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Office Of Readings | Week 26, Wednesday, Ordinary Time | From The Letter Of Saint Polycarp To The Philippians | Let Us Run In Faith And Holiness
‘Let us run our race in faith and righteousness.’
Saint Polycarp speaks as both pastor and elder brother in the faith, urging his community to perseverance, unity, and moral integrity. His tone is both encouraging and corrective, grounded in the example of the saints and martyrs who have already completed their earthly race.
He begins by recalling figures such as Ignatius, Zosimus, Rufus, Paul, and the apostles—those who, through faith and endurance, suffered for the Gospel and are now with the Lord. Their steadfastness under trial demonstrates that Christian discipleship is not passive belief but active perseverance. Faith must be lived with ‘righteousness and patience’, echoing the Apostle Paul’s own image of life as a race to be run to its end.
Polycarp’s call to ‘boundless patience’ reveals his awareness of the challenges faced by early Christians—persecution, temptation, and internal division. His advice is practical: love one another, show gentleness, be united in truth, and live honourably among those who do not share the faith. The emphasis on public conduct reflects the conviction that the Church’s witness depends upon the moral credibility of its members. ‘The Lord will not be blasphemed because of you,’ he writes—linking personal virtue to the reputation of the Gospel itself.
He also warns against avarice and moral weakness, pointing to the example of Valens, a former presbyter who has fallen into error. Polycarp’s treatment of him is strikingly balanced: he neither excuses the sin nor condemns the person. Instead, he urges the community to seek Valens’ repentance, reminding them that those who go astray are still part of the body of Christ. This reflects a pastoral realism rooted in compassion—the Church must uphold truth while seeking to restore those who have fallen.
From The Letter Of Saint Polycarp To The Philippians | Let Us Run In Faith And Holiness
I ask you all to respond to the call of righteousness and to practice boundless patience. your own eyes have seen it not only in blessed Ignatius, Zosimus and Rufus, but in others from among you as well, to say nothing of Paul and the other apostles. Be assured that all these men did not run their race in vain. No, they ran it in faith and in righteousness and are now with the Lord in the place that they have earned, even as they were once with him in suffering. Their love was not for this present world; rather, it was for him who died for our sakes and, on account of us, was raised up again by God.
Be steadfast, then, and follow the Lord’s example, strong and unshaken in faith, loving the community as you love one another. United in the truth, show the Lord’s own gentleness in your dealings with one another, and look down on no one. If you can do good, do not put it off, because almsgiving frees one from death. Be subject to one another, and make sure that your behavior among the pagans is beyond reproach. Thus you will be praised for the good you have done, and the Lord will not be blasphemed because of you. But woe to that man on whose account the Lord’s name is blasphemed. Therefore, teach everyone to live soberly, just as you live yourselves.
I am greatly saddened on account of Valens who at one time was presbyter among you; he does not understand the position to which he was called. So I urge all of you to be chaste and honest, to avoid avarice and to refrain from every form of evil. If a man cannot control himself in these ways, how can he teach someone else to do so? If he does not avoid greed, he will be defiled by idolatrous practices and will be reckoned as one of the pagans who know nothing of the Lord’s judgment. Or, as Paul teaches: Do we not know that the holy ones will judge the world?
However, I have never seen of heard of anything of that sort among you, for whom blessed Paul labored and whom he commends at the beginning of his letter. For he boasted about you in all the churches which at that time were the only ones that had come to know God, we ourselves had not yet come to that knowledge.
Brothers, I am deeply sorry for Valens and for his wife; may the Lord grant them true repentance. As for yourselves, be self-controlled in this respect. Do not look upon such people as enemies, but invite them back as frail members who have gone astray, so that the entire body of which you are a part will be saved. In doing this you are contributing to your own spiritual development.
Christian Prayer With Jesus Christ
God of mercy and righteousness,
you have called us to run with perseverance the race set before us.
Strengthen us in faith and patience,
that we may follow the example of your saints
and remain steadfast in love and truth.
Guard us from pride and greed,
and make us gentle towards those who fall,
that your Church may grow in unity and holiness.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who endured for our sake and reigns with you for ever.
Amen.
Glossary Of Christian Terms
Ignatius, Zosimus, Rufus – Early Christian martyrs remembered for their steadfast faith and endurance under persecution.
Apostles – The first followers of Jesus Christ, chosen to bear witness to his resurrection and to preach the Gospel.
Faith and righteousness – Core Christian virtues; faith is trust in God’s promises, while righteousness is right conduct before God and others.
Almsgiving – The act of giving to those in need; seen as both an act of charity and a means of spiritual purification.
Presbyter – An elder or priest in the early Christian community, responsible for teaching, leadership, and pastoral care.
