'Anselm.. Injustice, therefore, if it is canceled by compassion alone, is more free than justice, which seems very inconsistent. And to these is also added a further incongruity, viz., that it makes injustice like God. For as God is subject to no law, so neither is injustice.

Boso. I cannot withstand your reasoning. But when God commands us in every case to forgive those who trespass against us, it seems inconsistent to enjoin a thing upon us which it is not proper for him to do himself.

Anselm.. There is no inconsistency in God's commanding us not to take upon ourselves what belongs to Him alone. For to execute vengeance belongs to none but Him who is Lord of all; for when the powers of the world rightly accomplish this end, God himself does it who appointed them for the purpose.'

St. Anselm of Canterbury, 'Cur Deus Homo'

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3704792/posts?page=2

Saint of the Day — Saint Leo the Great

Tome of St. Leo the Great on the Two Natures of Christ
Praise for and prose from St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor (Long) [Catholic Caucus]
The Reason Why Leo Was Great
Christ Lives in His Church by St. Leo the Great [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

The Days between the Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord by St. Leo the Great [Catholic Caucus]
Pope Leo the Great
Pope St. Leo the Great - Early Church Father and Doctor of the Church
Pope St. Leo the Great and the Petrine Primacy
St. Leo the Great Pope of Rome February 18th
St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Saint Leo the Great - Defender of Rome and Codifier of Orthodoxy
THE CHRISTMAS HOMILY OF SAINT LEO THE GREAT ON THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY - I
St. Leo the Great on Authority
St. Leo the Great on the Papacy"

Information: St. Leo the Great

Feast Day: November 10

Born: 400 at Tuscany, Italy

Died: 11 April 461 at Rome, Italy

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, November 10

Liturgical Color: White

Today is the Memorial of Pope St. Leo the
Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church. He
reigned as pope from 440 to 461 A.D. Many of
his writings still exist, including 96 sermons and
143 letters, providing insight into early church
history.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: November 10th

Memorial of St. Leo the Great, pope and doctor

MASS READINGS

November 10, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church, firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift your faithful offer you right and praiseworthy service, grant, we pray, that we may hasten without stumbling to receive the things you have promised. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: St. Andrew Avellino, priest; Sts.Tryphon, Respicius and Nympha, virgins and martyrs

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Leo the Great, pope and doctor, during whose pontificate the Council of Chalcedon (451) defined that Christ is one divine person with two natures, divine and human. It was a confirmation of his Epistola Dogmatica (Tomus) to the Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople. He vigorously defended the unity of the Church. He detained the onrush of the barbarians under Attila. His feastday in the Extraordinary Rite is April 11.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Andrew Avellino who was born in Sicily and died at Naples. As a cleric he went to Naples to study law, and was meanwhile raised to the priestly dignity. Today is also the commemoration of Sts. Tryphon, Respicius and Nympha. Tryphon, a Phrygian, was martyred with his companion Respicius at Nicaea (c.250). Nympha was a virgin of Palermo, martyred in the fourth century.

St. Leo the Great
Leo I, Pope and Doctor of the Church, ruled from 440 to 461. He is surnamed "the Great" and ranks among the most illustrious sovereigns that ever sat on the throne of St. Peter. Of his life, we know little; with him the man seems to disappear before the Pope. He saw most clearly that one of his greatest tasks was to vindicate the primacy of the Roman bishop, St. Peter's successor, and to raise the prestige of the Holy See before the entire world. Hardly any Pope in history has occupied a like position in the ecclesiastical and political world.

As a writer, too, his name is famous. His sermons, which occur frequently in the Divine Office, belong to the finest and most profound in patristic literature. The Council of Chalcedon was held under his direction (451). The Breviary tells us: Leo I, an Etruscan, ruled the Church at the time when Attila, King of the Huns, who was called the Scourge of God, invaded Italy. After a siege of three years, he took, sacked and burned Aquileia, and then hurried on toward Rome. Inflamed with anger, his troops were already preparing to cross the Po, at the point where it is joined by the Mincio.

Here Attila was stopped by Leo (452). With God-given eloquence, the Pope persuaded him to turn back, and when the Hun was asked by his servants why, contrary to custom, he had so meekly yielded to the entreaties of a Roman bishop, he answered that he had been alarmed by a figure dressed like a priest that stood at Leo's side; this individual was holding a drawn sword and acted as if he would kill him if he advanced farther. As a result Attila retreated to Pannonia.

