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Office Of Readings | Week 17, Friday, Ordinary Time | A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Ignatius Of Antioch To Polycarp | We Must Bear With Everything For God, So That He In Turn May Bear With Us
‘We must bear with everything for God, so that he in turn may bear with us.’
In his letter to Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Saint Ignatius of Antioch speaks not only as a spiritual father and friend but also as one who writes under the shadow of martyrdom. On the way to his execution in Rome around AD 107, Ignatius pens a letter that overflows with spiritual depth, pastoral wisdom, and a vision of Christian endurance grounded in Jesus Christ.
A Bond Between Martyrs And Bishops
Ignatius addresses Polycarp not merely as a colleague in the episcopate but as a man profoundly conformed to Jesus Christ. He praises Polycarp’s leadership and exhorts him to shepherd his flock with patience, prudence, and sacrificial love. The affection and urgency in Ignatius’s tone are striking. This is no abstract theological treatise—it is the soul-to-soul encouragement of one martyr to another.
Both men are towering figures of the early Church. Polycarp, believed to have been a disciple of the Apostle John, was bishop of Smyrna for many decades and was himself later martyred for the faith. Ignatius, as bishop of Antioch, wrote seven letters to Christian communities and leaders while being taken to Rome for execution. These writings form a precious window into the inner life and structure of the second-century Church.
The Burden And Beauty Of Leadership
Ignatius lays great stress on the personal responsibility of the bishop. Polycarp is urged to bear ‘the burdens of all men’ and to emulate Christ in doing so. The bishop is not merely a teacher of doctrine or a ceremonial figure, but a living icon of Christ’s pastoral care. Unity, says Ignatius, is ‘the greatest of all goods’. This reflects his well-known ecclesiology in which the bishop serves as a focal point of unity, safeguarding the faithful against error and fragmentation.
This unity, however, is not passive or imposed. It is maintained through the bishop’s example of love, prayer, self-discipline, and personal attention to each soul. ‘Speak to each man individually,’ Ignatius writes—words that remain startlingly relevant to every pastor, spiritual director, and Christian leader today. The shepherd must know his sheep.
Endurance As Christian Witness
Perhaps the most poignant thread in this letter is the theme of endurance. Ignatius employs vivid imagery drawn from the world of sport and warfare: the Christian is ‘an athlete of God’, the bishop must be like ‘the anvil under the hammer’. The faithful leader does not lash out in pain or discouragement but absorbs the blows with the strength of Christ, whose own suffering is the model and the source of all endurance.
Ignatius is not romanticising suffering; he knows it intimately. His point is rather that God bears with us, if we are willing to bear with others and with the burdens He allows. There is a profound theology of solidarity here: just as Christ bears our infirmities, so must we bear those of others, especially the weak and troublesome.
A Pastoral Psychology | Healing Wounds With Kindness
Ignatius’s advice also displays remarkable emotional intelligence. He tells Polycarp that ‘the same salve does not heal all wounds,’ urging him to tailor his approach to the needs of different individuals. This is not a rigid model of leadership but one grounded in discernment, charity, and the conviction that the goal is always salvation.
One particularly beautiful line reads: ‘Be prudent as the serpent in all things, and innocent as the dove always.’ This echoes Christ’s own instruction to the apostles in Matthew 10:16. The bishop must combine wisdom and gentleness—courage without aggression, and innocence without naivety.
A Warning Against Heresy
The letter is also a sober warning. Ignatius, ever the vigilant pastor, cautions Polycarp not to be ‘overwhelmed by those who seem trustworthy and yet teach heresy’. This is more than doctrinal concern; heresy, for Ignatius, breaks the unity of the Church, diminishes the gospel, and endangers souls. His metaphor—’Remain firm like the anvil under the hammer’—is thus a call to theological and moral resilience.
Ignatius would have encountered heresies such as Docetism, which denied the true humanity of Christ. His insistence on Christ as both invisible and visible, impassible yet suffering, is a defence of the incarnation, the very heart of Christian faith.
Servanthood And Social Justice
Finally, the letter touches on social issues, including the treatment of slaves. Ignatius insists that no one is to be despised, regardless of status, yet slaves must also live uprightly ‘to gain from [God] a better freedom’. This is not a call for immediate emancipation (which lay beyond the Church’s legal power at the time), but a radical reimagining of human dignity in Christ, which would later influence Christian abolition movements.
A Reading From The Letter Of Saint Ignatius Of Antioch To Polycarp | We Must Bear With Everything For God, So That He In Turn May Bear With Us
Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to Polycarp, who is bishop of the Church of Smyrna, or rather who has for his bishop God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, greetings and all good wishes.
