Often times, the Collect Prayers for the saints reflect
something of their lives. Today’s
collect contained a prayer asking God to rescue us from the “slavery of
corruption.”
The saint we honor today, Pope Callistus I was originally born
a slave in Rome, in the late 2nd century. Seeing natural intelligence in him, his
Master appointed him to oversee a bank, but after a while the bank failed;
Callistus fearing for his life, fled Rome.
He was caught and sentenced to hard labor as punishment in the mines of
Sardinia. But, as providence would have it, Callistus wasn’t in Sardinia long,
thanks to the Pope, who bargained with the emperor to free many of the
prisoners.
After his release, Callistus studied theology and became a
deacon. 10 years later, Pope Zephyrinus , who had very little theological
training, summoned Callistus, to serve as his theological advisor. Callistus soon became a powerful force in
the Church, and was elected Pope in 217. In 223, an anti-Christian riot swept
through Rome, and Pope Callistus was martyred.
During his pontificate Callistus dealt with a controversial
topic: the early Church had very strict rules about readmitting back to Holy
Communion public sinners and those who were guilty of adultery, fornication,
murder and schism—those who renounced Christ during times of persecution.
Pope Callistus ruled that excommunicants could be received
back into communion of the Church after they had performed public penance.
Callistus, the one who was shown mercy, freedom from slavery
and imprisonment, directed the Church to be lavish in her mercy to the
penitent.
And you’d think this would edify the whole church, but sadly,
the Callistus’ merciful ruling enraged his opponents, and even caused a group
of Christians to splinter off and elect their own-anti Pope, Hippolytus who was
eventually reconciled to the Church and named a saint himself.
From slave to merciful Pope and glorious martyr. I don’t know
about you, but I find stories like that of Pope Callistus deeply inspiring. If
God can transform the life of an uneducated slave in such a way, what could he
do with us, if we but surrendered more deeply to His grace, if we do all that
we could to cooperate with that grace in serving His kingdom.
I think God really likes to do such things, after all, the Blessed
Mother sang, “He casts down the mighty from their thrones and raises up the
lowly.” And St. Paul says, “He chooses the weak and makes them strong in
bearing witness to Christ.”
God transforms the lives of ordinary people to do extraordinary
things, when we surrender to Him, so let us surrender wholeheartedly, for the
glory of God and the salvation of souls.
That each member of the Church may manifest the mercy of
Christ in their lives, and for the health of the Holy Father, Pope Leo
recovering from surgery and diagnosed with lung cancer.
For wisdom and mercy to guide the life of the Church, the
decisions of government leaders, and the ordering of our personal lives.
For our young people, that they may be raised in homes where
the Word of God is studied, cherished, and practiced.
During this month of October, dedicated to the Most Holy
Rosary, may Catholics take up this devotion with renewed vigor and trust in Our
Lady’s never-failing intercession.
For all victims of war, and for those experiencing any kind
of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or disease: that they may know
God’s sustaining grace.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and
parish; for all of the poor souls in purgatory and for N.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord,
and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through
Christ our Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment