Feast Day: October 17

Born: 50 in Syria

Died: between 98-117, Rome

Major Shrine: Relics are in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

Patron of: against throat diseases, Church in eastern Mediterranean; Church in North Africa

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Feast Day: October 17
Born:50 :: Died:107

St. Ignatius of Antioch was born in the year 50 to a pagan family (people who do not believe in God). He later wanted to become a Christian and was converted.

Ignatius was the third bishop of Antioch. This is the city where St. Peter labored before he moved to Rome. It is also the city where followers of Jesus were first called Christians.

Ignatius was condemned to death by Emperor Trajan who hated the Christians. He was taken from Antioch to the amphitheater in center of Rome.

This was the place where the Christians who were to die were left in the center of a big ground to be eaten by hungry lions that were let out of their cages.

All around this large ground were seats for the Romans to watch while the lions killed the people and they enjoyed watching the Christians die.

Although St. Ignatius traveled to Rome under military guard, he stopped in Smyrna and Troas. From each of those cities, he wrote letters to the Christian communities. He was the first writer to use the term "the Catholic Church."

He told the churches that he was very happy to die for Jesus so they must not stop him. He asked them to pray that God would grant him his wish. In this way, like the great St. Paul, he preached the Good News to the people.

When the beloved Ignatius arrived in Rome, he joined the brave Christians who waited in prisons. The day came when the bishop was pushed out into the amphitheater. Two fierce lions devoured him.

He left the beautiful witness of Christian life and his letters. St. Ignatius died around 107. St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom both thought of his tomb as near the city gates of Antioch.

Let us find courage in the witness and prayers of St. Ignatius.

Monday

October 17, 2016

A Gospel that Unsettles

“A church that doesn’t provoke any crisis, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a Word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, what kind of gospel is that? Preachers who avoid every thorny matter so as not to be harassed do not light up the world.” – Bl. Archbishop Oscar Romero

Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: “This week, pray for journalists.”

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Monday, October 17

Liturgical Color: Red

Today is the Memorial of St.
Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and
martyr. He was an early church
leader and disciple of the
Apostle John. He wrote many
letters encouraging early
Christians to maintain their faith
in the face of heresies and
persecution.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: October 17th

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

MASS READINGS

October 17, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God, who adorn the sacred body of your Church with the confessions of holy Martyrs, grant, we pray, that, just as the glorious passion of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, which we celebrate today, brought him eternal splendor, so it may be for us unending protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin

St. Ignatius is one of the great bishops of the early Church. He was the successor of St. Peter as Bishop of Antioch. He was condemned to death by wild beasts during the Emperor Trajan's persecution. On his way to Rome, he wrote seven magnificent letters, which we still have today, concerning the Person of Christ, his love for Christ, his desire for martyrdom and on the constitution of the Church and Christian life. His sentiments before his approaching martyrdom are summed in his word in the Communion antiphon, "I am the wheat of Christ, ground by the teeth of beasts to become pure bread."

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of memorial of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Her feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on October 16. St. Ignatius feast in the Extraordinary Form is on February 1.

St. Ignatius of Antioch
In the Martyrology we read: "At Rome, the holy bishop and martyr Ignatius. He was the second successor to the apostle Peter in the see of Antioch. In the persecution of Trajan he was condemned to the wild beasts and sent in chains to Rome. There, by the emperor's order, he was subjected to most cruel tortures in the presence of the Senate and then thrown to the lions. Torn to pieces by their teeth, he became a victim for Christ."

The bishop and martyr Ignatius occupies a foremost place among the heroes of Christian antiquity. His final journey from Antioch to Rome was like a nuptial procession and a Way of the Cross. For the letters he wrote along the way resemble seven stations of the Cross; they may also be called seven nuptial hymns overflowing with the saint's intense love for Christ Jesus and his longing to be united with Him. These letters are seven most precious jewels in the heirloom bequeathed to us by the Church of sub-apostolic times.

The year of St. Ignatius' death is unknown; perhaps it occurred during the victory festivities in which the Emperor Trajan sacrificed the lives of 10,000 gladiators and 11,000 wild beasts for the amusement of the bloodthirsty populace. The scene of his glorious triumph and martyrdom was most likely the Colosseum; that mammoth structure, glittering with gold and marble, had then been just completed.

