The daily Word of God

October 17, 2024

Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

Lk 10:1-9 "Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know."

First Reading:

Eph 1:1-10

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
to the holy ones who are in Ephesus
and faithful in Christ Jesus:
grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In Christ we have redemption by his Blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

Responsorial Psalm: PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4, 5-6

R. (2a) The Lord has made known his salvation.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Gospel:

Lk 11:47-54

The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Wheat of Christ

It seems that the teeth of wild animals have little to do with a peaceful mill. And both, it would seem, have little to do with the Eucharist. And yet, in the imaginations of the first persecuted Christians, the two were intimately connected. A quote later in the life of St. Ignatius is attributed to St. Augustine: “See what you are. Become what you receive,” but already in the life of the early Christians there was this sense and conviction of entering through the Eucharist into Christ’s own life and becoming one with him, in one body. The crushing of “one’s own flour” or, as today’s Gospel says, of the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies, was indispensable for union with Christ. That is why Ignatius says: “I am Christ’s wheat and I will be crushed by the teeth of wild beasts. This was a cause for joy, because it meant entering into the life of God. “Where I am, there will my servant be…”

This sounds very beautiful, but it turns out to be a somewhat impossible ideal. It presupposes the heroism of the martyrs, and we are not there. But we have to go a little further. We all have, to a greater or lesser extent, a “crusher” close to us; it may be the person who annoys us; or a deep concern for a child or relative; or an impertinent neighbor; or an overbearing boss; or even an untimely cold! All of these things cannot be described as beasts or as grinding mills, but they represent concrete ways in which one can become the body of Christ by allowing one’s own wheat to be ground. Often, as we await the heroic occasion, the fangs of wild beasts, the grandeur of bloody martyrdom, we can forget the little irritations and mills of daily life. What mill grinds us into flour? How can this help us to enter into the Eucharistic reality of being the Body of Christ?

On the other hand, there is the warning. If the grain of wheat does not die, it remains only a grain of wheat. And that completely denies the destiny of a much greater identity: to be the Body of Christ.

Carmen Aguinaco

Introduction

Bishop of Antioch in the 1st century, Ignatius (+c. 107) was arrested and condemned to be thrown to the beasts. On his way to Rome, several communities of Christians received him with much veneration. He thanked them in letters written during his journey, encouraged them to hold on to the faith and to remain united with the hierarchy "as strings on a lyre." He requested Christians not to keep him from dying a martyr, for "I am the wheat of Christ; let the teeth of the lions grind me, that I may become the stainless bread of Christ."
We too, become the bread of Christ and our life must become a Eucharist, an offering of thanksgiving with Christ.

Opening Prayer

God our steadfast hope,
St. Ignatius of Antioch knew that in his martyrdom
he identified with your Son, Jesus.
Like Jesus, he was planted as a grain of wheat
in the furrows of the earth.
Let there grow from his death
an abundant harvest of a new humanity.
Give your people strength to follow him
so that our love and deep faith
may bring life and joy to many.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
we remember Jesus, your Son,
who gave himself to all
as bread broken and shared
and as wine to be poured for the joy of all.
Give us the spirit of Jesus,
that we too, may commit ourselves
to the happiness of those around us.
Make us willing to accept suffering
if this is the price to pay,
for being faithful to you and to people.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our faithful God,
on account of his love for you and for us,
no suffering was too painful for your Son,
no death too costly
to win for us lasting life and happiness.
Through this Eucharist, help us to accept
the invitations and risks of love.
Make us follow your Son
in living not for ourselves but for others
and give us the certainty
that pain or death is not the end
but the seed of a new beginning
in Christ Jesus, our Lord.