9781644135945

The Light of the World
magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death” (Phil 1:20). Thus the Christian
thinks, lives, and dies.
How did St. Ignatius acquire such heroism? He acquired it from the vivid consciousness of
his being united with Christ. Christ is the “grain of wheat” that (in suffering, death, and burial)
falls into the earth and dies, but “bringeth forth much fruit” (Gospel). St. Ignatius knows that
he belongs to this grain of wheat, that he is part of it, and that he must therefore be one with
Christ in humiliation and suffering, in captivity and in bloody death. The grain of wheat is
the entire Christ: head, body, and members. Christ in His members, in those baptized, must
also fall into the ground, “for we are buried together with Him by baptism into death” (Rom
6:4). We, the members, stand in fruitful union with Christ, the grain of wheat; for “if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit.” Therefore Ignatius is glad to meet his death. He longs to suffer and
die for Christ, for he understands his union with Christ, his oneness with Christ. He knows
what he has in possessing Christ. He knows that the Father has given us all things by giving
us Christ. He knows that Christ died and rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the
Father making intercession for us.
If God and Christ be for us, there is no force in the world strong enough to rob us of the
love God has for us because of His Son. Ignatius knows that he is loved by God in Christ with
a divine, all-powerful love. “Brethren, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation?
or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? . . . I am
sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, . . . nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Epistle).
“Behold a great priest, who in his day pleased God. There was not found any like him who
kept the law of the Most High” (Gradual). “With Christ I am nailed to the cross. I live, now
not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Alleluia verse). Ignatius had offered the Eucharistic sacrifice
so often and had longed so ardently to make an adequate return for Christ’s love that on the
eve of his passion he naturally thought of himself as wheat to be ground for Christ. “I am the
wheat of Christ; may I be ground by the teeth of wild beasts that I may be found pure bread”
(Communion). His desire was fulfilled when the lions tore him to pieces and he suffered a
bloody martyrdom.
By assisting at Mass, Christians are united to Christ as grains of wheat are united to
make bread. What they begin in the liturgical sacrifice they perfect by their daily sufferings
and hardships: they permit themselves to be offered with Christ. “He that loveth his life,
shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal” (Gospel).
Every day the hour of eternal union draws nearer. We who have suffered here as members
of Christ, shall rise and be glorified as He was. “Where I am, there also shall My minister
be” (Gospel).
“O Lord, remember David and all his meekness” (Introit). Let us pray with the Church: O
God, remember today Thy holy bishop and martyr, Ignatius, and all that he prayed, suffered,
and offered Thee. On account of him look graciously upon Thy holy Church and grant us forgiveness
for our sins and imperfections; grant us the grace to die to the world as Ignatius did,
and to search for nothing but Christ. “If only I may win Christ.”
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