As for me, my charter is Jesus Christ, the inviolable charter is His cross and His death and resurrection, and faith through Him.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the foundational role of Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection in a believer's faith.
Ignatius of Antioch highlights that his entire belief system and identity are rooted in Jesus Christ, specifically pointing to His suffering, death, and resurrection as central tenets of faith. This reflects the idea that true faith is anchored in the reality of Christ's actions and His enduring significance in spiritual life.
In practice
In a sermon about the importance of faith, one might use this quote to highlight the centrality of Jesus Christ in Christianity.
Now do I begin to be a disciple of Christ, and care for nothing in this world, that so I may find Jesus. Let fire, or the cross, or wild beasts, or the breaking of my bones, or the cutting of me to pieces, or the shattering of my whole body, yea, all the tortures of the devil - let them all come upon me, only let me enjoy my God.
I greet you from Smyrna together with the Churches of God present here with me. They comfort me in every way, both in body and soul. My chains, which I carry about on me for Jesus Christ, begging that I may happily make my way to God, exhort you: persevere in your concord and in you community prayers.
I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.
Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church
I am God's wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ's pure bread.
I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God.
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
War is the form nostalgia takes when men are hard-pressed to say something good about their country.
The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience.
Sometimes we find ourselves walking through life blindfolded, and we try to deny that we're the ones who securely tied the knot.
How quickly do we grow accustomed to wonders. I am reminded of the Isaac Asimov story Nightfall, about the planet where the stars were visible only once in a thousand years. So awesome was the sight that it drove men mad. We who can see the stars every night glance up casually at the cosmos and then quickly down again, searching for a Dairy Queen.
We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking.
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