Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on Friday, 1st Week of Lent, Memorial of St Polycarp, 23 Feb 2024, FSpIF Chapel, Talamban

Two days ago I visited someone in the hospital. When I entered the room, I was glad to see him smiling at me and looking much better than when I last saw him. He was thankful for the Sacraments I administered to him when he was critically ill and at the brink of death. Later that day, he narrated to his family what happened when he had a near-death experience six hours after having been anointed.

This man saw his body on the table surrounded by doctors. He heard them say “flat line” and so he turned to the monitor and indeed saw a flat line. Meanwhile he saw inside the room other people whom he didn’t know. And they were bringing him to a place he could not recognize. But then someone said that he was breathing again, and that his heart rate was back. So, all of a sudden his visions stopped. Then he could no longer remember what happened next except that he was back in his own body fully alive again. Had he not received the sacraments he probably could not have survived the terrible ordeal and might perhaps have succumbed to eternal death.

Brothers and sisters, we are almost at the end of the first week of Lent. The Word of God today is presenting to all of us the important choice we have to make between a life of virtue and a life of iniquity. For the truth is whichever of the two we choose would consequently lead us to either everlasting life or eternal death. And so while we still have time here on earth, beginning today we are urged to choose the path of righteousness, and to even surpass the seemingly high standard of the scribes and Pharisees, so that we may truly be able to enter through the portals of God’s heavenly Kingdom.

Today, February 23, we honor an important saint. He is St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, martyr for Christ, and the first saint to receive public veneration in the Church. For having refused to burn incense for the Roman Emperor, he was martyred on this day around the year 155 A.D..

It is interesting to note that before he was executed, he was given a chance to abandon the so-called “atheism”. We should know that Atheism in Rome at that time was the religion of those who do not believe in the Roman gods. In effect he was being asked to renounce his faith in Christ. Polycarp however gave this response to the officials saying to them, “Eighty and six years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” The Proconsul tried to threaten him with the kind of punishment he deserved, but Polycarp firmly replied saying, “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour, and is then extinguished, but you know nothing of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. Why are you waiting? Bring on whatever you want.”

So, what happened next? According to the Christians who wrote the account of his martyrdom they bound him with his hands behind him like a distinguished ram chosen from a great flock for sacrifice. Ready to become a burnt-offering acceptable to God, Polycarp looked up to heaven, and prayed. Then the fire was lit, and the flame blazed furiously. Those who were privileged to witness it, however, saw a great miracle. The fire shaped itself into the form of an arch and formed a circle around the body of the martyr. Inside it, he looked not so much like flesh that is burnt, but like bread that is being baked, or gold and silver glowing in a furnace with such a sweet scent like burning frankincense or some precious spices.

Eventually, when those wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded an executioner to pierce him with a dagger. When this was done, a dove seemed to have flown out of his body, while from his wound so much blood flowed out like water gushing forth from a spring thus extinguishing the blazing fire surrounding him. When Polycarp finally died the centurion immediately took his body and burnt it in public for fear that the Christians would take it and make it another object of their worship. Later, the Christians collected up his bones, more precious than jewels and better purified than gold, and put them in an appropriate place where they would celebrate his “dies natalis” or the anniversary of his martyrdom each year with great rejoicing.

For us Catholics St Polycarp is an inspiring model of fortitude and fidelity to Christ with no fear of death whatsoever. His deliberate choice for Christ despite the punishment of death opened for him the portals of paradise and the gates to eternal life.

And so as we also remember these days the EDSA people power revolution of 1986 we ask St. Polycarp to intercede for our nation and to pray for all of us gathered here. May his virtuous life especially his fortitude and fidelity inspire us to always stand strong, and with the Lord’s Spirit within us may we be empowered to surpass all the trials, temptations and tribulations of each day, knowing that we have been set apart to be one with the sacrifice of Christ for the glory of the Father and the salvation of the world.

Remember this: one day we all will reach the dreaded flat line. But what matters most is to have that line connected to Christ who is our eternal Lifeline. Saint Polycarp, pray for us. Our Lady of Peace, pray for us. GiGsss!

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