servants. "Evil, evil," they said, "he will destroy these servants who struck his servants, harmed his workers, and killed his son." And also the Creator, who saw the vineyard that did not give fruits, closed its fence, uprooted its tower, and took all its water.

...the whole of the envy which they drank from him, the dregs of the spirit, and the brightness of his steadfastness which was surrounding him. He uprooted the tower, the temple of holiness which was built within him, in which were bound the secret sacrifices of the magi. He took one branch from the vine of this vineyard and left the whole to be a wanderer of the forest and the stars. The Creator took the branch of life from this vineyard, so that whoever wishes may taste and delight himself with the life from it. The branch of life became the beginning of the creature, the first of the vine-stock, so that by the sweetness of the wine of its love it might inebriate its servants. Come, come, branch of truth, he said, and you, shoots, and I have planted you in the world that you might go and bring back fruits of glory. The father is the planter of this vineyard, and every shoot which is not found to have fruits in it, take it. See, do not wonder that it does not produce good fruits, lest you be burned in the likeness of shoots which burn in the fire. The dry shoot is immediately gathered and cast into the fire; thus also for you, if you do not stand in the love towards me. Come, come, branch, and you, shoots, and father planter, bring fruits and give thanks that you may not be cut off. Hail, said the good Lord to the servants of the mystery, and beware that you not be separated from the side of its love.

...him, and they also drank the dregs of his steadfastness, truly. In the form of a spike whose root is set in the earth, from its life the life of the righteous departed, and from the waters of its holiness they drank. Their shoots ascended above all the peoples of the earth, and they were hidden from the sickness of mortality. Shadows cast over all the regions of the earth's expanse, and they were restrained from the flame of sinfulness. They uprooted all the sweet fruits of their conduct, and everyone ate, and the taste of the bitter one was sweet. The taste of the bitter one was sweet to everyone from the poison of death, and they sweetened it with the good hope of the life of the dead. The life of the dead they brought forth to say in the earth that everyone stands from the house of the dead as he stood. In this earth, in the form of his companions, the chosen one was set, and the workers of iniquity cut him down with the sickle of their insolence. In this earth, he tasted and made himself taste with great love, and he bore fruits and plucked leaves for the health of humanity. In the form of a devourer, he devoured teachings, and he healed them with the power of the spirit from their pains. He cast fruits in the form of his companions, the drink of life, and his leaves were scattered in the great abyss that is unutterable.

The treasury of his person was full of the wine of the love of Jesus, and the slanderers saw his beauty and were enraged. The angels were for the accuser a slanderer of wood, and they bound upon him a cloud of wrath and a hail of stones. With a hail of stones they were striking the sweet fruit, which did not break apart from its sweetness for the thirsty. In the midst of the press of stoning they placed the stone, and with the heels of grinding they were trampling him. They poured out his blood like wine in the midst of the press, and they cast down his body under stones like a deposit. When the stones of wrath that they were throwing at him were worn away, the blood of Christ was not wiped from their hands. On the tips of their fingers the blood of the Savior was dripping, while in their hands the stones of iniquity were striking him. Like wolves they raged against the shepherd and justified his body, and they sharpened their stones against the youth of his innocence. The unclean ones were not sated from that which they shed, the blood of the Lord, and again they gathered to shed the blood of the friend of love. He was being made bloody by the drops of the blood of the Lord, when they were bringing the innocence of their youth to the beloved lamb. With blood they were drunk, the wolves of evening, beyond measure, and their bitterness was greater than that of wolves.

Upon them they received the blood of the Lord, and upon their children, and it is sealed in him until the world without end. The evil ones mixed the blood of the servant with the blood of the Lord, and they bore upon them the covering of their guilt. The blood of the saint was shed in the likeness of his Lord, that with his Lord it might be in glory in the high kingdom. When the evil one of iniquity strove in the evil of the sons of iniquity, for this he was called that he might separate us from the iniquitous. The one who conquered and is strengthened in him by love and hope no longer sins from the iniquitous who cause him to sin. The one who persecuted the slanderer, the helper of error, is strengthened in him and flees from him like a fox. In the life of the sacrificer he pursued the fugitive demons, and now in his death he trembles more than the power of his strength. In the life of the sacrificer they were not able to be disturbed by him, and now in his death they are not able to enter, nor even into his dwelling. And those who enter in fear enter boastfully, while their guilt proclaims their fear. Trembling and fear truly fill the rebels when they see the dwelling of the zealous one, even from a distance. The hard city, which cannot be diminished from the opposite, is placed in their hearts of the dwelling of the zealous one when they see it. From a distance they stand on the tops of mountains and are confounded by it, because they are not able to approach the face of its wall.

The power goes out from the foundations of the bones of the righteous one, and he does not see like a commander and flees from him. Come, let us be sealed on the day of the commemoration of the glorious martyr, that we may pass over without being hindered by the rebel. Come, let us be sealed with prayers on the day of his feast, that he may be with us in the high kingdom, full of blessed joys.