聖誕八日慶期第七日 - 2008年12月31日聖思維一世(西爾物斯德肋)教宗A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 1:1-18 St. Sylvester I

神父講道 - 聖誕八日慶期第七日 - 2008年12月31日
聖思維一世(西爾物斯德肋)教宗
恭讀聖若望福音 1:1-18在起初已有聖言：聖言與天主同在，聖言就是天主。聖言在起初就與天主同在。萬物是藉著他而造成的。凡受造的，沒有一樣不是由他而造成的。在他內有生命，這生命是人的光。光在黑暗中照耀，黑暗決不能勝過它。曾有一人，是由天主派遣來的，名叫若翰。這人來，是為作證，為給光作證，為使眾人藉他而信。他不是那光，而是為給那光作證。那普照每人的真光，正在進入世界；他已在世界上，世界原是藉他造成的；但世界卻不認識他。他來到了自己的領域，自己的人卻沒有接受他。但是，凡接受他的， 他給他們，即給那些信他名字的人權能，好成為天主的子女。他們不是由血氣，也不是由肉慾，也不是由男慾，而是由天主生的。於是，聖這成了血肉，寄居在我們 中間；我們見了他的光榮，正如父獨生者的光榮，滿溢恩寵和真理。若翰為他作證呼喊說：「這就是我所說的，那在我以後來的，成了在我以前的，因他原先我而 有。」從他的滿盈中，我們都領受了恩寵，而且恩寵上加恩寵。因為法律是藉梅瑟傳授的，恩寵和真理卻是由耶穌基督而來的。從來沒有人見過天主，只有那在父懷 裡的獨生子，身為天主的，他給我們詳述了。
—這是基督的福音。
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 1:1-18
St. Sylvester I
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. 9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. 11 He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. 15 (John bore witness to him, and cried, “This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’”) 16 And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.
—The Gospel of the Lord.
聖西物斯德一世 St. Sylvester I 十二月三十一日 （教宗）
聖人於公元三一四年被祝聖為羅馬教會主教，在君士坦丁大帝時代治理教會．當時多納特裂教與亞略異端猖獗。三三五年逝世，葬於撒拉里亞路普利西拉墳地。
St. Sylvester
Feastday: December 31
St. Sylvester, born in Rome, was ordained by Pope St. Marcellinus during the peace that preceded the persecutions of Diocletian. He passed through those days of terror, witnessed the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian, and saw the triumph of Constantine in the year 312. Two years later he succeeded St. Melchiades as Bishop of Rome. In the same year, he sent four legates to represent him at the great Council of the Western Church, held at Aries. He confirmed it's decision and imparted them to the Church.
The Council of Nice was assembled during his reign, in the year 325, but not being able to assist at it in person, on account of his great age, he sent his legates, who headed the list of subscribers to its decrees, preceding the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch. St. Sylvester was Pope for twenty-four years and eleven months. He died in the year 335. His Feast Day is December 31st.