I BIBLICAL REFLECTION:

  Last Week’s Memory Verse Psalm 50 (49) “He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me    (God)”

  Messages  for our Life in Christ drawn from Psalm 51 (Septuagint 50)

  Selection of Memory Verse

II  ABOUT THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ST. IGNATIOS

    Saint Ignatios of Antioch (martyred between AD 98 - AD 117) was the third Bishop or Patriarch of Antioch, after Evodios, who died around AD 68. Eusebius, (Historia Ecclesiastica, II.iii.22) records that Ignatios succeeded Evodios, making his apostolic succession even more immediate, Theodoret (Dial. Immutab., I, iv, 33a) reported that Peter himself appointed Ignatios to be Bishop of Antioch. Ignatios, who also called himself Theophoros ("the God-bearer"), was a disciple of the Apostle John. According to early tradition, Ignatios was identified as the child that Jesus held as described in the New Testament: “And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me” (Matthew 18:2-5).

    Saint Ignatios based his authority on living his life in imitation of Christ. He was arrested under Emperor Trajan by the Roman authorities and transported to Rome under trying conditions, which he described in his letter to the Christians in Rome. He wrote: “

From Syria even to Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treated.” (Letter to the Romans, 5.)

   He died as a martyr in the arena. The Roman authorities hoped to make an example of him and thus discourage Christianity from spreading. Instead, he met with and encouraged Christians who flocked to meet him all along his route, and he wrote six letters to the churches in the region and one to St. Polycarp, a fellow Bishop.

    The seven letters are: To the Ephesians. To the Magnesians; To the Trallians; To the Romans; To the Philadephians; To the Smyrnaeans; To Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. (Adapted From Wikipedia.)

     The letters witness to Ignatios’ understanding of the office of Bishop at this early stage in the life of the Christian Church. He teaches that the Bishop relates to the Church as did Jesus Christ (Ephesians, 6) or even God (Magnesians, 6; Smyrnaeans, 9). The Church cannot function without a Bishop or his representative (the Presbyter/Priest) present (Smyrnean,s 8; Tralleans, 2.2; 7; Magnesians, 7; Polycarp, 4). Indeed, the Church cannot worship, baptize, celebrate the Eucharist, or solemnize a marriage without the Bishop or his representative Presbyter/Priest present (Smyrnaeans, 8; Polycarp, 5). At all times, the congregation must be subject to the Bishop (Ephesians, 2.2; 4.1; 5.1; Magnesians, 2.13; Philadelphians, 7).

    The Bishop has been appointed by Christ, not the Church (Ephesians, 3), although in the Bishop one can see the whole Church (Ephesians, 1.3). Some have said that Ignatios’ understanding of his office (later called a monarchical Bishop) continues the organization found in the New Testament (Acts 21:18) which first advocates the ultimate authority of a Bishop. Others hold that Ignatios’ teaching just represents a unique personal position not shared by the early Church. In practice and later canon law, much importance and authority was given to the position of Bishop, but Ignatios’ teaching still raises discussion points among theologians and even Bishops themselves.

    St. Ignatios the God-bearer, is one of the Apostolic Fathers (the earliest authoritative group of the Church Fathers) and honored as a saint by both the Eastern Orthodox Church, which celebrates his feast day on December 20 and by the Roman Catholic Church, which celebrates his feast day on October 17.  (Adapted From The Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.)

III PASSAGES FROM THE LETTERS OF ST. IGNATIOS

A. Live in the Service of Unity

    All of you must become a unity. Let there be no divisions in your hearts. When I was among you I cried at the top of my voice, with the very voice of God: 'Be united with the bishop, the priests and the deacons.'

Some people thought I cried like this because I foresaw a schism. He for whose sake I am in chains is my witness that I did not speak in that way because anyone had given me any such warning.

    I had simply been listening to the Spirit proclaiming: 'Do nothing without the bishop! Keep your body as the temple of God! Love unity, avoid factions! Be imitators of Jesus Christ, as Jesus Christ is of the Father!' [cf. I Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 11:1] With such an aim I have done all I could, as one destined to the service of unity. God does not dwell where there are divisions and bad feeling. I exhort you: never give way to a quarrelsome spirit, but always carry out the teaching of Christ!

    Jesus Christ is my criterion. Unassailable grounds of judgment for me are his cross, his death, his resurrection and the faith that comes from him. And it is thanks to them that, with the help of your prayers, I hope to be justified. (Letter to the Philadelphians, 6, 2.)

B. We Have No Life Apart From Jesus Christ

 Acknowledge the authority of your bishop and clergy. Not that this is an order I am issuing, as though I were someone of importance. It is true that I am a prisoner for the Name’s sake, but I am by no means perfect in Jesus Christ as yet; I am only a beginner in discipleship, and I am speaking to you as fellow-scholars with myself. In fact, it is you who ought really to have given me lessons ~ lessons in faith and admonishment and patience and toleration. All the same, where you are concerned love will not suffer me to hold my peace; and that is why I venture to recommend an action that reflects the mind of God. For we can have no life apart from Jesus Christ; and as He represents the mind of the Father, so our bishops, even those who are stationed in the remotest parts of the world, represent the mind of Jesus Christ. (Letter to the Ephesians 2,3.)

