sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries reading from the acts of the apostles even filled with grace and power was working great wonders and signs some of the people certainly members of the so called synagogue which he spoke when they heard this they were infuriated and ground their teeth at him but he filled with the holy spirit looked up intently to heaven three and saw the glory of god and jesus standing at the right hand of god and he said behold i see the heavens opened and the son of man standing at the right hand of god but they cried out in a loud voice covered their ears and rushed upon him together they threw him out of the city and began to stone him the witnesses laid down the the feet of the young man named saul as they were stoning stephen he called out lord jesus receive my spirit the word of the lord thank god and my fortress for your name sake you will lead and guide me into your hands on the lord i command my spear into your hands i commend my spirit you will enemies and my persecutors let your face shine upon your servant save me in your kindness and into your hands who lured by him and i my spirit lord be with you greetings in the holy gospel according to matthew 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 but 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  saved the lord in a sense is hard to believe that christmas is over but in fact it isn't over we still have a whole number of days when we keep reminding ourselves of the importance of the birth of our savior in bethlehem and we continue the story of christmas for a little while anyway the whole world is in exactly the same way but here in church that's what we'll be doing and part of our celebration is remembering today st stephen was the st martyr was the st adult person who stood up and proclaimed with his his words and his wisdom the importance of jesus and wh jesus was all about twenty facts st stephen was doing was continuing the story of christmas saying that god became one of us he became incarnate which is what christmas is all about and  to us that's kind of and only is it bloody but it's savage and it's a makes no sense but stephen was the st one who could win the church points when says he understood who jesus was why he was important and why he was worthy to die for we don't have to worry about that probably most of us practically ninety nine percent of us but we have to live with jesus we don't have to die for him but we have to live for jesus so on this st day nd day of christmas we ask the lord to help us be resolute and strong in doing what we can to make sure that our life fits in with  in our city of new york god bless them and send good people to help them we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for all of those who are listening and watching this celebration at st patrick's that god may blessed and protect them if they're on their journeys we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for those who have been sexually harassed or violated or abused that god's loving and tender hand may take care of them we we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer although to our god we ask you to listen to our prayers we bring to you in the name of our brother and savior the boy jesus who is with you is god for ever and ever amen the are you lord god of all creation for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you fruit of the earth and the work of human hands will become for us the bread of life let's be god forever almighty and eternal god for the mystery of the word made flesh a new light of your glory has shown among the eyes of our mind so that as we recognize in him god made this a bow we may be caught up through him in love  all things invisible with all the hosts and powers have happened we sing that hymn of your glory as without end we explain worthy to be in your presence and minister g you how we pray the protecting of the body and blood of christ we may be gathered into one by the holy spirit remember lloyd your church spread throughout the world e in your mercy welcomed them into the light of your faith have mercy on us all we pray that with a vested virgin mary mother of god would bless a joseph or spouse with the blessed apostles and all the saints him god almighty father the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours for ever and ever your apostles he said the he my peace i give you look not on our sens but on the faith of your church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will to live and reign for ever and and then the peace of the lord be with you always and with your spirit this offering to each other the sign of peace lord and then the lord be with you and with your spirit mighty god bless to the father and son in the holy spirit and then the masses indeed go in peace thanks be to god if i didn't tell you