Memorial of St. Polycarp

Memorial of St. Polycarp

Reflection

“Let us, therefore, forsake the vanity of the crowd and their false teachings, and turn back to the word delivered to us from the beginning.”  ~ St. Polycarp

Prayer

Word of Life,

It is not always convenient to carve our own way through life’s biggest questions. To go with the flow and follow the crowd is always the easier path. Yet when we are tempted this way, help us remember that uniformity is not the same thing as unity. Give us courage to follow our convictions and take responsibility for our sincerely held beliefs. May we harbor the hope that a more genuine experience of community awaits us, as we embrace the harder but more rewarding path of dialogue, mutual respect, and listening well to the voices of others. Above all else, may we each have the wisdom of St. Polycarp—to know when we must forsake the crowd so as to find you again, in the quiet of our hearts. Amen.

Call to Action

Take time today to consider how am I actively stewarding the “word” I received in the beginning of my own spiritual journey. Am I still committed to my own growth and maturation?