Recognizing your devotion to God, firmly built as if upon a solid rock, I am full of thanksgiving to him for allowing me to see your blessed countenance – may I ever enjoy the sight of it in God! I beseech you by the grace with which you are endowed to press forward on your course and to exhort all men to salvation. Justify your episcopal dignity by your unceasing concern for the spiritual and temporal welfare of your flock; let unity, the greatest of all goods, be your preoccupation. Carry the burdens of all men as the Lord carries yours; have patience with all in charity, as indeed you do. Give yourself to prayer continually, ask for wisdom greater than you now have, keep alert with an unflagging spirit. Speak to each man individually, following God’s example; bear the infirmities of all, like a perfect athlete of God. The greater the toil, the richer the reward.
If you love only your good disciples, you gain no merit; rather you must win over the more troublesome of them by kindness. The same salve does not heal all wounds; convulsions should be allayed with poultices. Be prudent as the serpent in all things, and innocent as the dove always. You are both body and soul; treat gently the manifestations of human fault, even as you pray for the knowledge of things invisible, and then you will lack nothing but abound in every blessing. Do as the circumstances require, like the pilot looking to the wind and the storm-tossed sailor to the harbor, that you may win your way to God with your people. Exercise self-discipline, for you are God’s athlete; the prize is immortality and eternal life, as you know full well. In everything I am your devoted friend – I and my chains, which you have kissed.
Do not be overwhelmed by those who seem trustworthy and yet teach heresy. Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer. The good athlete must take punishment in order to win. And above all we must bear with everything for God, so that he in turn may bear with us. Increase your zeal. Read the signs of the times. Look for him who is outside time, the eternal one, the unseen, who became visible for us; he cannot be touched and cannot suffer, yet he became subject to suffering and endured so much for our sake.
Do not neglect windows; after the Lord, it is you who must be their guardian. Nothing must be done without your approval, and you must do nothing without God’s approval, as indeed is the case; stand firm. Services should be held often; seek out everyone by name. Do not look down upon slaves, whether men or women; yet they too should not be arrogant, but should give better service for the glory of God so as to gain from him a better freedom. They should not be anxious for their freedom to be bought at the community’s expense, for they might then prove to be the slaves of their own desires.
Christian Prayer With Jesus
O God of steadfast love and eternal wisdom,
You called your servant Ignatius of Antioch to bear witness to your Son
through faith, unity, and the patient endurance of suffering.
Strengthen us, like him, to carry the burdens of others with humility and joy.
Give us the courage to stand firm in truth,
the tenderness to heal with kindness,
and the clarity to discern what is pleasing in your sight.
Grant to all bishops, pastors, and leaders the grace to shepherd your people
not in power but in service,
not in fear but in love,
that the unity of your Church may shine as a light to the nations.
Through Christ our Lord,
who became visible for us and endured suffering for our salvation,
now and forever.
Amen.
Glossary Of Christian Terms
Ignatius of Antioch – Early second-century bishop and martyr known for his seven letters written en route to his execution in Rome. A key figure in early Christian theology, especially on Church structure, unity, and martyrdom.
Polycarp – Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the Apostle John. A revered martyr, he was a friend and correspondent of Ignatius and a key link between the apostolic age and later Church Fathers.
Martyrdom – The act of suffering death for one’s faith in Christ. In early Christianity, it was considered the highest form of witness (from the Greek martyria, meaning ‘witness’).
Episcopal dignity – The honour and responsibility associated with the office of bishop, which includes teaching, sanctifying, and governing the Church in communion with Christ.
Unity – A central theme in Ignatius’s theology, referring to the spiritual and organisational oneness of the Church under Christ and the bishop.
Docetism – An early heresy that denied the true humanity of Christ, claiming he only appeared to suffer. Ignatius opposed this vigorously, affirming Christ’s real incarnation and passion.
Prudence of the serpent, innocence of the dove – A biblical image (Matthew 10:16) meaning Christians should be wise and discerning, yet remain pure and without malice.
Athlete of God – A common metaphor used by early Christians, likening the spiritual life—especially suffering and perseverance—to athletic competition, with eternal life as the prize.
Ecclesiology – The theological study of the Church’s nature, structure, and function. Ignatius is one of the earliest Christian thinkers to articulate a strong episcopal model of Church governance.
Anvil under the hammer – A metaphor for steadfastness in the face of trials or persecution; the anvil bears repeated blows but does not break.