Avarice – Excessive desire for wealth; regarded in Christian tradition as one of the seven deadly sins.
Idolatrous practices – In biblical and early Christian thought, any devotion that places worldly desires or possessions before God.
Repentance – Turning away from sin and returning to God with sincere sorrow and renewed purpose.
The race of faith – A metaphor from St Paul (1 Corinthians 9:24–27) describing the Christian life as a disciplined pursuit of salvation and holiness.
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King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version King Herod There were several individuals named Herod who played significant roles in ancient history, particularly in the history of the Roman Empire and the region of Palestine. Here is a brief overview of the most notable Herods: Herod the Great: Also known as Herod I, he was a Roman client king of Judea, ruling from 37 BC to 4 BC. He is perhaps most famous for his role in the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, in which it is said that he ordered the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus. Herod Antipas: Also known as Herod II, he was the son of Herod the Great and ruled over Galilee and Perea, two regions in Palestine, from 4 BC to 39 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned John the Baptist and later had him beheaded. Herod Agrippa I: Also known as Herod III, he was the grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over Judea from 41 to 44 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned the apostle Paul. Herod Agrippa II: Also known as Herod IV, he was the great-grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over parts of Palestine and Syria from 50 to 100 AD. He is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who heard Paul’s defence before the Roman governor Festus. These rulers, who were known as the Herodian dynasty, were not Jewish but rather descended from a Greek family that had converted to Judaism. Despite this, they were appointed as rulers by the Roman Empire and were generally unpopular among the Jewish population due to their collaboration with the Roman occupation and their often brutal methods of rule. Herod The Great Herod the Great, also known as Herod I, was a Roman client king of Judea who ruled from 37 BC to 4 BC. He was born in 73 BC in Idumea, a region in southern Palestine, and was the son of Antipater the Idumean, an Edomite who had been appointed as a governor of Judea by the Roman general Pompey. Herod rose to power after the Roman general Julius Caesar appointed him as king of Judea in 40 BC. He consolidated his power over the next few years by defeating his rivals and establishing himself as the undisputed ruler of the region. As king, Herod embarked on a massive building program that included the expansion and renovation of the Temple in Jerusalem, the construction of the port city of Caesarea Maritima, and the fortification of several cities in Judea. He also commissioned the construction of a number of palaces and other buildings, including the famous Herodium, a palace-fortress located south of Jerusalem. Despite his many accomplishments, Herod was a controversial figure who was known for his harsh rule and his willingness to use violence to maintain his power. He was married several times and had a large number of children, several of whom he had executed when they posed a threat to his rule. One of the most famous stories associated with Herod is the biblical account of the birth of Jesus, in which it is said that he ordered the slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus was saved by his parents, who fled to Egypt, and later returned to Palestine after Herod’s death. Herod died in 4 BC at the age of 70, leaving a legacy as one of the most significant rulers in the history of ancient Palestine. Herod Antipas Herod Antipas, also known as Herod II, was the son of Herod the Great and ruled over Galilee and Perea, two regions in Palestine, from 4 BC to 39 AD. He was born in 20 BC and was named after his father’s patron, the Roman emperor Augustus. Like his father, Herod Antipas was known for his ambitious building projects, including the construction of the city of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee and the expansion of the Temple in Jerusalem. He was also known for his political cunning and his ability to navigate the complex political landscape of the Roman Empire. Herod Antipas is mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who imprisoned John the Baptist, a prominent religious figure who criticized Herod’s marriage to his sister-in-law, Herodias. According to the New Testament, John was eventually beheaded at the request of Herodias’ daughter, Salome, who danced for Herod and his guests at a banquet. Herod Antipas is also mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who oversaw the trial and execution of Jesus. Although he initially wanted to release Jesus, he ultimately handed him over to the Roman authorities at the urging of the Jewish religious leaders. Herod Antipas’ rule came to an end in 39 AD when the Roman emperor Caligula exiled him to Gaul, modern-day France. He died in exile a few years later. Herod Agrippa I Herod Agrippa I, also known as Herod III, was the grandson of Herod the Great and ruled over Judea from 41 to 44 AD. He was born in 10 BC and was the son of Aristobulus and Bernice, two of Herod the Great’s children. Herod Agrippa I was well-educated and fluent in both Greek and Hebrew, and he was highly regarded by the Roman authorities for his loyalty and his ability to maintain order in Judea. He was appointed as king of Judea in 41 AD by the Roman emperor Claudius, who was impressed by his abilities and saw him as a reliable ally in the region. As king, Herod Agrippa I continued the building projects of his grandfather and expanded the Temple in Jerusalem. He also implemented a number of reforms aimed at improving the lives of the […]
