Homily: Feb 23 2016 - St. Polycarp - Bearing 'much fruit' for the kingdom

We have many great saints whose feasts days fall within the Lenten season.  Today is the feast day of saint who was born just about 40 years after the death of Jesus. His name was Polycarp, and he was the bishop of a place called Smyrna, which is in the modern-day country of Turkey, not too far from Ephesus, where St. John took Mary to live after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In fact, Polycarp was a student of one of the disciples of St. John.

The name Polycarp means “much fruit”; reminding us that as Christians we are called to bear fruit for the Lord; our faithful to prayer and worship, our engagement in the works of charity, even our Lenten fasting is meant to bear fruit—to draw others to Christ, and to transform us into the people God made us to be.

Polycarp certainly bore much fruit. While the church was still young, St. Polycarp helped to form many holy disciples for the Lord; and because of his great faith, his courage and his brilliant mind, Polycarp was made bishop.

Yet, in speaking of bearing much fruit, we also recall the words of the Lord, who says, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Saint Polycarp died for Christ; he is one of the early Christian martyrs.

While he was bishop, at the age of 86, a violent persecution broke out in Smyrna against the Christians. Christians were being forced to give up their faith or face death. Because he was a bishop, Polycarp was arrested.  He was led directly to the roman judge, who ordered him make sacrifice to a pagan God and commit blasphemy.

Some of his Christian friends had urged him to make the sacrifice in order to save his life.  But, Polycarp responded, “for 86 years I have served Jesus Christ, and he has never abandoned me.  How could I curse my blessed king and savior.” So refusing to give up his faith, Polycarp was sentenced to be burned alive.

While tied to the stake, he prayed, “Almighty God, I give you praise, for you have counted me worthy to be among your martyrs, who drink the chalice of Christ’s sufferings.”  Eyewitnesses of his martyrdom tell us something very strange and miraculous happened when Polycarp was being burnt alive.  After he finished praying, the fire was lit, but the fire created a sort of dome around him, and instead of his flesh burning, his body was like bread baking in an oven, like gold a silver in a furnace, he began to radiate the light of God. And a sweat fragrance like burning incense filled the place.

Because he did not give up his faith, even when he was going to be put to death for it, he became a pleasing sacrifice to God, he would win the martyrs crown, and be with Christ in paradise, and his faith strengthens the faith of others, his faith strengthens us almost 2000 years later.

We are all called to be like Polycarp, strengthening others by our words and examples, never giving up the faith in face of temptation.  During Lent, we practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we turn away from some of the earthly pleasure of life like videogames and desserts in order to show that Jesus is the most important person in our lives.  Through our Lenten sacrifices we can truly bear much fruit for the sake of God’s kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.