Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr, and Doctor of the Church
(II Kings 25:1-12;
Matthew 8:1-4)
Saint Irenaeus lived
in the second century. A native of Smyrna
in what is now Turkey, Irenaeus came to be bishop of Lyon, France. He deserves recognition as a theologian, a
historian, and as a remarkable churchman.
Irenaeus is famous for
his refutation of gnostic heresies.
These challenges to true faith understood salvation as the possession of
a certain knowledge and not the result of faith in the death and resurrection
of Christ. As an historian, Irenaeus was
one of the first people to recognize and name the four canonical gospels. Finally, it is said that the word irenic, meaning disposed toward
reconciliation, comes from this saint. As
an example of his propensity to find peace, Irenaeus tried to reconcile the
bishop of Rome with bishops of western Asia who celebrated Easter on a
different day.
There is much to
emulate in this early Church bishop. We
do well to reflect on Scripture as he did and seek reconciliation among those
whose disagreement leads to severed relations.
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