Readings
I - Ex. 3: 13-20
II - Mt. 11: 28-30
SAINT APOLLINARIUS
The In today’s Gospel passage Jesus uses four verbs viz., come, give, take and learn. Jesus invites all who are heavily burdened to come him in order to give them the rest that he alone can give. He exhorts to take upon his yoke which is nothing but faith in him. Jesus poses himself as model and encourages to learn from him, his gentleness and humility.
Apollinaris was born in Antioch, in modern-day Turkey. It’s possible that while in Antioch, Apollinaris was converted to the faith by Saint Peter, or even earlier by Jesus Himself, being one of the seventy-two sent out on mission by Jesus. Regardless, tradition states that Saint Peter ordained Apollinaris as a bishop and sent him to Ravenna to serve as that city’s first bishop. When Bishop Apollinaris arrived in Ravenna and began to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, many perceived Christianity as a direct threat to their way of life and beliefs. People who opposed him beat him and drove him out of the city. Tradition holds that he was found close to death on the seashore, where fellow Christians rescued and hid him. Despite this persecution and determined to complete his mission, Bishop Apollinaris returned to Ravenna. This time, he was captured, forced to walk on burning coals, and expelled from the city once again. Undeterred from converting the people of Ravenna, Bishop Apollinaris returned for a third time, only to face great resistance again. This time, it is said that he was cut with knives and had scalding water poured on his wounds. After his persistent preaching of the Gospel, his abusers silenced him by beating his mouth with rocks. After several days chained in a dungeon, he was not only ejected from the city again, but also placed on a ship to Greece, effectively ridding the citizens of Ravenna of him. After being dragged out of the city a fourth time, Apollinaris was beaten in Classis, just south of Ravenna, and again left for dead. May the life of St. Apollinaris inspire us to imbibe the exhortations of Jesus in the Gospel passage of the day.
