Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He was an early Christian writer & bishop of Antioch. En route to Rome, where he met his martyrdom, Ignatius wrote a series of letters. This correspondence now forms a central part of the later collection known as the Apostolic Fathers. His letters also serve as an example of early Christian theology. He was the first to use the phrase "catholic church" in writing, which is still in use to this day.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
Ignatius was a convert to Christianity. When he was named the second bishop of Antioch, Syria, Ignatius became a successor of Saint Peter [22 February, 29 June]. in 107, Emperor Trajan tried to force Christians to renounced their religion. Ignatius allowed soldiers to bind him in a rickety cart & lead him to Rome for martyrdom. As his cart rolled into town, local bishops & Christians came to meet & encourage gim. On the journey, Ignatius wrote seven letters to the churches he left behind. The letters give insight into the growth of theology. He asked his people to gather around the Eucharist & to care for "the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, as well as those in prison, the hungry, & the thirsty" (Letter to the Church at Smyrna, 6:2). Ignatius was devoured by wild beasts in the Roman amphitheater.'Tis also the festival of Saint John the Dwarf, Priest & Abbot (circa 339-405, A.K.A. John Kolobus): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Words of Ignatius of Antioch, martyr of the early Church. His feast day is October 17.
"Christianity is not a matter of persuading people of particular ideas, but of inviting them to share in the greatness of Christ. So pray that I may never fall into the trap of impressing people with clever speech, but instead I may learn to speak with humility, desiring only to impress people with Christ himself."
"We recognize a tree by its fruit, & we ought to be able to recognize a Christian by his action. The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives, for being a Christian is more than making sound professions of faith. It should reveal itself in practical & visible ways. Indeed it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs, & live them out, than to talk eloquently about what we believe, but fail to live by it."
'Tis also the festival of Saint Richard Gwyn, Martyr (circa 1537-1584, Anglicized as Richard White), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link XL & Wikipedia-link XL.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Letter to the Romans, chapter one, verses sixteen thru twenty-five;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two & three & four & five;
The Gospel according to Luke chapter eleven, verses thirty-seven thru forty-one.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, Jesus concludes today's Gospel by prescribing giving alms as a key to holiness. I've quoted to you before some of the breathtaking remarks of saints and popes about almsgiving: Leo XIII says, "Once the demands of necessity and propriety have been met, the rest of your money belongs to the poor." John Chrysostom says, "The man who has two shirts in his closet, one belongs to him; the other belongs to the man who has no shirt."Video reflection by Father Paul D. Seil: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The deepest root of all of this is in the prophets, who continually rail against those who are indifferent to the poor. The prophets teach us that compassion is key to biblical ethics, feeling the pain of others in our own hearts. We're not dealing with an abstract Aristotelian moral philosophy, but rather with something more visceral.
This is precisely why the two great commandments are so tightly linked: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart…and love your neighbor as yourself." In loving God you feel the feelings of God, and God is compassionate to the poor and oppressed. That's all the argument that a biblical person needs.
Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three, verse seventeen thru chapter four, verse one;
Psalm Thirty-four, verse five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.
†
Bible Study
The Book of Habakkuk, chapter one (of three; verses one thru seventeen);
The Book of Habakkuk, chapter two (verses one thru twenty);
The Book of Habakkuk, chapter three (of three; verses one thru nineteen);
Psalm Fifty-one (verses one thru twenty-one);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight (verses one thru eight).
Commentary: The Prophet's Complaint & Its Answer (Habakkuk, 1:2-2:20) & Canticle (3:1-19); the Miserere: Prayer of Repentance (Psalm 51) & Hymn of a Grateful Heart (Psalm 138).
Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter seventeen (verses one thru twenty-eight).
Commentary: II: First Collection of the Wisdom of Solomon (cont'd, 17:1-28).
No comments:
Post a Comment