Sometimes, when I read my Bible, I pause in the reading and say to myself: ‘This bit’s real.’ It would be fair to say, I have issues with Mary, because, contrary to what we are taught to say, Mary isn’t my mother. Rather: Mum is. One bit of the Bible-text says this: And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, “He is beside himself.” … And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mark 3: 21; 31-35.) Here she comes. She is in considerable distress. I can imagine that. I can relate to that. To save her boy from whatever he’s got himself into this time. And you’re not telling me there isn’t something inside that. Her boy is beside himself. Radical. Radicalized. Radicalizing. A misunderstood word. /ˈradɪk(ə)l/ adjective & noun. 1 Forming the root, basis, or foundation; original, primary. 2a Inherent in the nature of a thing or person; fundamental. b Of action, change, an idea: going to the root or origin; far-reaching, thorough. c Advocating thorough or far-reaching change. d Characterized by departure from tradition; progressive; unorthodox. ‘He has a demon! And he is mad!’ – thus ‘the Jews’. (e.g. John 10: 20.) Come home! It’s all she wants. His family want him back now. But it is an exclusive cult: there is an inside and there is an outside; and on the outside, they are not meant to understand, lest they be converted. He has defined himself as different from anything she was. Only at the end does Jesus say to his Mum – and with savage, bitter irony: ‘Woman, behold your son.’ And then he dies. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. We ask that we might find Mary in our hearts as a Yes! place for Jesus. It is also recommended that we pray to Jesus that we may be further in oneness with Mary. It is self-emptying, such that we only exist insofar as we are responsive to God’s Word. * Last term, and put-out to pasture, the old Archbishop Emeritus came over to stay for a few days and did the odd class with us. He spoke of Yes! as the meaning of Mary’s virginity. And we were not very nice about him. One or two took umbrage. One or two got the hump. In a sense, his Grace, the Arch, basically wanted to move anyone he’d ever known from a high-place – a mountain – received theological ‘truth’ – to an imminent, human plane. Earthing the spiritual. Recalibrating metrics of life’s believability toward a spiritual sense of things. He might have asked the impermissible question: what happened? His Grace described it. God’s love as a cloud. This descended upon Mary – and subsumed her. Within the cloud, Mary capitulated utterly. She became only and purely a response to God’s love. As he spoke, the Arch cradled her. He carried her in his lap – in his hands. His Grace was a consecrated bishop. He was faith. He sat squat, a rounded man, hands cupped and ankles crossed, fingers interlocked, with parted thighs. Rumpled, washed, speckled. A lifetime’s skin… There could be no doubt His Grace spoke through long-term personal relationship with Mary. It was Julian went for him: ‘So are you saying Mary was a Virgin? Or are you not saying Mary was a Virgin?’ Nasty. No, it wasn’t pretty. Julian twisting his silver ring. For a moment, what Julian had said to the Arch simply failed to communicate. No, for a moment, that dumped on the air meant nothing. Then His Grace said: ‘There is a range of possible meanings we may understand in the question of Mary’s virginity. For example, there are understandings of the word virginity entailed in the action of giving birth.’ Julian said: ‘Duh! So had she had sex or hadn’t she?’ Trigger words. No, it wasn’t pretty. On that went for a little while. At length, Julian’s point seemed reluctantly conceded. Then the Arch told us a new story, an additionally human event, the more to baffle us. Controversially, he told us that Mary could not have been Joseph’s first wife, for this would not have been the way of things in the society of that time. His belief was that Joseph must have taken Mary into his household through pity. That would be normal, he said, for Joseph to bring a young, vulnerable girl, who is about to have a baby, within his protection, not meaning to enjoy with her marital relations, but through kindness. ‘And this story of the inn and stable,’ the Archbishop said, ‘it can’t have been like that really. Joseph has travelled with Mary to stay with his family, at home in Bethlehem, and they don’t want Mary in their house, for reasons which I am sure we can understand. It must have been there was considerable resistance to Mary. But Mary gives birth, and who can resist a baby? That’s what happened. It must have been. ‘I’m convinced that must have been how it happened really.’ Later that term, toward the beginning of Advent, we met boys who had been here before, in Valladolid, and now were in regular seminary. They had heard and recited verbatim all the Archbishop had said to them. Their spot-on impressions of each of the fathers were scathing. […]
The reading attributed to Saint Macarius is built on a series of striking and sobering images that diagnose the condition of the soul without Christ. The preacher’s language is vivid, even severe, yet always in service of a pastoral aim: to awaken desire for the indwelling Lord who alone restores the soul to beauty [ … ]
Psalm 138, a psalm of David, opens with a declaration of wholehearted praise. The psalmist commits to singing praises before the gods, a gesture of both defiance and faith. This act, set against a backdrop of a polytheistic world, underscores the psalmist’s devotion to the one true God [ … ]
