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102.1
First Point
Saint Ignatius was one of the first disciples and one of the most
worthy successors of the apostles. He preached the Gospel and did much to
spread religion with a most astonishing zeal and courage. The more
opposition he met with, the more active he became without any him an
respect or fear, not even of the emperor, whom he vigorously withstood,
caring nothing for either threats or promises.
It is with this kind of truly Christian firmness and generosity
that you should uphold God’s cause, and this is what you are obliged to
do in your work. You fulfill one of the main functions of the apostles by
educating in faith and in religion these new believers, that is, the
children who only recently have been filled with God’s Spirit in
baptism. Following the example of the holy apostles, make yourself worthy
of so holy a ministry[i]
by seclusion and by application to prayer.
102.2 Second Point
This saint was so filled with the spirit of Jesus Christ and with
his holy love that he very often had Our Lord’s holy name on his lips.
It was in this way that he shared his love with those whom he instructed
and those with whom he conversed. As he belonged entirely to Jesus Christ
and had consecrated himself to him to preach the Gospel, he also wanted
the Christians to whom he taught his doctrine to be attached only to Jesus
and to work only for him.
If you love Jesus Christ well, you will try in every possible way
to enkindle his holy love in the hearts of the children you are forming to
be his disciples. See to it that they often think of Jesus, their good and
only Lord, that they often speak of Jesus, that they long only for Jesus,
and desire only for Jesus.
102.3 Third Point
Having been condemned to be devoured by the lions, Saint Ignatius
said that it was then that he was beginning to be a disciple of Jesus
Christ, because he no longer
desired anything in this world and feared none of all the torments that
tyrants could invent to maltreat his body. He even longed that his body
might be delivered over to the cruelest torments as son as possible, so
that he might the sooner enjoy the possession of Jesus Christ.
Admire this saint’s yearning for sufferings and death, so that he
might be sacrificed to God as a victim holy and pleasing in his sight[ii].
Think as he did, that you will truly become disciples of Jesus Christ only
when you love him and bring yourselves to suffer for his holy love.
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Ignatius
(died ca 107), Bishop of Antioch, is thought to have been a disciple of
the Apostle John. He was martyred during the reign of the emperor Trajan.
Our knowledge of him comes from seven letters he wrote to different
churches while he was on his journey to Rome to be devoured by wild
animals in witness to his faith. In these letters he speaks of faith in
the Holy Eucharist and f the role of he bishop and makes the first use in
Christian literature of the term Catholic Church. In his letter to the
Romans he urges them not to interfere with his martyrdom. “Allow me to
be eaten by the “ h writes, “through whom I am to come to God. I am
God’s wheat to be ground by the teeth of beasts in order o become the
pure bread of Christ. I have long… to be crushed…that I may come to
Jesus Christ.” His feast has been transferred to October 17.
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