Saint Sylvester I
When you think of this pope, you think of the Edict of Milan, the emergence of the Church from the catacombs, the building of the great basilicas—Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter’s, and others—the Council of Nicaea, and other critical events. But for the most part, these events were planned or brought about by Emperor Constantine. A great store of legends has grown up around the man who was pope at this most important time, but very little can be established historically. We know for sure that his papacy lasted from 314 until his death in 335. Reading between the lines of history, we are assured that only a very strong and wise man could have preserved the essential independence of the Church in the face of the overpowering figure of the Emperor Constantine. In general, the bishops remained loyal to the Holy See, and at times expressed apologies to Sylvester for undertaking important ecclesiastical projects at the urging of Constantine.
Reflection
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
Tomorrow starts a new year. It’s usually a time for resolutions, a time to give some thought to where we have been and where we might be going. One of the problems with making resolutions is that we have trouble keeping them. I know this first hand. After many years of making and breaking promises for the new year, I figured that it might be better to just focus on one problem area. So, if you are like I am, my advice is, look at your life. Make a sincere effort to find out in which single area you can improve. Focus on changing that part of your life. Put that resolution on paper and keep it with you. Add a daily prayer to that single resolution, asking God to help you make that change. This strategy helped me make some important changes. It’s a strategy that might work for you. Happy New Year, and good luck on your resolutions!