C. The Relationship of Parishioners and Their Clergy

  It is proper for your conduct and your practices to correspond closely with the mind of the bishop. And this, indeed, your clergy are doing; your justly respected clergy, who are a credit to God, are attuned to their bishop like the strings of a harp, and the result is a hymn of praise to Jesus Christ from minds that are in unison, and affections that are in harmony. Pray, then, come and join this choir, every one of you; let there be a whole symphony of minds in concert; take the tone all to­gether from God, and sing aloud to the Father with one voice through Jesus Christ, so that He may hear you and know by your good works that you are indeed members of His Son’s Body. A completely united front will help to keep you in con­stant communion with God. (Ephesians 4.)

D. Faith,  Love and Actions

Do your best to meet more often to give thanks and glory to God. When you meet frequently the powers of Satan are confounded, and in the face of your corporate faith his malfeasance crumbles. Nothing can overcome a state of peaceful accord, from which every trace of spiritual or earthly hostility has been banished. Given a thorough-going faith and love for Jesus Christ, there is nothing in all this that will not be obvious to you; for life begins and ends with those two qualities. Faith is the beginning and love is the end; and the union of the two together is God. All that makes for a soul’s perfection follows in their train, for nobody who professes faith will commit sin, and nobody who possesses love can feel hatred. As the tree is known by its fruits, so they who claim to belong to Christ are know by their actions; for this work of ours, does not consist in just making professions, but in a faith that is both practical and lasting. (Ephesians 13, 14.)

E. Share the Eucharist Together

Make certain, therefore, that you all observe one common Eucharist, for there is but one Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and but one cup of union with His Blood, and one single altar of sacrifice - even as also there is but one bishop, with his clergy and my fellow-servitors, the deacons. This will ensure that all your doings are in full accord with the will of God. (Letter to The Philadelphians, 4).

  F. The Old Testament and the Gospel Message

Certain people declared in my hearing, ‘Unless I can find a thing in our ancient records, I refuse to believe it in the Gospel’; and when I assured them that it is indeed in the ancient scriptures, they retorted, ‘That has got to be proved’. But for my part, my records are Jesus Christ; for me, the sacrosanct records are His Cross and Death and Resurrection, and the Faith that comes through Him. And it is by these, and by the help of your prayers, that I am hoping to be justified.

The priests of old, I admit, were estimable men; but our own High Priest is greater, for He has been entrusted with the Holy of Holies, and to Him alone are the secret things of God committed. He is the doorway to the Father, and it is by Him that Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the prophets go in, no less than the Apostles and the whole Church; for all these have their part in God’s unity. Nevertheless, the Gospel has a distinc­tion all its own, in the advent of our Savior Jesus Christ, and His Passion and Resurrection. We are fond of the prophets, and they did indeed point forward to Him in their preaching; yet it is the Gospel that sets the cornerstone on man’s immortality. It is in all these different elements together that goodness resides, if you have a loving faith. (Letter to the Philadelphians 8,9.)

  G. Keep the True Faith and Avoid Factions

Let nobody be under any delusion; there is judgment in store even for the hosts of heaven, the very angels in glory, the visible and invisible powers themselves, if they have no faith in the blood of Christ. Let him who can, absorb this truth. High position is no excuse for pride; it is faith and love that are everything, and these must come before all else. But look at the men who have those perverted notions about the grace of Jesus Christ which has come down to us, and see how contrary to the mind of God they are. They have no care for love, no thought for the widow and orphan, none at all for the afflicted, the captive, the hungry or the thirsty.

   They even absent themselves from the Eucharist and the public prayers, because they will not admit that the Eucharist is the self-same body of our Savior Jesus Christ which suffered for our sins, and which the Father in His goodness afterwards raised up again.

   Consequently, since they reject God’s good gifts, they are doomed in their disputatiousness. They would have done better to learn charity, if they were ever to know any resurrection. For us, the only proper course is to have no dealings whatever with men of that kind, and to avoid all mention of them either publicly or in private; reserving our attention for the prophets instead, and particularly for the Gospel, in which the Passion and the crowning glory of the Resurrection are unfolded before us. Abjure all factions, for they are the beginning of evils. (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6,7,8.)

H. About Christian Marriage

    Tell the sisters to love the Lord and to be happy with their husbands, whether in the flesh or the spirit. Equally recommend the brothers, in the name of Jesus Christ, to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. If anyone is able to remain a virgin in honor of the Lord's human nature, let that person be humble: anyone who boasts of virginity is lost in eternity. It will be well, furthermore, that men and women who marry should contract their union with the consent of the bishop, so that their marriage may be according to the Lord. Let everything be done in honor of God. (Letter to Polycarp, 5.)

IV DISCUSSION

CLOSING PRAYER – Dismissal Hymn of St. Ignatios (December 20).

    O holy priest-martyr Ignatios, you lent yourself to the Apostle’s way of life and succeeded them on their throne. Inspired by God, you found the way to contemplation through practice and prayer; wherefore you became a perfect teacher of truth, fighting for the faith even to the shedding of your blood. Intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls. Amen.

Next Week- Friday, October 27: Contemporary Issue – 1 “Christianity and Islam”

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