R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
JN 14:23
Leo I (c. 400 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great, was Bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death. Pope Benedict XVI said that Leo’s papacy “was undoubtedly one of the most important in the Church’s history.”[1]
He was a Roman aristocrat, and was the first pope to have been called “the Great”. He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and allegedly persuaded him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. He is also a Doctor of the Church, most remembered theologically for issuing the Tome of Leo, a document which was a major foundation to the debates of the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon. The Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council, dealt primarily with Christology, and elucidated the orthodox definition of Christ‘s being as the hypostatic union of two natures, divine and human, united in one person, “with neither confusion nor division”. It was followed by a major schism associated with Monophysitism, Miaphysitism and Dyophysitism.[2]
No difference in office is so great that anyone can be separated, through lowliness, from the head. In the unity of faith and baptism, therefore, our community is undivided.
From a sermon of Saint Leo the Great, pope
FRATELLI TUTTI
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
ON FRATERNITY AND SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP
CHAPTER ONE
DARK CLOUDS OVER A CLOSED WORLD
PANDEMICS AND OTHER CALAMITIES IN HISTORY
34. If everything is connected, it is hard to imagine that this global disaster is unrelated to our way of approaching reality, our claim to be absolute masters of our own lives and of all that exists. I do not want to speak of divine retribution, nor would it be sufficient to say that the harm we do to nature is itself the punishment for our offences. The world is itself crying out in rebellion. We are reminded of the well-known verse of the poet Virgil that evokes the “tears of things”, the misfortunes of life and history.[33]
gets in the way of truth and being an ambassador for Christ.
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
“If everything is connected”, how can calamities, “…aggravated by an already difficult situation due to the pandemic.”, be unrelated to “our way of approaching reality,”???
“the great” comfortables in fear evoke that “the ‘tears of things’, the misfortunes of life and history”, “gets in the way of truth” and grace, therefore we step cautiously into the pandemic, “…doing what (we) want, rather than doing what is right.”, expecting to be rewarded for all we have done…
“the great” socialists in fear are “crying out in rebellion” about the grace that “gets in the way of” our vision as we step victoriously into the pandemic, “On Eagle’s Wings”, expecting to be rewarded for all we have done that GOD couldn’t do…
“the great” magaists in fear “speak of divine retribution” on anyone that “gets in the way of” the grace given to president trump as we step incredulously into the pandemic, accused of failing to, “address the challenges that lie ahead of us”; but expecting to be rewarded for all we have done to expose voter fraud…
“The Great” Catholics in LOVE do not “claim to be absolute masters of our own lives and of all that exists”, for the grace of God has appeared, saving all , enabling us “to live each day with purpose, with focus, with determination, with love, and without being obsessed with oneself“, so by the LORD our steps are made firm acknowledging “‘…we have done what we were obliged to do.’”!!!
Today’s Scriptures
For the grace of God has appeared, saving all…
TI 2:11
R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm,…
PS 37:23
“‘…we have done what we were obliged to do.’”
LK 17:10
Catholic Bicycle 