Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous by faith will live."

We should not be ashamed of our faith. Our faith asks us to make many sacrifices that worldly people don’t understand. It asks us to put our passions in check and reign in our desires. It asks us to be counter-cultural in our choice of virtues over vices. It asks us to do good, even to our enemies. It asks us to remain pure in a world with so many opportunities to be impure. It asks us to place our trust in God and not ourselves or anyone or anything else. It asks us to praise and worship God and turn our backs on all those things we are tempted to idolize. It asks us to choose a life of service and love of God and His children over a life of self-interest. It asks us to be righteous in a world that preaches an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Most of all, it asks us to live by faith, hope, and love, rather than pride, envy, and wrath.

Are we doing all we can to answer God’s call to righteousness? How can we live out our faith more authentically? What can we do to become fonts of faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, we ask you to help us to grow in righteousness.

Amen.