"From Syria to Rome I must do battle with beasts on land and sea. For day and night I am chained to ten leopards, that is, the soldiers who guard me and grow more ferocious the better they are treated. Their mistreatment is good instruction for me, yet am I still far from justified. Oh, that I may meet the wild beasts now kept in readiness for me. I shall implore them to give me death promptly and to hasten my departure. I shall invite them to devour me so that they will not leave my body unharmed as already has happened to other witnesses. If they refuse to pounce upon me, I shall impel them to eat me. My little children, forgive me these words. Surely I know what is good for me. From things visible I no longer desire anything; I want to find Jesus. Fire and cross, wild beasts, broken bones, lacerated members, a body wholly crushed, and Satan's every torment, let them all overwhelm me, if only I reach Christ."

The saint, now condemned to fight the wild beasts, burned with desire for martyrdom. On hearing the roar of the lions he cried out: "I am a kernel of wheat for Christ. I must be ground by the teeth of beasts to be found bread (of Christ) wholly pure".

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Patron: Church in eastern Mediterranean; Church in North Africa; throat diseases.

Symbols: Chains; lions; bishop surrounded by lions; heart with IHC; crucifix; heart.

Things to Do: Find the epistles of St. Ignatius. Read and meditate upon his words; Meditate on the words of St. Ignatius in the Communion Antiphon. Are we able to accept martyrdom, either bodily death, or "white martyrdom"? Jesus Himself was the Grain of wheat who had to die to bear fruit. The fruit produced is the Mystical Body, the Church. Pius Parsch explains that: "In turn each Christian becomes a grain of wheat that matures for the mill of martyrdom! Read the Communion as if it were your own composition. I, a kernel of wheat! I, too, am destined for the mill of suffering, to be ground — not only was it true of Ignatius. What type of beasts' teeth will crush me? Persecution? Pain and suffering? Other people? It makes no difference, the kernel must die, either buried in the ground to produce another stalk or crushed to become bread. Is not this our destiny in life, to die to self or to lose ourselves in service to others?" (The Church's Year of Grace, Advent to Candlemas, The Liturgical Press, 1964)

Plant some wheat to help the children visualize grains or kernels of wheat
Bake a Lion Cake
Bake wheat bread or make something with wheat kernels. Hot cross buns or pretzels in their traditional shape remind us of the cross which we must embrace, as St. Ignatius did.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 12:13-21

Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)

. . . rich in what matters to God. (Luke 12:21)

How often, when you give away a smile or a hug, do you receive it right back? Quite a lot, probably. That’s because love multiplies when you share it. It’s not exactly the same with money. When you give it, say to a merchant, you don’t get any back. Your bank account is diminished.

Today’s Gospel warns us that if we focus primarily on our possessions and money, we might approach Jesus like the fellow having a hard time with his brother. He asks Jesus to help him secure his share of an earthly inheritance. Unfortunately, he’s asking the wrong person. While Jesus does care about our financial situations, he is much more vested in our spiritual riches. He is rich in mercy and kindness, and he wants to make us rich too. This is the kind of wealth that “matters to God” (Luke 12:21).

Just as a person approaches a financial advisor to grow their material wealth, we can ask Jesus to help us grow our spiritual wealth. Often, this starts by appreciating the immense value of riches we already have: humility or patience, mercy or love. We can ask him to help us grow in them even more.

But we don’t have to stop there. Because our spiritual “treasure chests” matter to God, he is ready to give us even more. Do you need more compassion? Ask for it! Are you stuck in some kind of resentment? Ask for the gift of forgiveness. Unlike the brother who wanted to hold on to his share of money, God loves to share his bounty. His spiritual riches don’t deplete when he gives them away.

Your spiritual treasure chest won’t be any less full, either, even if you try to empty it out on people every day. Remember Jesus’ promise: “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you” (Luke 6:38). When you are rich in what matters to God, you can spread the wealth without losing anything. That’s how generous Jesus is!

“Lord, help me to receive more and more from you so that I can give more and more to everyone else.”

Ephesians 2:1-10
Psalm 100:1-5

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for October 17, 2016:

Do you know your spouse’s love language? Take an online test (or read the book if you have it) and have a conversation about how you both give and receive love best.

Regnum Christi

October 17, 2016 – Bigger Barns?

17 Oct 2016

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

Father Steven Reilly, LC

Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Introductory Prayer: O God, I come to you today with all my human frailty. You know me better than I know myself. I am in your presence to accompany and console you, not to seek consolation or a nice feeling for myself. Even if I get distracted during our time together, I offer myself to you completely.

Petition: Lord, give me wisdom to understand what is truly important in this life.

