Day 1- Saint Ignatius of Antioch (martyred c. 110)

Ignatius of Antioch lived in the generation after the apostles. Tradition tells us he was a disciple of John, and he eventually became bishop of Antioch, one of the great early centers of Christianity. His ministry came at a time when the church was still young, fragile, and often persecuted. When the Roman authorities arrested him and condemned him to death, he was taken on a long journey toward Rome where he would be executed.

Along the way, Ignatius wrote letters to several churches. These letters are some of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament, and they reveal the heart of a shepherd facing death with hope. He urged believers to remain united, to obey their leaders, and to hold fast to the teaching of the apostles. Again and again, he pointed to Christ as the one who gives meaning to suffering. He even referred to his coming martyrdom as a way of imitating Jesus, writing to the Romans that he longed to become “God’s wheat, ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread of Christ.”

Ignatius’ courage and words have echoed through the centuries. His life shows us what it means to follow Jesus to the very end, not with despair but with joy and trust. In a world that often prizes comfort and safety above all else, Ignatius reminds us that true life is found in giving ourselves fully to Christ. He invites us to consider what it might mean for us to hold our faith with such devotion that even death does not shake it.