Born in Greece, Pope Sixtus II served as pope for less than a year in 257 and 258. He was only of the first victims of the persecutions of the Roman emperor Valerian, which targeted Church leaders. He was beheaded, along with six of the deacons who served with him. The famous deacon Lawrence was martyred four days later. In his short papacy, he worked toward restoring relations between the Roman Church and some of the Eastern churches, a relationship that had been strained over the issue of re-baptism.
We hear in the psalm today, that we should sing joyfully to the Lord, that we are not to let our hearts become hardened. I think of the martyrs like Pope Sixtus II who gave up their lives for the faith. I think of how the cynicism of the modern world can lead us to hardening our hearts. May we never lose the joy of our faith.
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