 Come, today, and listen to his voice: do not harden your hearts. |
He was a disciple of the Apostles, bishop of Smyrna, and a friend of St Ignatius of Antioch. He went to Rome to confer with Pope Anicetus about the celebration of Easter. He was martyred in about 155 by being burnt to death in the stadium. Polycarp is an important figure in the history of the Church because he is one of the earliest Christians whose writings still survive. He bears witness to the beliefs of the early Christians and the early stages of the development of doctrine. See the articles in
Wikipedia and the
Catholic Encyclopaedia.
| Mid-morning reading (Terce) | Isaiah 55:6-7 © |
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Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him, to our God who is rich in forgiving.
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| Noon reading (Sext) | Deuteronomy 30:2-3 © |
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If you return to the Lord your God, if you obey his voice with all your heart and soul in everything I enjoin on you today, you and your children, then the Lord your God will bring back your captives and will have pity on you.
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| Afternoon reading (None) | Hebrews 10:35-36 © |
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Continue to have confidence, since the reward is so great. You will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised.
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