Today we honor St. Ignatius of Antioch, a martyr whose life speaks to the very heart of today's readings: Faith, Fearless, and Forgiven....
Today we honor St. Ignatius of Antioch, a martyr whose life speaks to the very heart of today's readings: Faith, Fearless, and Forgiven.
The first reading beautifully explains that Faith is the foundation of our righteousness. As Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as uprightness, our faith, not our works, brings us the blessedness of the Lord. This is crucial because the Gospel warns us to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Hypocrisy is faith's enemy; it's the pretense of holiness without the genuine belief and trust in God's power. St. Ignatius's life was the opposite of hypocrisy; his writings, penned as he journeyed to his death, show his deep, authentic faith in Christ.
This authentic faith makes us Fearless. Jesus tells His friends, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more." St. Ignatius embodied this. He did not fear the lions; he desired his martyrdom, seeing it as a path to true discipleship and union with Christ. His courage challenges our own small fears—the fear of standing up for the truth, the fear of judgment, or the fear of letting go of worldly security. When we truly believe that we are worth "more than many sparrows" and that every hair on our head is counted, we can face any earthly tribulation with a fearless heart.
Finally, the Psalm summarizes the great gift of our ForGiven status: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." We are not justified by our perfect obedience but by God's mercy. This forgiveness is the source of St. Ignatius's peace and boldness. He could be fearless because he knew his soul was right with God. Let us embrace the great gift of faith, live fearlessly as friends of Christ, and find our blessedness in the sure knowledge that we are truly and completely forgiven. Amen.
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