Gospel Delights!

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

Rom 1:16-25; Lk 11:37-41

Uncompromising Faith and Uncompromising Conversion!

Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch.

His martyrdom is a testimony to his unwavering faith. When Christian persecution started, Ignatius was arrested for not renouncing his faith in Christ. Despite knowing that he was in line for martyrdom, he never tried to escape his death. Instead, he wrote to the Church, insisting that no one should interfere with his ‘true sacrifice.’ Before he was fed to the hungry lions in the arena in one of the public spectacles, he wrote: ‘…nearness to the sword is nearness to God; to be among the wild beasts is to be in the arms of God; only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ. I endure all things that I may suffer together with him since he who became a perfect man strengthens me.’ 

Martyrs like St. Ignatius of Antioch became the seeds for the Christian faith to sprout and thrive!

The uncompromising faith of St. Ignatius of Antioch must have drawn inspiration from the uncompromising attitude of Jesus that we witness in the gospel. 

The context is that Jesus has been invited by a Pharisee to share the table with him. It is in his house that Jesus chides the hypocrisy of the Pharisees!

It is as if Jesus was wondering if only the Pharisees cared for their hearts as they were about their hands, they would be more godly! What disappointed Jesus about the Pharisees was that their diligent observance of rituals never touched their hearts.

How dangerous would it be if religion never descends to the realm of hearts and instead produces only fanatics in the name of devotees? 

Any religion that fails to transform a follower from the inside is fake! 

While Jesus highlights this Pharisaic lacuna in uncompromising terms, he warns Christians against this danger! 

Let us pay heed to Jesus’ message and amend our ways!

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar