On Sunday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians (1:1—2:12) entitled "Paul's solicitude for the church at Thessaloncia". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Church of Smyrna by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr.
Saint Ignatius was a successor of Saint Peter as the bishop of Antioch. Condemned to death by being thrown to wild animals, he was brought to Rome for execution and was martyred there under the emperor Trajan in 107. On the journey to Rome he wrote seven letters to different churches. His letter to the Smyrnaeans was to defend the truth about Christ, protect the Eucharist, preserve unity under the bishop, and guard the Church from heresy in a manner at once wise and learned. At Antioch, this day was observed in his memory as early as the fourth century.
When Paul parted from Barnabas at the beginning of what is called his second missionary journey, he chose Silvanus (Silas) as his traveling companion. Soon afterwards he took Timothy along with him. Paul was now clearly at the head of his own missionary band. About A.D. 50, he arrived in Greece for the first time. In making converts in Philippi and, soon afterwards, in Thessalonica, he was beset by persecution from Jews and Gentiles alike. Moving on to Beroea, he was again harassed by enemies from Thessalonica and hurriedly left for Athens. Silvanus and Timothy remained behind for a while. Paul soon sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to strengthen that community in its trials. Timothy and Silvanus finally returned to Paul when he reached Corinth, probably in the early summer of A.D. 51. Timothy's return with a report on conditions at Thessalonica served as the occasion for Paul's first letter.
