Do you wish to be thrown to the lions, too?...

Today, we remember one of the truly important leaders of the early Christian Churches and one of the closest links to the time of Christ: St. Ignatius, who was born in about the same year Jesus was crucified, and who served for 38 years as the bishop of Antioch, the second largest city in the Roman Empire.

Like Christ, and for confessing Christ, he was executed under Roman imperial rule in the year 107. He wrote wonderful letters to various Christian communities about the meaning and glory of their discipleship, about the Eucharist as "the medicine of immortality, the antidote against death, and ever-lasting life in Jesus Christ."

Above all, he urged unity among Christians and encouraged their perseverance in faith during times of persecution. When it was his turn to suffer and die for Christ, he was ready --longing, as he said, "to be an imitator of my suffering God."

He even wrote words urging his people to pray for him, and not to try to plead for his release, that he might not be deprived of the supreme grace of dying with and for Jesus Christ.

These words have now become famous in the annals of Christianity: "...I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God's wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ's pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God."

This wish and prayer were fulfilled; Ignatius was cast to wild lions in the Roman Amphitheater and died a martyr's death in 107 A.D.


reflecting on the life and death of St Ignatius, I invite you to meditate on this wonderful example of witnessing to Christ and on the above words of Ignatius' longing.

We can also reflect on and pray over the words of Paul and of Jesus in today's first reading and the Gospel. Paul's exhortation is an extended reflection on Jesus' warning against judging others.

Basically, Paul is saying, Do not ever, ever, ever condemn or judge anyone! If you do, you are only condemning yourself, and that is totally contrary to God's way of being.
For God treats us all, whatever our sinfulness and wickedness, with "priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience."

"There is no partiality with God." Let us all give this a careful examination!

Finally, as a Church, especially those of us who have been given some authority, we need to pay close attention to the severity of Jesus' words to the scribes, Pharisees, and scholars of His day.

Don't we all, at times at least, do what Jesus abhors and severely rebukes in the religious leaders of His own time: imposing on others burdens (obligations) that are too hard to carry without ourselves lifting a finger to touch them?


We have lots of repentance to undergo! That could be as discouraging for us as it is for the victims of our mis-use of authority.

But we, too, if we are willing to repent, have nothing to fear. For God is always our refuge, our rest, our rock, our hope, our salvation, as we are reminded again in today's Psalm. We need never be disturbed, as long as we trust in God alone!

Peace to you all and happy Wednesday!!!!!