February 23--St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

“In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church, the apostles left bishops as their successors” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #77). St. Polycarp is one of the earliest of those successors, ordained bishop of Smyrna by the Apostle John, who was his teacher. He, along with St. Clement of Rome and St. Ignatius of Antioch, are called Apostolic Fathers. He was born in AD 69 and was martyred in AD 155. He was known for his leadership when he was chosen to discuss the date of the Easter celebration with the pope. There was a major controversy as to whether it would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox or whether it should be celebrated on the date that Easter originally occurred, the date of the Jewish Passover. Both agreed that both customs were acceptable.

The account of his martyrdom is the earliest of the stories about martyrs. He was arrested and burned at the stake, but then stabbed to death when the fire failed to kill him. According to the Martyrdom, St. Polycarp said: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

St. Polycarp provides us plenty to reflect upon. He was a martyr who died for Christ. He was a bishop who maintained orthodoxy against heretics. He was a leader in the Church who promoted peace within the Church. He was recognized by other saints as a holy man. We can look to St. Polycarp as a man of “much fruit”, which is what his name means. We must look at the fruits we bear and share them with others in bringing others to Christ as St. Polycarp did.

June 28--St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Bishop and Martyr

What if there was a "secret" knowledge of Jesus that only a few "real" believers knew about? It would be like being a member of a secret society, with certain code words and beliefs that no one else would understand without being privy to that "knowledge". This describes the Gnostic heresy that today's saint had to combat.

St. Irenaeus was a disciple of St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, thus emphasizing Apostolic Succession. He lived in the second and third centuries and was a great theologian. The heresy he faced was Gnosticism which consisted of various groups and teachings. However, the main teaching was that the Gnostics had access to a secret oral tradition of Jesus that only they knew about and was superior to the teachings of the Church. St. Irenaeus researched all the variations of the time and wrote the book Against Heresies to both accurately explain the false teachings of the heretics and the correct teachings of the Church.

St. Irenaeus emphasized the role of the Church and Apostolic Succession in his teachings, pointing out the novelty of the new teachings and the truth of Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. We run across the same situations today, with people sharing false new versions of who Jesus is, such as being the husband of Mary Magdalene or just being a good teacher of morality or one who would accept everyone no matter who they "loved" as long as they "loved" them. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching" (Heb. 13:8). St. Irenaeus, pray for us.

February 23--St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

St. Polycarp was a second generation Christian, taught by St. John the Evangelist.  He led his community of Smyrna in Asia Minor to follow Jesus through differences of opinions within the Church, heresies, and persecutions.

St. Polycarp is a model for when we disagree with others within the Church.  In his day, there were two different dates of celebration of Easter.  In the East, where Polycarp lived, Easter was celebrated the day after Passover began.  In the West, it was celebrated on the Sunday of the week following the Passover.  St. Polycarp went to Rome to discuss the differences.  Although they did not agree on the issue, it did not result in schism.

But when he was approached by a heretic who claimed that God of the Old Testament was not the same as the Father of Jesus, St. Polycarp stated:  “I recognize you, yes, I recognize the son of Satan.”  There was no accommodation on differences in the faith.  Finally, when he was pressed to renounce Jesus in order to save himself from death by swearing by Caesar, St. Polycarp answered:  “If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian.”

St. Polycarp shows us how to live with differences, with error, and with persecution.  He predates Bl. John XXIII’s famous dictum:  "Unity in necessary things; liberty in doubtful things; charity in all things."  These are words to live by.