11 May 2023 - Thursday of the 5th week of Easter – Ignatius of Laconi - Act 15:7-21

       We hear from the Acts of the Apostles often during the Easter season, about the growth evolution of the Early Church. Today, we hear part of the discourses from the Council of Jerusalem, the first council of the Early Church, in which the main topic discussed was whether the Gentiles could become followers of Christ directly, or whether they would have to become Jews first before converting to the Way of Jesus. After Peter’s passionate discourse, James makes a bold statement: that God wishes all to come to him, so no unnecessary burden must be imposed on the Gentiles who want to convert, that the Gentiles should be able to directly enter into the Way of Jesus without first converting to the Jewish faith. Our faith calls us to make sacrifices and to accept the reality of our lives, to not live in some sort of fantasy world or to deny our reality. However, our faith also must be accessible, inviting, and welcoming. Yet, at the same time, our faith knows that we are not perfect, that we live out our faith in the midst of our reality.  

       We are to always strive toward perfection in living out our faith, but we are never going to reach that perfection.  Like the Gentiles who wanted a manner in which they could convert to the Way of Jesus, we are called to a life of holiness just like they were. Whatever state of life or vocation we are called to, the call to holiness is not an abstract “pie in the sky” ideal. Our call to holiness is a reality that we Catholics are called to pursue and strive toward.  

         St Ignatius of Laconi from the 18th century is a saint with whom I was not very familiar. He lived out holiness in his life in a very simple particular way. Born into a peasant family on the island of Sardinia, he almost died from a severe illness as a youth, vowing to God that he would become a Capuchin Franciscan friar if he recovered.  He ignored his promise to God until he had a serious accident when he was 20, making that promise to God again.  Fortunately, he was true to his promise this time. As a friar, he was known for self-denial and charity, for his instruction to children in the faith, his visits to the sick, and calling sinners to repentance. He was canonized a saint in 1951.  Let us unite our prayers with the prayers of St Ignatius of Laconi today on his feast day.