What does it mean that St. Ignatius of Antioch is the Patron
Saint of our parish?
That St. Ignatius is the patron Saint of our parish, means
that we venerate and honor him in a special way, we look to his holy example
and ask for his prayers intercession in a special way.
Every day, when I cele
brate Mass, before I ring the bell and
process into the sanctuary, I look up at the crucifix, and I ask for the
prayers of four very important saints. I say, “Holy Mary, Mother of God: pray
for us; St. Joseph: pray for us. St. John the Evangelist: pray for us. St. Ignatius
of Antioch: Pray for us.”
I ask for Mary’s prayers, because she is our heavenly queen
and mother, and Jesus told us to take her as our mother. I ask St. Joseph for
his prayers because he is the patron of the whole church. I ask St. John the Evangelist
for his prayers, because he is the patron saint of Cleveland. And I ask St.
Ignatius of Antioch for his prayers, because he is the patron saint of our
parish.
I ask for their prayers every day, for one, because the
bible says that the prayer of a righteous person has great power. It is very
advantageous and beneficial for us to make good friends with holy people. They
help us to be better followers of Jesus. And their prayers are very helpful to
us.
As you grow older and wiser you come to realize how much we
need God’s help. We need God’s help in order to follow Jesus as we should. We
need God’s help in order to be as patient as we should, loving, kind, courageous,
and strong against the devil’s attacks, strong against temptation. It is a very
foolish person who thinks that they can get to heaven on their own, that they
can make it in life on their own. We need help.
And God loves giving help to us, especially through other
people, and most especially through his heavenly saints.
The fact that you are students at St. Ignatius of Antioch
school means that God has arranged your lives to be here. And he has given you
a powerful intercessor, a powerful helper to assist you in growing in . faith
and holiness. Why should you ask St. Ignatius for his help and his prayers
every day? Because God wants you to. And God has help that he wants to give you
through him, if you would but ask for help.
St. Ignatius, help us to love the Church and to be devoted
to the building up of the Church as you were, as bishop of Antioch. And help us
to willingly accept hardships and sufferings like you, in order to help others
know and love Jesus. St. Ignatius, help us to be faithful when our faith is
under attack. St. Ignatius of Antioch, help us to be courageous like you in spreading
the Gospel. St. Ignatius of Antioch, your righteousness makes you a powerful
intercessor for this parish, obtain for us the graces we need to be faithful in
our mission to make disciples of all nations. St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for
us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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