Today we celebrate Sylvester I, who was the first pope after Christianity was legalized by Constantine in the Roman Empire. While this allowed the faith to flourish, it also brought an explosion of heresies, especially Arianism. Pope Sylvester called the Council of Nicea and defined the teachings of the church in the Nicene creed. Emperor Constantine helped the growth of the church by building two huge and beautiful churches: St Peter's and St John Lateran. But the interference in church affairs by the secular state also began to be a problem, and Sylvester had to diplomatically draw some lines between church and state authority. You can read more about him here.
Whether the church is persecuted or encouraged by the secular authorities, it faces challenges. How can we assist the church in facing its challenges today? What can we pray for? I'll bet you can think of some things. If you need help, ask Him to lead your prayer. He'll always say yes to that.
God, thanks for the wonderful leadership of this early pope. St Sylvester I, pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment