February 23 2021 - St. Polycarp and the many fruits of Prayer

 

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 apostles, of St. John.

In the middle column of stained glass windows here in the eastern narthex is a series of scenes from the life of our Patron St. Ignatius of Antioch. And In the top window, there he is with St. Polycarp kneeling at the feet of St. John the Apostle, as he reads his Gospel. Polycarp and Ignatius were ordained bishops by St. John—and each sent to their respective dioceses—Ignatius to Antioch and Polycarp to Smyrna.

Ignatius and Polycarp continued to correspond after their ordination.

Ignatius begins his epistle to the bishop of Smyrna praising Polycarp’s rock-like faith, the blamelessness of his life, and then encourages him to press forward in the race of the Christian life and to work for the salvation of all people. “In all circumstances be “wise as a serpent,” and perpetually “harmless as a dove”, Ignatius tells Polycarp, quoting our Lord in explaining to his disciples how they must deal with the worldly.

Then Ignatius tells Polycarp, give yourself to unceasing prayer, asking for more wisdom than you already have. A bishop must be a man of unceasing prayer and wisdom. While a bishop must certainly be out in the streets preaching the Gospel, administering his diocese, setting good example for his flock, a bishop must be a man of unceasing prayer seeking God’s wisdom always. 

This is good advice for all of us, too. Our Lord in the Gospel today, tells us that we must be people of prayer, who go to our inner rooms, shutting the door to the distractions of the world, and praying to the Father in secret. It is in that secret prayer that we will derive much strength and wisdom in dealing with all the challenges of our vocations. And in prayer, the word of God, as we heard in the first reading, waters our soul like the gentle rain, bearing fruit. In fact, Polycarp's name means "many fruit", no doubt, fruit cultivated through prayer.

St. Polycarp, like our patron, Ignatius, would go on to be martyred for the faith--the greatest of the fruits cultivated in his spiritual life--the courage to give that ultimate witness--becoming a fruit that nourished the church and continues to nourish us to this day. 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.

No doubt, it was through his prayer, that made his love for Jesus stronger than the flames of his martyrdom. In fact, descriptions of his martyrdom claim that, as Polycarp prayed during his execution, 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 sweet fragrance like burning incense filled the place.

May we like Polycarp, cultivate a love for the Lord through prayer that is stronger than any earthly flame, a prayer life that sustains us in all of our challenges and duties, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

Homily: Feb 23 2017 - St. Polycarp & the Chalice of Christ

Fr. William Jurgens was the professor of patristics, the study of the early church fathers, at our seminary here in Cleveland from 1961 until around his death in 1982. He was a quite incredible man, and priest; an internationally renowned church historian, and quite musically gifted, he had a great love for Gregorian chant.

There is a story told among the priests of Cleveland, that that in his course on the early church fathers, Fr. Jurgens would become so passionate and so emotional during the lecture on today’s saint, the bishop and martyr Saint Polycarp, that when he got to the story of Polycarp’s martyrdom, Fr. Jurgens would begin to weep, and he would then cancel class for the rest of the day. Needless to say the seminarians were both edified and grateful for Fr. Jurgens pious devotion to Polycarp.

Polycarp was born sometime between the years 75 and 82.  Saints Peter and Paul had already been martyred in 67, but Polycarp was able to meet and become the disciple of one of the Apostles, Saint John the Evangelist.  So, you can imagine how the early church revered him, being a sort of connection to the last of the twelve apostles.

Polycarp was entrusted with the church at Smyrna and was consecrated its bishop.  He wrote many letters and formed many holy disciples. During his episcopate, at the age of 86, a violent persecution broke out in Smyrna against the Christians. A young boy betrayed the bishop’s location, and 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.

He responded, “for 86 years I have served Jesus Christ, and he has never abandoned me.  How could I curse my blessed king and savior.” 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.”

The ancient opening prayer for today’s Mass uses words spoken by Polycarp as he died for his Lord, petitioning God that we too may share with St. Polycarp in the chalice of Christ.

To drink from the chalice of Christ means to share in Christ’s suffering for the sake of the salvation of souls and the Father’s glory.

"Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” our Lord asked James and John. It is the cup which fills us with the life of God, it is the cup which gives us strength to do the will of God, it is the cup which drunk from leads to eternal life, but it is the cup which entails suffering for the sake of the kingdom, which means not running away and abandoning the faith when it becomes difficult, not succumbing to the temptations of the world.

May St. Polycarp’s example and prayers help us drink deeply of the chalice of Christ—the chalice of faithfulness and everlasting salvation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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The martyrs freely embraced death in bearing witness for the faith, give us the true freedom of the Spirit. We pray to the Lord.

The martyrs professed their faith by shedding their blood, give us a faith that is constant and pure. We pray to the Lord.

The martyrs followed in the footstep of Christ by carrying the cross, help us to endure courageously the misfortunes of life. We pray to the Lord.

The martyrs washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb, help us to avoid the weaknesses of the flesh and worldly allurements. We pray to the Lord.

May the faithful departed, all of the poor souls in purgatory, the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for Fr. William Jurgens and the deceased priests of the diocese of Cleveland, and all those who have fought and died for our freedom, come to share the joys of the eternal kingdom. We pray to the Lord.