- Luke 14:34-35 -
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty
again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is
thrown out.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
____________________________________________________________________
Salt can lose its flavor. When it gets wet and then dries, nothing is left
but
tasteless residue. Many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost
of
standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Christians lose their
distinctive
saltiness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food,
we
are to preserve the good in the world, help keep it from spoiling, and
bring new
flavor to life. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice and
unswerving
commitment to Christ's Kingdom. Being "salty" is not easy, but if a
Christian
fails in this function, he or she fails to represent Christ in the world.
How
salty are you?
<<>><<>><<>>
November 10th - St. Leo the Great
St. Leo the Great, who reigned as Pope from 440 to 461, was one of the
greatest
Popes of History. He fought against numerous heresies that agitated the
Church,
principally against the Manicheans and Pelagians. In 452 he faced Attila
and
convinced the scourge of God and his Huns not to attack Rome and to leave
Italy.
He was also able to thwart the destruction of Rome by Genseric three years
later.
Many Africans who had been driven away by the Vandals had settled in Rome
and
established a secret Manichean community there. When St. Leo discovered
them, he
denounced them to priests and religious, and warned the people to be on
their
guard against this reprehensible heresy.
In Spain the heresy of Priscillianism still survived and was attracting
new
adherents, provoking countless riots and general agitation. St. Leo was
informed
of this situation by St. Turibius, Bishop of Astorga in Spain. The Pope
wrote
him a long letter in which he refuted the errors of the Priscillian heresy
and
qualified it as the "sewer of all the prior heresies." In particular he
condemned its denial of free will and the influence of astrology,
considered
infallible. St. Leo also showed the connection between the Priscillians
and the
Manicheans, and sent St. Turibius the conclusions of the juridical
processes
that he had made against the latter in Rome.
In these processes one can see the seed of the future Inquisition. They
were
presided over by the Pope, who was assisted by Bishops, clergy, senators
and
other illustrious personages. During them, he would declare to the
faithful
their obligation to denounce the heretics; question those under suspicion;
try
to make them retract from their errors; give penances to those who
returned to
the Church; and deliver to the civil authorities those who were obstinate
in
their positions so they might be adequately punished.
Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira: (died 1995)
This selection is very beautiful because you can see how St. Leo the Great
acted
with the authority of a Pope and at the same time as a saint, that is, a
person
whom the Catholic Church declared infallibly to be one who heroically
practiced
all the virtues.
His sanctity, by the way, was confirmed by a colossal miracle. When he
went out
to meet Attila, as he approached him, St. Peter appeared over the Pope and
made
the barbarian retreat. This was one of the great miracles in the History
of the
Church.
This man who was so holy was a persecutor of heretics. Manicheans who had
fled
from Africa to Italy because of the persecution of the Vandals received a
severe
reception from St. Leo. He gave sermons warning the people against them
and
exhorted the people to denounce them to the Church.
When the heresy of the Priscillians re-emerged in Spain, he supported the
fight
of St. Turibius, Bishop of Astorga, to suppress it. Further, he
established a
kind of Inquisition in Rome, and he was the one who presided over its
sessions,
assisted by Bishops and illustrious persons. He carried out the role of
Inquisitor - he questioned them to see if there were heresies, tried to
convert
those who were in error, and ordered punishment for those who refused the
Catholic doctrine. You can see, therefore, that he was practicing a holy
violence against the heretics. And this in no way was opposed to his
sanctity.
It was a virtue, a virtue that today is poorly appreciated, because it is
the
opposite of the bad ecumenism.
What would St. Leo the Great say and do if he would rise up from his grave
and
see the Catholic Church in the sad situation she is in today where all
heresies
are unopposed? He would immediately order the re-installation of an
Inquisition.
Therefore, let us pray to St. Leo, asking him to re-ignite in the Church
the
spirit of the Inquisition, the spirit of discernment, of holy vigilance,
of
balanced intransigence, of militancy and the fight. If this were
established in
the Church, perhaps the world could avoid the terrible chastisement
through
which it needs to pass. Let us pray to him asking that we might be
enflamed with
this spirit and that it be maintained in the Holy Church until the end
times.
Saint Quote:
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
Bible Quote:
7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they
also
that pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves
because of him. Even so. Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
the
end, saith the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty.
(Apoc. 1:7-8)
<><><><>
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom, Before Communion:
O Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that Thou
shouldest
enter under my roof into the habitation of my soul, for it is all deserted
and
in ruins, and Thou hast not a fitting place in me to lay Thy head. But as
from
the heights of Thy glory Thou didst humble Thyself, so now bear me in my
humility; as Thou didst deign to lie in a manger in a cave, so deign now
also to
come into the manger of my mute soul and corrupt body. As Thou didst not
refrain from entering into the house of Simon the leper, or shrink from
eating
there with sinners, so also vouchsafe to enter the house of my poor soul,
all
leprous and full of sin. Thou didst not reject the sinful woman who
ventured to
draw near to touch Thee, so also have pity on me, a sinner, approaching to
touch
Thee. And grant that I may partake of Thine All-holy Body and Precious
Blood
for the sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my weak soul
and
body; for the relief from the burden of my many sins; for my preservation
against all the snares of the devil; for victory over all my sinful and
evil
habits; for the mortification of my passions; for obedience to Thy
Commandments;
for growth in Thy divine Grace and for the inheritance of Thy Kingdom.
For it
is not with careless heart that I approach Thee, O Christ my God, but I
come
trusting in Thine infinite goodness, and fearing lest I may be drawn afar
from
Thee and become the prey of the wolf of souls. Wherefore I pray Thee, O
Master,
Who alone art holy, that Thou wouldest sanctify my soul and body, my mind
and
heart and reins, and renew me entirely. Implant in my members the fear of
Thee,
be Thou my helper and guide, directing my life in the paths of peace, and
make
me worthy to stand at Thy right hand with Thy Saints; through the prayers
and
intercessions of Thine immaculate Mother, of Thy Bodiless Servitors, of
the
immaculate Powers, and of all the Saints who from all ages have been
well-pleasing unto Thee. Amen.
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