Meanwhile, Leo returned to Rome, and was received with universal rejoicing. Some time later, the Vandal Genseric entered the city, and again Leo, by the power of his eloquence and the authority of his holy life, persuaded him to desist from atrocity and slaughter (455). Leo was also active in matters liturgical. The so-called Leonine sacramentary, a compendium of Missal prayers, contains many of his compositions; some liturgists give him credit for the beautiful offices of Advent.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Symbols: Image of the Virgin; pick-axe; model of St. Maria Maggiore; horse; Attila kneeling.

Things to Do:

Learn more about the Nestorian heresy and the Council of Chalcedon;
Just as St. Leo triumphed over the pagan invaders, pray for the civilized barbarians who would persuade us that religion should be eliminated from education and that the State, in its laws and institutions should simply ignore our Lord Jesus Christ;
Read Pope John XXIII's Encyclical on St. Leo;
The name Leo means "lion," so a cake in the shape of a lion would be an appropriate name-day dessert.

St. Andrew Avellino
As a young priest Andrew served at an ecclesiastical court. While making a defense, a small lie slipped by his lips; soon afterward he accidentally read the words, "A lying mouth kills the soul" (Wis. 1:11). Deeply moved, he resigned his position and dedicated himself solely to the service of God and the welfare of souls. In 1566 he entered the Order of Theatines and chose the name Andrew out of love for the Cross of Christ. He labored most zealously as a shepherd of souls. With fatherly love and prudence he spent countless hours hearing confessions. He frequently visited the towns and villages in the neighborhood of Naples to preach the saving message of the Gospel.

By means of miracles God Himself often glorified the love of neighbor burning in the heart of His holy priest. Once as he was returning home from a round of duties, the rain and wind extinguished the lantern he was carrying. He and his companion, however, were not soaked by the downpour. In fact, rays of light proceeded from his body and guided them through the dense darkness. Many came to him to settle cases of conscience, his letters number thousands. Worn out by work and enfeebled by age, he suffered a stroke at the foot of the altar just as he was beginning holy Mass and died as he repeated for the third time, "I will go unto the altar of God." He is venerated as patron against sudden death.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patron: Against sudden death; apoplexics; apoplexy; for a holy death; Naples, Sicily; stroke victims; strokes.

Things to Do:

What is our attitude on speaking the truth? Think about the seriousness of lying and examine your conscience about your attitude toward the truth. The words, "A lying mouth kills the soul," might well resound in our ears all through the day. And in what condition is my love toward Christ and His Cross? Would I choose the name Andrew out of love for the Cross? What a beautiful death — to die at the altar! Pray for an equally happy death, well prepared, and with the mercy of the last sacraments.

Sts. Tryphon, Respicius and Nympha
St. Tryphon, whose relics were preserved at Cattaro, in Dalmatia, had an oratory at Rome in which the Greeks celebrated his feast on February 1. For unknown reasons hagiographers have joined his commemoration with that of St. Respicius, who appears to have been a Roman martyr. St. Nympha was venerated at Porto in Sicily; her body, translated to Rome, was buried in the church of SS. Tryphon and Respicius. Due to lack of evidence this feast was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969.

Patron: St. Trypon is the patron of gardeners.

Doctors of the Catholic Church

Pope Saint Leo the Great

detail of a painting of Saint Leo Magnus; by Francisco de Herrera el Mozo, 17th century; Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain; swiped from Wikimedia Commons

Also known as

Leo I

Memorial

10 November
formerly 11 April

Profile

Born to the Italian nobility. Strong student, especially in scripture and theology. Priest. Eloquent writer and homilist.
Pope from 440 to 461 during the time of the invasion of Attila the Hun. When Attila marched on Rome, Leo went out to meet him and pleaded for him to leave. As Leo spoke, Attila saw the vision of a man in priestly robes, carrying a bare sword, and threatening to kill the invader if he did not obey Leo; Attila left. As Leo had a great devotion to Saint Peter the Apostle, it is generally believed the first pope was the visionary opponent to the Huns. When Genseric invaded Rome, Leo’s sanctity and eloquence saved the city again.
Called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn heresies of the day. Fought Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Manichaeism, and Pelagianism. Built churches. Wrote letters and sermons encouraging and teaching his flock, many of which survive today; it is for these writings that Leo was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1574.

Born

c.400 at Tuscany, Italy

Papal Ascension

29 September 440

Died

11 April 461 at Rome, Italy

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

Aeterna Dei Sapientia: On Saint Leo the Great: Encyclical of Pope John XXIII
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
Catholic Encyclopedia
Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
New Catholic Dictionary
Pictorial Lives of the Saints
Pope Benedict: General Audience, 5 March 2008
True Historical Stories for Catholic Children, by Josephine Portuondo
Written by Pope Saint Leo the Great
books
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other sites in english
- Catholic Culture
- Catholic Exchange
- Catholic Fire
- Catholic Ireland
- Catholic Ireland
- Catholic News Agency
- Catholic Online
- Christian Biographies, by James E Keifer
- Cradio
- Franciscan Media
- Independent Catholic News
- Katherine Rabenstein
- Leo Ignatius
- Lives of the Saints, by John J Crawley
- Nativity of the Saviour, by Pope Saint Leo the Great
- Orthodox Church in America
- Saint Peter’s Basilica Info
- Saints Stories for All Ages
- Wikipedia
- Catholic Blogger
  - Saint Leo: Control Your Body and Set Your Soul Free
  - Saint Leo: Give Credit to Peter
  - Saint Leo: Be Pleased with What Pleases God
  - Saint Leo: Give Thanks
  - Saint Leo: Everyone is Our Neighbor
  - Saint Leo: Live for Others, Not for Yourself
  - Saint Leo: Put the Right Value on Created Things
  - Saint Leo: Call God Father
images
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audio
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video
- YouTube PlayList
sitios en español
- Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
sites en français
- Abbé Christian-Philippe Chanut
- Fête des prénoms
fonti in italiano
- Santo del Giorno

Readings

Peter has spoken by the mouth of Leo. – Council of Chalcedon
Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife. – Pope Saint Leo the Great
Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of members, still, in spite of the many parts of its holy body, the Church subsists as an integral whole, just as the Apostle says: “We are all one in Christ,” nor is anyone separated from the office of another in such a way that a lower group has no connection with the head. In the unity of faith and baptism, our community is then undivided. There is a common dignity as the apostle Peter says in these words: “And you are built up as living stones into spiritual houses, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” And again: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of election.” For all, regenerated in Christ, as made kings by the sign of the cross. They are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers in the office of the priesthood. For what is more king-like than to find yourself ruler over your body after having surrendered your soul to God? And what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart? – from a sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great
God decreed that all nations should be saved in Christ. Dear friends, now that we have received instruction in this revelation of God‘s grace, let us celebrate with spiritual joy the day of our first harvesting, of the first calling of the Gentiles. Let us give thanks to the merciful God, “who has made us worthy,” in the words of the Apostle, “to share the position of the saints in light; who has rescued us from the power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of this beloved Son.” This came to be fulfilled, as we know, from the time when the star beckoned the three wise men out of their distant country and led them to recognize and adore the King of heaven and earth. The obedience of the star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace that invites all men to find Christ. – from a sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 16:9-15

Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones. (Luke 16:10)

If we read these words in the context of today’s whole Gospel passage, we can see that Jesus considers money to be a very small matter. We may find that difficult to swallow. What about those of us who struggle every day to make ends meet? Does this mean that Jesus is telling us to stop working on our financial situation? That may be okay for someone like St. Francis of Assisi, but those of us who have to earn a living need to take a more aggressive approach!

Actually, Jesus does want to speak these words to everyone. He isn’t suggesting that we all take a vow of poverty, but he does want us to take a close look at our perspective on money. He wants us to see that in itself, money is neither the worst thing in the world nor a trivial matter to be ignored. He is telling us that money is simply secondary when compared to our essential purpose, which is to give glory to God and to help other people come to know Jesus personally.

In a practical sense, this means that money fits into the bigger picture of Christian living. As with anything else that God gives us, money is something we can use as a means to a greater end. By being careful in our spending and saving habits, we can use it as a tool to glorify the Lord. We are more free to donate to organizations that build his kingdom. At the same time, by guarding against the temptation to value money too much, we don’t let it become a snare that can draw us away from Jesus.

If you’re currently facing financial hardship, know that Jesus is with you and wants to help guide you and ease your anxieties. Think of the many ways he has cared for you in the past. Picture him on the cross, and recall his unending love for you. Know that he will never forsake you. Let his peace fill your heart, and don’t worry about tomorrow—he will be there to help you, just as he is today.

“Lord, help me to manage my finances wisely. Free me from anxiety about my future, and help me to give generously to the needy.”

Philippians 4:10-19
Psalm 112:1-2, 5-6, 8-9

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint Clement of Alexandria (150- c.215)
theologian
Sermon « What rich man can be saved? », § 31-32

"Make friends for yourselves"

“Whoever gives a cup of cold water to drink to one of my disciples in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward” (Mt 10,42). This is the only reward that is not lost. And again: “Make for yourself friends with dishonest gain so that, when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations” The property we possess is not for the use of ourselves alone, but with the gain that is unjust we can work something just and life-giving and refresh one of those whom the Father has destined for his everlasting habitations... How admirable is the apostle Paul's saying: “The Lord loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor 9,7), someone who delights in giving alms, sowing lavishly so that he may also reap abundantly, and who shares without murmuring, hesitation or regret... But even better than this is the saying spoken by the Lord in another place: “Give to every one that asks you” (Lk 6,30)...

Consider, then, the splendid reward for your liberality: an everlasting habitation! O excellent trade! O divine commerce! You purchase immortality for money and, by donating the empty things of the world, receive in exchange an eternal mansion in heaven! So then, you rich who have wisdom, apply yourselves to this business... Why let yourselves be transfixed by diamonds and emeralds, by houses that fire devours, time destroys, or earthquakes throw down? Aspire for nothing other than to dwell in the heavens, and reign with God. A mere man, a beggar will gain you this kingdom... The Lord did not say: “Give, be generous and bountiful, help your brothers” but: “Make friends for yourselves”. Friendship comes about not by one gift, but by long intimacy. For neither faith, nor charity nor patience are the work of one day, but “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Mt 10,22).

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for November 10, 2018:

Did you or your spouse convert to Catholicism? Ask the RCIA director at your parish if there are any couples in RCIA this year that could use some support or encouragement on their journey home.

Regnum Christi

November 10, 2018 – The Choice Between God and Mammon

09 Nov 2018

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Father Steven Reilly, LC

Luke 16: 9-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Introductory Prayer: Father in heaven, I come to you today to praise and worship you. In my faith, I reach out to you, knowing that you love me and are leading me to heaven. I trust in your mercy and boundless love.

Petition: Lord, help me to break the disordered attachments in my life.

Earning Trust: Parents know well what this means! Discovering that your teenage child’s story about being at a friend’s house studying was just that — a story — makes for a very unpleasant realization. Trust has been broken. After the “grounding” takes effect, the speech is then delivered: “Here’s what you do if you want to earn back our trust…” Certainly the family car won’t be lent out again until progress in the small things has been seen. That’s the message Jesus has for us today. Our sins are like the trust-breakers of the teenage kid. They show we aren’t ready for God’s greatest gifts, so we have to start with the small things. Each grace we respond to opens the door to receiving another grace. If we are trustworthy in very small matters, we can be trusted with the greater. Following through on the everyday graces will someday lead to the grace of graces: the Beatific Vision.

God and/or Mammon: Part of earning trust with God is getting our priorities straight. Taking a God-AND-mammon approach to life is similar to trying to say the rosary while watching television. The Hail Mary’s may come out, but they do so with as much reflection as is put into breathing. We simply can’t have our cake and eat it too. Foolishly entertaining any bad habits (our personal version of mammon) that erode our commitment shows God that we are not spiritually mature enough to be fully trusted. On the other hand, when we take a determined step to break these attachments, we make a big step forward. God must come first!

Human Eyes See Only Part of the Story: Naturally, this effort to live a God-centered life is going to generate mixed reactions. The Pharisees scorn Jesus for this: To them, he seems totally naïve about money. Like them, if we see things only from a merely human perspective, big chunks of reality elude us. Jesus is the one who has the complete picture. We can trust him completely to lead us in the right direction. We won’t need to hedge our bets with human props for our sense of security.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for helping me to realize that your grace is more important than anything I could ever have in this world. Break the hold of mammon in my life so that I might serve you with greater purity of intention.

Resolution: I will make that sacrificial donation to charity that I have been putting off.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espanol

All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 6

<< Saturday, November 10, 2018 >>

Pope St. Leo the Great

Philippians 4:10-19
View Readings

Psalm 112:1-2, 5-6, 8-9

Luke 16:9-15
Similar Reflections

NEEDING TO GIVE

"You sent something for my needs, not once but twice." �Philippians 4:16

St. Paul told the Philippians that receiving money from them gave him great joy, but not because he needed the money (Phil 4:10-11). Paul had learned to be self-sufficient, and cope with anything (Phil 4:11-12). Therefore, he was not in want and not eager for the Philippians' monetary gifts, but he was concerned for them to balance their account and pay for the service He gave them (Phil 4:17).

Paul gave the impression that the Church doesn't need money, but people need to give money. The Church is doing us a favor by taking up a collection. We should be grateful to the Church for letting us give money for God's work. We should be begging the Church insistently for the favor of giving up our money (2 Cor 8:4).

Are we in the same Church to which Paul belonged? Our churches say they're in need. We think we're doing the Church a favor when we give. We're tempted not to give; we're not tempted to give too much (see 2 Cor 8:12). Does Paul know something we don't know? Is our relationship with Christ different than His?

Prayer: Father, may I give to Your Church as never before.

Promise: "Make friends for yourselves through your use of this world's goods, so that when they fail you, a lasting reception will be yours." —Lk 16:9

Praise: Pope St. Leo the Great both encouraged and defended the Faith. With great trust in God, he defended Rome against the Barbarian attack, and Rome was spared.