+ St. Irenaeus was a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He was ordained a priest in 177 and later became Bishop of Lugundum, Gaul – which is now Lyons, France. He worked and wrote against Gnosticism, basing his arguments on the works of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist whose Gospel is often cited by the Gnostics. Irenaeus is considered the first great Western ecclesiastical write and theologian. He emphasized the unity of the Old and New Testaments, and of Christ's simultaneous human and divine natures. He is a Father of the Church and received the crown of martyrdom in Lyons in 202.
A quote from St. Irenaeus's writings reads: For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God become the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God. This corresponds exactly with the theme that I have been developing in my own homilies as of late: the most astounding fact of our lives is that by baptism we are adopted into the family of God – he becomes our Father, we become his children and brothers and sisters of Jesus and one another; and members of the one Church. This theme obviously has been promiment in the Church from the very beginning.
The gospel today speaks of Jesus' own prayer for the unity of those who would believe in him, choose him and stand by him: a unity that would provide stability for the Church as well as the promise and hope of an eternal union in heaven one day when faithfulness would be rewarded. In the first reading Paul tells Timothy to deal gently with potential converts so that they are drawn by the sweetness of the life that is in store for them – that will last unto eternity. May we today contribute to the unity of the Church by following in the footsteps of Irenaeus and celebrate our childhood in God!
Remain in my love…and bear much fruit!
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