The story of the martyrdom of St. Stephen reminds me of another martyrdom several centuries later (1996) — that of the Trappist monks from the monastery of Tibherine in Algeria. The abbot, Father Christian de Chergé, wrote a sort of last will and testament. He addressed his killer, “the friend of my final moment,” with these words: “For you also I wish this “thank you”—and this adieu—to commend you to the God whose face I see in yours. And may we find each other, happy “good thieves,” in Paradise, if it pleases God, the Father of us both.” Stephen had his prayer for his persecutors answered in the person of Saul, who would become St. Paul. We pray Fr. Christian’s petition was heard as well.
