Today is Oct. 17, the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr.
In the readings for today’s Mass, St. Paul tells the Ephesians, “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” (Eph 1:7).
According to early Christian sources, St. Ignatius of Antioch died a martyr in A.D. 108. That makes him a very early, and very important, witness to the ancient Church. In fact, part of the reason he’s such a key witness is that we have a number of his letters, handed down to this day. And what’s even more astonishing is that some of these letters were written to the same communities St. Paul was writing to, including the Romans and the Ephesians.
That brings us to an amazing connection to today’s readings. St. Ignatius opens his letter to the Ephesians referring to Christ’s blood, just as St. Paul does. He writes, “Having received in God your much loved name, which you possess by a just nature according to faith and love in Christ Jesus, our Savior — being imitators of God, enkindled by the blood of God, you accomplished perfectly the task suited to you. …”
Only by the blood of Christ can the Ephesians carry their most important name: Christian. And what’s even more amazing is that when he says “blood,” we know very clearly from his other writings that Ignatius is thinking of both Christ’s passion and the Eucharist. For Ignatius, the blood of Christ is God’s “incorruptible love.”
St. Paul and St. Ignatius both speak of Christ’s blood as the source of our redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Through this sacrificial love, we are enkindled to live lives of faith and love in Christ. As we reflect on this mystery, may we approach the Eucharist with renewed gratitude, recognizing it as the living sign of God’s incorruptible love poured out for us.
A prayer invoking the intercession of St. Ignatius of Antioch:
Almighty ever-living God, who adorn the sacred body of your Church with the confessions of holy martyrs, grant, we pray, that, just as the glorious passion of saint Ignatius of Antioch, which we celebrate today, brought him eternal splendor, so it may be for us unending protection. Through our lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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