I wish to forewarn you, for you are my dearest children

Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the letter of the apostle Paul to Timothy (3:1-16) entitled “Concerning the ministers of the Church”. Our treasure, which follows, is from the beginning of the letter to the Trallians by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr.

Saint Ignatius was a successor of Saint Peter as the bishop of Antioch. Condemned to death by being thrown to wild animals, he was brought to Rome for execution and was martyred there under the emperor Trajan in 107. On the journey to Rome he wrote seven letters to different churches. In these he discussed Christ, the structure of the Church, and the Christian life in a manner at once wise and learned. At Antioch, this day was observed in his memory as early as the fourth century.

Trallians is one of the seven epistles attributed to Ignatius that are generally accepted as authentic. The Trallian church had sent their bishop Polybius of Trallis to meet Ignatius who was being held at Smyrna on his way to execution in Rome, and Ignatius writes his letter to thank them. In his letter Ignatius warns against false teaching, of separatism without, however, accusing them personally of these errors. He urges a duty of unity and obedience to Church leaders.

The First Letter of Paul to Timothy insists on the need to shun unorthodox teachings and dangerous speculations and reiterates the qualities expected of bishops and deacons. Paul encouraged Timothy and offered strength to help him carry on after Paul’s impending death. Paul was aware that his time was short, and he desired to see Timothy, whom Paul figuratively called “my dearly beloved son”.