October 17, 2026 Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch Gospel: Lk 12:8–12
Today is Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church today celebrates the Memorial of the martyrdom of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. According to the recently published Roman Martyrology: Saint Ignatius (martyred c. AD 107) succeeded Saint Peter as Bishop of Antioch, and during the persecution of Emperor Trajan, was thrown to wild beasts in Rome (possibly at the Colosseum). On his way to Rome, he wrote seven epistles, which clearly depict the Christian faith and practice about a century after Christ’s birth. His name is mentioned in the Roman Canon.
Today, the Scripture passage from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke continues to present to us the teaching that Jesus gave to His disciples on His final journey to Jerusalem. Let us understand.
In many films and television works, we often see scenes of giving testimony. For example: when a government official, before taking office, needs to take an oath; or when a witness appears in court, he also takes an oath, to prove that everything he states is true and credible. But all this is based on one’s own understanding of things and is conducted according to human-made laws.
In fact, for us who have been baptized into Christ and belong to Christ, we too, like those born of flesh and blood, once professed our faith before God and the whole Church. Every year, on Easter Vigil, we join with those brothers and sisters about to be baptized to profess our faith: that in order to live the free life of children of God, we renounce sin; we believe in Almighty God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth; we believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, died, and rose again, and now enjoys glory in heaven; we believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Like the adults among them, after receiving the Baptism of Christ, we immediately received the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God, and together with Christ, heirs of God’s promise.
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord! Since we have been reborn in Christ through water and the Holy Spirit, how is our conduct? How do we live in daily life? If we follow the instructions of the Savior and accept His teaching, and like the glorious martyr we celebrate today—Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch—generously dedicate our whole life and bravely profess our faith before the world, then because of the faith we boldly profess before others, we will be acknowledged by the Son of Man (cf. Lk 12:8–9), and thus through this profession of faith, receive the crown of martyrdom. Whenever our thoughts, words, and deeds fully conform to Christ’s teaching, we will no longer feel fear, because then we no longer live for ourselves, but live in Christ. When we bear witness to Christ before others, the Holy Spirit will certainly “help us in our weakness, interceding for us with sighs too deep for words” (cf. Rom 8:25–26). This Holy Spirit is the one of whom Jesus Christ, before His passion, said to His disciples: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (cf. Jn 16:13). Whenever we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God and rely on His help to put to death the impulses of the flesh, we shall live (cf. Rom 8:13). Our thoughts, words, and deeds, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will reach perfection, becoming true disciples of Christ, always cherishing the desire for eternal happiness, making good use of each day’s life, so that when that day comes, we may together with the heavenly saints praise and glorify the name of the Lord in the presence of God, forever and ever. Today is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. Let us, together with this glorious martyr, offer our prayer to God:
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.
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