Today we celebrate the memorial of St Ignatius of Antioch … I honestly had never read much about him so I decided to use the internet and found a wonderful quote by this saint:
As a cradle roman catholic, I was always taught about my faith. I was taught at home by my parents to say prayers as I woke up, before meals, and before I left home on a journey or went to bed. I was taught the importance of devotion to our Lady with the Rosary and the obligation of Sunday mass and catechism.
I learned my catechism as a child from a wonderful carmelite nun Sr Xaviera, who had nearly lost her eyesight, but she would hold my hand and teach me the catechism. She would explain to me how I should be excited to receive a piece of Jesus into me, during communion, for the very first time. I remember her enthusiasm was passed onto me every class I went to her.
I was taught the Angelus , the hymns of praise and worship, and the act of participation of students of all faiths in Christmas, advent wreath lighting and Easter celebrations. I even had the opportunity to act as the prophet Isaiah for the Christmas Biblical enactment !!!!
The christian faith was all around me. Attending church or praying at school chapel everyday was a regular feature for my life. Until I joined medical school, and suddenly I was pushed away from my catholic environment and faced with constant stress of studies, performing well at exams … But the moral compass within me made me search for the hospital mass on Sundays and attend it regularly! I said my daily prayers and abstained meat and delicacies through lent…
I sincerely performed all my duties as a christian (in my opinion) … but somewhere along the way, I realized that isn’t all that the catholic faith is about. There is much more … The mere Sunday Catholicism wasn’t the entirety of what my faith was … So in being a good christian, I as a young adult … tried to stay clean … be obedient, respectful, not lose my temper, pray for my patients, forgive people who hurt me…. and boy! That is one hard job …
For I was so trained to act impulsively against anyone who threatened my opinion … my decisions … my ideas … as a person, human, daughter, sister and doctor. It was and still is, a task every day to stop those thoughts … and walk away from situations that could lead me to temptation. But the constant support of daily mass and prayer helps me get through it.
Let’s all act out our faith in this world. Make someone feel loved and special. Make Jesus shine through us like Mother Theresa says … through every little deed … with a smile! Because in the end it’s between you and God!!!
Prayer:
Help me Lord to walk on the path you chose for me every day. Help me to not stray!
Amen.