1. The Scorecard of Life: Driving down the road, a bumper sticker is often seen: “The one who dies with the most toys wins.” This is a contemporary rendition of the mantra of Jesus’ rich fool: “Eat, drink and be merry.” Juggling credit cards and all kinds of financing schemes, many people live life like the rich fool in today’s Gospel. Is the drive for material pleasure, or security, impoverishing my soul?

2. A Bigger Barn vs. a Bigger Heart: What will truly make us happy? Glossy magazine ads are, for some, a source of inspiration on this point. Basically, they are about “bigger barns”: a hotter car, redder lipstick, spectacular vacations. The rich fool believes that by increasing his capacity for material pleasure, he will be happier. But it’s an illusion. Like the running wheel for a gerbil, it is lots of movement without getting anywhere. We invest energy and effort acquiring things, but the bigger barn brings us little joy. That’s because our hearts–not our barns–are what really need to be enlarged. Our heart longs for love. That Augustinian restlessness will never leave us in peace until we have encountered the Lord who loves us and discovered him in the relationships ordained by his providence.

3. When the Final Curtain Is Drawn: At the end of this parable, Jesus in essence says, “You can’t take it with you.” There’s a place in Rome in which this is graphically depicted. The Capuchin church of St Mary of the Immaculate Conception, on Via Veneto, is affectionately known as the “Bone Church.” Inside there is an amazingly designed and arranged display made completely out of the bones of four thousand Capuchin friars! While it may strike at modern sensitivities as somewhat morbid, like today’s Gospel it teaches an important lesson. All those bones look alike. Unless you are a forensic expert, you cannot tell who was fat or thin, smart or dull, handsome or homely. Death is the great leveler. Earthly advantages dissolve. Material goods stay in this world. We go to the Lord to render an account of our lives at death. As the little sign on the wall of the Capuchin ossarium says, “One day, we were like you. One day, you will be like us.”

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, so often I find my eyes looking on the good things of this world more as ends than means. I need to keep my priorities straight always: you first and then everything else, inasmuch as they lead me to you. Give me the wisdom to realize that life is short and it must be lived for you alone.

Resolution: I will live charity today as fervently as if I knew this day were my last.

Homily of the Day

October 17, 2016

In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus very clearly told his listeners to be detached from worldly things. To further illustrate his message he taught them using the parable of the rich fool.

This is very appropriate for us living in an age where materialism and consumerism are the values that drive the world economy. We know that our lives on earth will not last forever and so we can easily accept intellectually what Jesus taught. But we are not pure spirits and we also need food, clothing and shelter and we are insecure when we lack these things. Furthermore, our insecurity drives us to acquire more than what we really need. This is true for societies and nations as well as individuals and is the root cause of greed.

It is indeed difficult for us to be truly detached from material things because we live in a material world. Yet, if we reflect on our fears and insecurity, we will realize that this is really a lack of trust in the goodness and love of God who made and sustains all things. With the grace of God we can and must overcome our attachment to everything in this life because we are destined by God for a life much greater by His side.

Can we let go of our insecurity and surrender our lives to God? In others words, shall we allow Jesus whom we call Lord to truly be the Lord of our lives?

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 32, Issue 6

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St. Ignatius of Antioch

Ephesians 2:1-10
View Readings

Psalm 100:1-5

Luke 12:13-21
Similar Reflections

SAVED FROM AN UNSPEAKABLE HELL

"You were dead." �Ephesians 2:1

We start life "dead in sin" (Eph 2:5), and we buy into death through our "sins and offenses" (Eph 2:1). In this living death (1 Jn 3:14), we are blinded, manipulated, and drafted into giving "allegiance to the present age and to the prince of the air, that spirit who is even now at work among the rebellious" (Eph 2:2). Satan keeps us in line and enslaved by seducing us to live "at the level of the flesh, following every whim and fancy" (Eph 2:3). Thus, certain sins become our very lives (Col 3:7). When we occasionally get glimpses of our lives of death and slavery, we hate ourselves for our addiction to being seduced and abused by the evil one. Then, we lie to ourselves and try to run away from reality by yielding to more seductions and demonic abuse. Thus, our lives deteriorate "through illusion and desire" (Eph 4:22). Of ourselves, we are trapped and doomed to an everlasting hell of being mocked and abused.

"But God is rich in mercy; because of His great love for us He brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved" (Eph 2:4-5). Thank You, Jesus, for saving us from an unspeakable hell and saving us for an unimaginable heaven. Thank You, Jesus, our Savior.

Prayer: Father, You loved us so much that You sent Your Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16). I believe in Him with all my heart.

Promise: "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song." �Ps 100:2

Praise: St. Ignatius wrote: "He Who rose for our sakes is my one Desire."