On February 23, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna. St. Polycarp does not have an official patronage, but he is a great saint to seek intercession from in many circumstances. You can ask St. Polycarp to pray for you if you are facing persecution for your Faith, since he endured persecution for his Faith and was ultimately martyred. Or you can ask him to pray for someone you know who is suffering persecution for their Faith. St. Polycarp is also a great saint to seek intercession from on behalf of Church leaders, since he was a holy bishop who did a lot to combat heresy and to lead the Church well.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
OPENING PRAYERGreat martyr, Saint Polycarp, make us steadfast witnesses to the truth in word and deed, just as you witnessed to the truth in your own life and death. Through your intercession, make our commitment to our religion of long duration, a life project, enduring until our life of faith concludes with a death of faith. As we devote ourselves to you in this period of nine days, hear the humble prayers we make before God and intercede for us in order that we become beneficiaries of the heavenly graces especially in this particular need(s) (state your intentions). Grant this, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
MEDITATION: EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS
(Polycarp wrote some epistles, among which are to the Philippians. We shall examine this epistle in the course of our meditation. The epistle resembles that of Saint Paul in style and content, a proof that he heard the preachings of the Apostles of Christ)
(CHAPTERS 9&10)
Chapter 9. Patience inculcated
I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to the word of righteousness, and to exercise all patience, such as you have seen [set] before your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles. [This do] in the assurance that all these have not run in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are [now] in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from
the dead.
Chapter 10. Exhortation to the practice of virtue
Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your interaction with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not, because alms delivers from death. Be all of you subject one to another having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles, that you may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct.
—SILENT REFLECTION—
CONCLUDING PRAYER – DAY 6
St. Polycarp, you lived during the time when the first generation of Christians who had heard Christ personally were beginning to die. Because of this, many debates and controversies began to grow within the Church. You worked faithfully to foster respect and forgiveness within the Church. You helped the Church navigate a difficult time in her history. Though you faced many difficulties, you sought to imitate Christ and to lead others to holiness. Pray for me, that I may always seek to imitate Christ in my life as you did. Pray that I may always help others to solve conflicts and to grow in love.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be…
Through the intercession of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, may Almighty God bless you + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Shalom!
Compiled by Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Paroquia Nossa Senhora da Immaculada Conceição, Paulo Ramos, Maranhão, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?
St Polycarp , help us constantly to imitate your undying love for Christ
Dear St. Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for me, that I may always seek to imitate Christ in my life as you did. Pray that I may always help others to solve conflicts and to grow in love. Amen
St. Polycarp help us to follow the instructions of Christ in that we do in this life. Amen.
Thank You dear Lord for EVERYTHING.
Amen
Lord hear our prayers. Amen
Saint Polycarp, pray for me and my family and take all our petitions to God. Amen.
Amen
Amen
Amen and Amen
St.Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us
Amen
St Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us
Through the intersection of St Polycarp of Smyrna, may I always help others to solve conflict and to grow in love, Amen
St. Polycarp intercede for my children so that they may be lifted higher, and for our country Nigeria.
Amen iJn
St Polycarp, pray for us.
Amen
Through the intercession of Polycarp, may the lord bless us and bring us to the glory of God amen
St Polycarp of Smyrna
Pray for us
Amen
O saintly martyr, please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so faithfully!
St Polycarp of Smyrna pray for all who seek your intercession Amen
St. Polycarp pray for the persecuted Church in Nigeria, protect our clergy, religious and laity and pray for my family Amen
Amen
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us!
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna Pray for us Amen
St. Polycarp! Pray for us. Amen!
Amen
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us Amen
Amen.
O saintly martyr, please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so faithfully, Amen
Through the intercession of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, may Almighty God bless you + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
St Polycarp , help us constantly to imitate your undying love for Christ, Amen.
Amen
St Polycarp of Symrna, may I follow your example to imitate Christ through out my life Amen.
Through the intercession of st. Polycarp of Smyrna, may the Almighty hear our prayers and grant us our heart desires. Amen
Pray
Pray for us, St. Polycarp, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen
Thank You Lord for EVERYTHING.
Amen
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Pray for us
St. Polycarp of smyrna please remove every pain and difficulty from my life I asked this through Jesus christ our lord Amen.
St. Polycarp pray for me and for my intentions Amen
Saint Polycarp of smyrna, Pray for me
Saint Polycarp of smyrna, Pray for my family
St Polycarp of Smyrna, Pray that I may always help others to solve conflicts and to grow in love.
God’s love is awesome
Saint polycarp of Smyrna, pray for us . Amen
Amen
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, sought to imitate Christ and to lead others to holiness. Pray for me, that I may always seek to imitate Christ in my life as you did. Pray that I may always help others to solve conflicts and to grow in love and through your intercessions, may Almighty God grant all the desires of my heart and all my secret prayers and supplications for the greater glory of God. Amen and Amen.