Behold, now is a
very acceptable time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.
Verse before the Gospel - Today's
Liturgy
Collect (Today's Liturgy)
God of all
creation,
who were pleased
to give the Bishop Saint Polycarp
a place in the
company of the Martyrs,
grant, through his
intercession,
that, sharing with
him in the chalice of Christ,
we may rise
through the Holy Spirit to eternal life.
Through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and
reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy
Spirit,
one God, for ever
and ever.
St Polycarp of
Smyrna
Disciple of apostle St
John
Friend of Ignatius of
Antioch
Apostolic Father
Bishop of Smyrna,
Martyr
Exemplary in
catechesis
69-155
AD
FEAST DAY - February
23
Polycarp
was denounced to the government, arrested, and tried on the charge of being a
Christian. When the proconsul urged him to save his life by cursing Christ, he
replied: “Eighty-six
years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my
King who saved me?”
Earlier, in a Letter to the
Philippians...
“Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the
Lord, ‘firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood, loving each
other, united in truth,’ helping each other with the mildness of the Lord,
despising no man.”
And wrote on another occasion...
“If we pray to the Lord to forgive us, we ourselves must be
forgiving; we are all under the eyes of our Lord and God, and every one of us
must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, where each of us will have to
give an account.”
Click here: St. Polycarp - YouTube (2
mins)
St Polycarp,
pray for us!
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