Subj : February 23rd -St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr To : All From : rich Date : Mon Feb 22 2021 09:05:43 From: rich February 23rd -St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr Amidst the sweetness he is enjoying from the contemplation of the Word made Flesh, John, the Beloved Disciple, beholds coming towards him his dear Polycarp, the Angel of the Church of Smyrna (Apoc. ii. 8), all resplendent with the glory of martyrdom. This venerable Saint has on his soul the fervent love that made him say, in the amphitheatre, when asked by the Proconsul to curse his Divine Master: "Six-and-eighty years have I served Him, and He has never done me any wrong--nay, He has laden me with kindness. How could I blaspheme my King, who has saved me?" After having suffered fire and the sword, he was admitted into the presence of this King, his Saviour, in reward for the 86 years of his faithful service, for the labours he had gone through in order to maintain faith and charity among his flock, and for the cruel death he endured. He was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, whom he imitated by zealously opposing the heretics, who were then striving to corrupt the faith. In obedience to the command of his holy Master (II. St. John, i. 10), he refused to hold intercourse with Marcion, the heresiarch, whom he called the first-born of Satan. This energetic adversary of the proud sect, that denied the mystery of the Incarnation, wrote an admirable Epistle to the Philippians, in which we find these words: Whosoever confesses not that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, is an Antichrist. Polycarp, then, had a right to the honour of standing near the Crib, in which the Son of God shows Himself to us in all His loveliness, and clothed in flesh like unto our own. Let us honour this disciple of John, this friend of Ignatius, this Bishop of the Apostolic Age, whose praise was pronounced by Jesus Christ himself, in the Revelations of Patmos. Our Saviour said to him by the mouth of Saint John: Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life (Apoc. ii. 10). Polycarp was faithful even unto death, and has received his crown; and whilst we are celebrating the coming of his King among us, he is one of the Saints who assist us to profit from the holy season. The Church gives us a passage from St. Jerome's book, On Ecclesiastical Writers, in which there is contained the following short notice of our holy Martyr. Polycarpus. a disciple of the Apostle John, who ordained him Bishop of Smyrna, was looked up to by all the Churches of Asia, inasmuch as he had not only known some of the Apostles, and those who had seen our Lord, but had been trained by them. He went to Rome, during the reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, and under the Pontificate of Anicetus, in order to have an answer to certain questions regarding Easter-day. Whilst there, he brought back to the faith several Christians who had been misled by the teaching of Marcion and Valentine. Having, on a certain occasion, casually met Marcion, who said to him: "Dost thou know us? Polycarp replied: "Yea, I know thee as the first-born of Satan." Some time after, under the reign of Marcus-Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, in the fourth persecution after that under Nero, he was cited before the Proconsul of Smyrna, who condemned him to be burnt alive; which sentence was carried into effect in the amphitheatre, amidst the clamours of the whole people. He wrote an important Letter to the Philippians, which is still read in the Churches of Asia. from the Liturgical Year, 1904 Saint Quotes: "To change your mind from good to bad is the height of absurdity. True goodness changes from evil to righteousness." --Saint Polycarp "God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, increase us in faith and truth and gentleness, and grant us part and lot among His saints." --Prayer of Saint Polycarp. <><><><> The Epistle of St. Polycarp "St. Paul, when absent from you, wrote to you letters which, if you study them closely, will enable you to be built up in that faith which has been given to you 'which is the mother of us all' (Gal. iv, 29), in hope which follows, and in that love of God, of Christ, and of our neighbor, which leads the way. If any one is in these things, then he has fulfilled the law of justice; for he who has charity is far removed from all sin." (P.G., v, 1007.) (St. Polycarp, Ep. ad Philippenses, iii) <><><><> Hymn: Deus, tuorum militum O God, of those that fought Thy fight, Portion, and prize, and crown of light, Break every bond of sin and shame As now we praise Thy Martyr's name. He recked not of the world's allure, But sin and pomp of sin forswore: Knew all their gall, and passed them by, And reached the throne prepared on high. Bravely the course of pain he ran, And bare his torments as a man: For love of Thee his blood outpoured, And thus obtained the great reward. With humble voice and suppliant word We pray Thee therefore, holy Lord, While we thy Martyr's feast-day keep, Forgive Thy loved and erring sheep. All honor, laud, and glory be, O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee, All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete. Amen --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .