How does a pagan man eventually become one of the most important Christians of his time? The story of St. Hilary helps us to see that God can and does work through each one of us.
Hilary was born in Poitiers, France. His parents were very wealthy and made sure he received a good education. Hilary was raised as a pagan. Pagans worshipped many gods. That did not make sense to Hilary. He thought that there could only be one true God. To learn more, Hilary read the Scriptures. Meeting Jesus in the Gospels and learning what Jesus taught about God the Father changed Hilary’s heart. He was baptized and became a Christian.
Hilary was married and had a daughter so it was surprising when he was chosen to be the bishop of Poitiers. In those days, bishops were chosen by the local priests and approved by the people. Hilary was respected for his intelligence and his modesty. People thought that he would make a good leader.
At that time, a priest named Arius was preaching that Jesus was not truly God. This was a heresy, or false teaching, but many people, including the Emperor, began to believe in Arius’ preaching. Hilary opposed Arius’ ideas and spoke out against him. He wanted everyone to know that it is through Jesus, God’s only Son, that we are saved. The Emperor punished Hilary by sending him away.
Hilary made good use of his time alone. He wrote important books and sermons about the Blessed Trinity and he composed hymns that expressed the beliefs of our faith. When he was finally permitted to return to Poitiers, the people gathered in the town square to cheer him. He spent the rest of his life writing and preaching.
The Church honors Hilary as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church. That means that his teachings help all Catholics to better understand their faith. We can honor Hilary by reading the Gospels as he did and asking Jesus to help us grow in our love for him.
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