Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
Think about this age-old question (my version of the question): “Does history call certain people to greatness, or do great people influence history to make it great?” Is this a theoretical question best suited for musing over a cup of coffee while gazing at a beautiful sunset, or is it a bugle call demanding a personal response? Martin Luther King and others had the ability to motivate people to greatness and truth when the historical moment was right.
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr of the first century of the Church, whom we remember today was someone of his own time. It was a time of tremendous enthusiasm within the infant Church energized by the Holy Spirit calling people to greatness. But at the same time Ignatius energized his own vision of the Church as a unified body of believers moving toward a final union in Christ. Through his preaching and letters to the newly baptized Christians he challenged them to see their lives as a spiritual journey leading to union with Christ, even if it meant the greatest of all self-gifts through martyrdom. He was famous for saying that being ground by the teeth of lions in martyrdom represented wheat being ground into flour which then reached its greatest purpose in becoming the bread consecrated in the Eucharist.
We are people of our time, living our precious moment, and yet on a journey. Do we hear the bugle call? Now is the time to rise to our greatest response, now is the time to be grateful for the gift being offered.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections