May Christ build you up
From a letter to the Philippians by Saint Polycarp, bishop and martyr (c. 69 – c. 155)
May Christ build you up in faith and truth
I am sure that you are well grounded in the Scriptures and nothing of their message escapes you, I, however, have not been so fortunate, As these same Scriptures put it: Be angry and do not sin and Do not let the sun set on your anger. Blessed is the man who bears this in mind, as I am sure you do.
May God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the eternal high priest himself, the son of God, Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and in truth and in great gentleness. May you never know anger, but be patient, long-suffering, persevering and chaste. May he grant you a place among his saints; and may he give the same to us along with you, as well as to all on earth who put their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in his Father who has raised him from the dead.
Keep all the saints in your prayers. Pray, too, for our rulers, for our leaders, and for all those in power, even for those who persecute and hate you, and for those who are enemies of the cross. In this way, your good works will be seen by all men, and you will be perfected in him.
Both you and Ignatius have written me to ask whether anyone going to Syria will deliver your letter as well as ours. If the opportunity offers itself, I will do it; if I cannot, I will sent a representative.
As you request, we have returned to you the letters Ignatius sent us and as many other letters as we had; they are being enclosed with this letter. You will derive great benefit from them, for they are full of faith and patience, and great edification in all that refers to our Lord. Send us any certain information you may possess about Ignatius and his companions.
I am sending this letter to you by Crescens, whom I commended to you when I was present, and do so again. He has lived blamelessly among us, as I am sure he will among you. When his sister comes to you, she too will come with our commendation.
May you find protection in the Lord Jesus Christ, and may his grace be with all who are yours. Amen.
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Saint Polycarp (c. 69 – c. 155) was a disciple of Saint John the apostle and was consecrated bishop of Smyrna by John. Polycarp was a staunch defender of orthodoxy and an energetic opponent of heresy, especially Velentianism and Marconioism. A letter to him from St. John has survived, as has his Epistle to the Philippians, in which he quotes from 1 John 4:3 and warns the Philippians against the false teachings of Marcion, whom he once called “the firstborn of Satan,” and which was widely read in Asian churches. He accompanied Saint Ignatius of Antioch to Rome to confer with Pope Anicetus concerning the date for celebrating Easter.
About the year 155, at age 86, Polycarp was arrested under the persecution of Christians by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. When Polycarp refused to sacrifice to the gods and acknowledge the Emperor’s divinity, he was ordered to be burned alive at the stadium of Smyrna. When the flames did not harm him, he was killed by a spear, and his body burned. The “Acts” of Polycarp’s martyrdom is among the earliest preserved and reliable account of a Christian martyrs’ death. Polycarp was one of the leading Christians in Roman Asia in the second century.