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Jeremiah
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Username: Jeremiah

Post Number: 223
Registered: 1-2004


Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 3:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Polycarp of Smyrna, in 155 AD prayed this prayer just before being burned alive. I thought it was a moving testimony of the faith in Christ which he had. Or, maybe I should put that "has"... :-)

'O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in Thy presence;

I bless Thee for that Thou hast granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion amongst the number of martyrs in the cup of [Thy] Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among these in Thy presence this day, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as Thou didst prepare and reveal it beforehand, and hast accomplished it, Thou that art the faithful and true God.

For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom with Him and the Holy Spirit be glory both now [and ever] and for the ages to come. Amen.'


And with that they lit the fire... but his memory lives on. And if you read further along in the account of his martyrdom, it says;

Having by his endurance overcome the unrighteous ruler in the conflict and so received the crown of immortality, he rejoiceth in company with the Apostles and all righteous men, and glorifieth the Almighty God and Father, and blesseth our Lord Jesus Christ, the savior of our souls and helmsman of our bodies and shepherd of the universal Church which is throughout the world.


The source for this is the encyclical letter from the church of Smyrna, written in about 155 AD and commonly known as "The Martyrdom of Polycarp".

Jeremiah
Cathy2
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Username: Cathy2

Post Number: 270
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 8:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you, Jeremiah, for Polycarp's quote. I highly respect him, learning from him, as the disciple of the Apostle John, and all that he lived and wrote; from what he knew from the Apostles, from Christ.

May we love Christ as much.
Cathy

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