October 17, 2009
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. Romans 4:13
"When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say." Luke 12:11-12
Piety
Take from me, Father, all the obstacles to your friendship that the world places in my path. Give to me Jesus, the sacraments and friendship that will lead me closer to you. Set me free from this world, holy Spirit, that I might live my life for the moments when you teach me what to say and do. Amen.
Study
Saturday of Cursillo really gets to the heart of life for Catholic Christians. The men of the 119th Cursillo will today hear talks about the second the third legs of the tripod – Study and Action along with talks about the Sacraments which bring us closer to God and Obstacles which keep us apart from God. Finally, it is the Leader who puts all this together in the way she or he leads a Christian life.
The flow of the liturgical year is a perfect picture of this life. Today, the Church calendar offers us time to reflect on the leadership of St. Ignatius of Antioch, a theologian in the early church. Among his writings were letters on the sacraments. St. Ignatius stressed the value of the Eucharist, calling it a "medicine of immortality" (Ignatius to the Ephesians 20:2).
The Benedictine Breviary today presents excerpts from his letter to the Romans. In this letter, he explains the dichotomy facing all Christian leaders between success in the world and pursuit of our mission in the Church: “The pleasures and kingdoms of the earth are useless to me, for I would rather die in Christ Jesus than rule the world. I seek him who died for us. I want him who rose for us.” These pleasures can be one of the “obstacles” which block us from living fully in God’s friendship.
Action
Open your mind and open your heart to the words that the Holy Spirit will teach you to say in each moment.
