Lion Food? Oh My!

By -

 In the first century, around 110 A.D., St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote seven letters on his way to martyrdom.  He would be eaten by lions in Circus Maximus, which was a stadium where chariot races were held, among other things, obviously.

In his letter to the Romans, as he willingly made the journey to his death, he said:

"Only pray for me that I may have strength both inward and outward; that I may not merely speak but have also the will; that I may not only be called a Christian but may also be found to be one.  For if I be found to be one, then I can also be called one and be deemed faithful even when I am no longer visible in the world."

Striking in this excerpt from his letter is the distinction between being called a Christian and being found to be one.

I would suspect there are many among us who call themselves Christians, but are identified as such in name only.  For if there were evidence that they were actually a Christian, perhaps through their actions, it would be then that they would deserve to be called one.

It is simply not okay to say you are a Christian, yet never go to Church/Mass (unless you are prevented from doing so).  To behave immorally without any tax on your conscience.  To appear holy publicly, but dance with the devil privately.  To hold fast to convictions that oppose respect for human life.  To just plan ignore Jesus as if you do not need him.

The list goes on and on, but that's not my point.  We are all sinners, and (hopefully) we know it and fight against our sins.

But my point is this--Ignatius walked toward his death because he refused to speak against Christ --  "I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it . . .Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God.  I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ."

Wow. 

Not sure how many of us think that way today, but it might be worth our time to consider if we are Christian in name only, or if we would be found to actually be one, as we make our own journey through this life.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com
johnseven38@yahoo.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Memorare

By Helen Gonsalves -
Image
This popular prayer, a favorite of many Catholics, dates back to the 15th century and takes its name from the first Latin word of the prayer, "memorare," which means "remember." The Memorare is of unknown authorship, although it has been attributed to St. Augustine (354-430), St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and, with more reason, to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153). St. Bernard's sermons on Mary were famous, and it was his Cistercian monks in the monastery of Citeaux in the 12th century who popularized the name "Our Lady" for Mary. The Memorare has also been attributed to the French cleric Claude Bernard (1588-1641), known as the "poor priest" of Paris, whose homilies contain passages that echo its words. No matter who wrote this prayer, it was Father Bernard who did much to popularize it, teaching it in hospitals and prisons, where Mary's intercession was effective in working miracles of grace. The first manuscript of the Mem
Read more

The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

By -
Image
This is the image most often associated with the writings of the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit. She promoted devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. During my preparation for the retreat I am giving at the end of the month in Pantasaph, North Wales, I began reading a book by the late John Haffert (once the lay leader of the Blue Army of Fatima). His theory in the book, which speaks of God's "last effort" to convert the world before the coming chastisement, is that we are now living in the third or fourth "day" of the Fatima week. At this time, according to Haffert, we should be promoting devotion to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also consulted another book by Dr. Courtnay Bartholomew (whom I have been privileged to meet) which also speaks of the importance of this devotion, linking it with the writings and visions of the mystic Berthe Petit, and the importance of the full title of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. These things will feature in
Read more

Why Modesty Is Not Subjective

By -
Image
Hi there, ya'll!  The modest fashion world is one very diverse place.  Even among Catholics, the definition of "modest apparel" can vary greatly from person to person.  Recently I joined a Facebook group that advertised itself as a haven for Catholic women of all ages to share ideas for modest style and makeup and was hoping to learn more about modesty from my fellow Catholic sisters.  After a few days of being a member, though, I sadly left the group feeling a bit discouraged.  No two members seemed to agree on ANY aspect of modesty whatsoever, and the prevailing theme of the whole group was that modesty is subjective, it means something different for each woman and each woman gets to decide what she considers is "modest".  One woman very emphatically declared that she wears bikinis every summer to the beach and doesn't feel that this violates the virtue of modesty in the least.  The same woman also announced that she was never going to caution her d
Read more