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Saint Ignatius of Antioch, whose feast day we celebrate today, was one of the very first Christian martyrs, mauled to death by lions in a stadium in Rome.

All for love of Jesus.

Before his death, Ignatius wrote many letters to various Christian communities, making some of the earliest references to the practice of the Eucharist, teaching us that the very first Christians did in fact celebrate Mass.

They believed the Eucharist was the promised presence of Christ, which gave people like Ignatius the strength they needed to endure the many trials of life and faith, including being mauled to death.

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But perhaps his most famous quote was this:

“Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips and the world in your heart.”

Much easier said than done.

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The scribes and Pharisees never learned this lesson. They spoke of God, but were obsessed with things of this world – money, power,  image, and so on.

They were religious on the outside, but were spiritually dead within. Their religion was one of appearances, hence the “woes” from Jesus in today’s Gospel.

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While it’s easy to criticize these religious figures from long ago or even some in our present day, we, too, face the same temptation – namely to, “have Jesus Christ on our lips but the world in our hearts.”

In what ways am I still drawn to the world – be it a desire for success, pride or pleasure?

And how might I cling to the will of God, instead?

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We may not be mauled like Ignatius, but we are all attacked by doubt, temptation, and fear from time to time. May the same Lord who inspired Ignatius of Antioch inspire us to follow him this day, amen.

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How many of us have seen the newly released documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old? 

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Using real footage from World War One, the movie weaves together seamlessly horrific images of war with very human stories of youth and friendship.

As one commander remarked, “When they came to us, they were frightened children. They had to be made into soldiers.” 

Some were as young as 15.

Watching these boys scramble through muddy trenches together while under fire made it easier to understand the old adage, “There are no atheists in foxholes.”

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While not universally true, suffering has a way stripping away the things that divide us. 

In fact, suffering can unite us.

That’s been true in foxholes, cancer wards, the Bahamas, and even in today’s Gospel.

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In the Gospel, ten people are afflicted with leprosy, a devastating disease that cripples your hands and feet and makes your skin look like it’s boiling. 

Nine of the people with leprosy were Jewish. And one of them was a Samaritan.

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Jews and Samaritans hated each other.

Any honorable Jew in good health would never associate with a lowly Samaritan; Samaritans were losers.

Yet we find this Samaritan welcomed into the colony of the nine. Why?

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Leprosy destroyed their prejudice. 

Like dodging bullets in a foxhole, these men were united in their suffering. They were no longer Samaritan or Jew; they were brothers.

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That’s a lesson every society could learn from, including our own.

Think of how much time is spent in the news cycle or at the water cooler talking about how different we are.

We’re divided along racial, social, political, economic, and religious lines. But when these externalities are stripped away, we’re all the same within.

On the surface, we could say every person is made in the image and likeness of God – and therefore equal.

But is there something else, even something more uncomfortable, which unites us?

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Sin.

As Saint Paul says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Though our sins may be different and vary in frequency, at some point each of us has been guilty of judging our neighbor, either with disdain or a jealous eye.

What the Gospel challenges us to do, then, is to let go of any prejudice or judgment in our hearts, accepting the fact that we’re all in need of redemption. All of us have fallen short of the glory of God.

Instead of seeing what divides us, then, focus on what unites us – namely our need for redemption.

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The other side of the coin is this: we’re also in need of love.

That cranky neighbor, the rebellious teenager, and the person who unfairly cuts you off on the road – they’re all like me…they’re all like you. 

They’re all sinners in need of love.

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How much time do I spend thinking about the faults of others? 

And how might I shift that focus to loving my neighbor instead?

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“There are no atheists in foxholes.” Nor are they black or white, rich or poor; they’re a band of brothers. Their suffering unites them.

Similarly, there should be no judgment among Christians. We know we’re all in need of redemption and love.

Seeing ourselves as equals before God, how might we better love one another this week?

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“And a record book was written before him of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name” (Malachi 3:16).

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Malachi was one of the last prophets in Israel, prophesying several hundred years before the birth of Jesus.

He preached about the final judgment, warning Israel that God will personally judge each person for his or her behavior.

Those who serve the Lord faithfully will have their names written in one book, and those who are unfaithful will have their names written in another – an imagery of separation, which Jesus himself uses.

Some believe Malachi is making an early reference to the Book of Life, the book that contains the name of every person who will journey safely to heaven.

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Malachi warns Israel about three behaviors, in particular: priestly and marital infidelity, unpaid tithes, and half-hearted believers, things we should still be warned about today.

Fortunately, there is still time for us to repent, if needed. But may the prophecy of Malachi remind us that we must do so if we want to be forgiven.

As the Psalmist says today, “Blessed the one who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners…But who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.”