Aug 13 - Homily for Today

+ St. Pontian (pope 230-35) is the first pope to have abdicated, or resigned, his office; and St. Hippolytus was not only the first of thirty-nine anitipopes, but also the only antipope to be recognized as a saint, with a feast on the General Roman Calendar. Pontian was a Roman by birth, son of Calpurnius. All except the last few months of his pontificate had been peaceful because the tolerant emperor Severus was still reigning. After succeeding Severus as emperor in March 235, Maximinus Thrax abandoned his predecessor’s policy of toleration and launched a violent campaign against Christian leaders. He arrested Pontian, the pope, and the antipope Hippolytus, leader of a schism in the Roman church. Both Pontian and Hippolytus were imprisoned in Rome and then exiled to Sardinia to work in the mines.

Since deportation was normally for life and few survived it, Pontian abdicated to allow a successor to assume the leadership of the Roman community as soon as possible. According to the fourth-century Liberian Catalogue, Pontian abdicated on September 28, 235, the first precisely recorded date in papal history. Neither Pontian nor Hippolytus survived the harsh treatment and conditions on Sardinia. Pontian died less than a month after his resignation. It has been suggested that Pontian and Hippolytus were reconciled while in prison or in exile and that when Pontian abdicated, Hippolytus also renounced his claim to be Bishop of Rome and urged his followers to end their schism. Unity was thereby restored to the Roman church!

The readings for Mass today are marvelously fitting: “Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you…rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. “ “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first…they will also persecute you as they did me, because they do not know the one who sent me (my Father in heaven).”

We must embrace our trials, tribulations and sufferings, our red crosses in life, as they come to us, either sent by God, or allowed by him, for they always will be turned into gold crosses of victory – for those who believe that Jesus is the Christ – and that he took on all of our suffering, so to transform them!

St. Cyprian said of Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus: “With what praises can I extol you, most valiant brothers? What words can I find to proclaim and celebrate your brave hearts and your persevering faith? Examined under the fiercest torture, you held out until your ordeal was consummated in glory; it was not you who yielded to the torments but rather the torments that yielded to you.”

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.