NOVEMBER 10, 2018 : MEMORIAL OF SAINT LEO THE GREAT, POPE AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 490

Reading 1PHIL 4:10-19

Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice greatly in the Lord
that now at last you revived your concern for me.
You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity.
Not that I say this because of need,
for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself,
to be self-sufficient.
I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

You Philippians indeed know that at the beginning of the Gospel,
when I left Macedonia,
not a single church shared with me
in an account of giving and receiving, except you alone.
For even when I was at Thessalonica
you sent me something for my needs,
not only once but more than once.
It is not that I am eager for the gift;
rather, I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account.
I have received full payment and I abound.
I am very well supplied because of what I received from you
through Epaphroditus,
"a fragrant aroma," an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial PsalmPS 112:1B-2, 5-6, 8A AND 9

R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia2 COR 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,
So that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 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."

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Meditation: "Who will entrust to you the true riches?"

What does "tainted money" (or "unrighteous mammon") have to do with heavenly treasure and eternal life? Jesus exhorts his disciples to be like the shrewd steward who used money generously to make friends and win for himself a secure and happy future (see the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke 16:1-9). Generous giving is connected with alms-giving - the sharing of our financial and material resources with those in need (Luke 12:33). Those who receive alms become your friends because you are merciful to them in their time of need, just as God is merciful to you in your need for his forgiveness and help. 

The rabbis had a saying, "The rich help the poor in this world, but the poor help the rich in the world to come." Ambrose, a 4th century bishop commenting on the parable of the rich fool who tore down his barns to build bigger ones to store his goods. said: The bosoms of the poor, the houses of widows, the mouths of children are the barns which last forever. The true treasure which lasts is the treasure stored up for us in heaven. God richly rewards those who give generously from the heart to help those in need.

True generosity does not impoverish - but enriches the giver
What is the enemy of generosity? It's greed, the excessive desire for personal gain and security. However, we do not need to be afraid for true generosity does not impoverish the giver, but enriches that person a hundredfold! Generosity expands the soul - but greed contracts it. God is generous and superabundant in lavishing his gifts upon us. We can never outmatch God in generosity. He has given us the best of gifts in sending us his only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up his life for us on the cross. The Father also offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit who fills us with the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) - and many other blessings as well. Everything we have is an outright gift of God. Do you know the joy and freedom of blessing others with the gifts and resources God has given to you?

What controls or rules your life?
Jesus concludes his parable with a lesson on what controls or rules our lives. Who is the master (or ruler) in charge of your life? Our "master" is that which governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of the heart and the values we choose to live by. We can be ruled by many different things - the love of money or possessions, the power of position, the glamour of wealth and prestige, the driving force of unruly passions and addictions. Ultimately the choice boils down to two: God and "mammon". What is mammon? "Mammon" stands for "material wealth or possessions" or whatever tends to "control our appetites and desires." 

When a number of the religious leaders heard Jesus' parable they reacted with scorn (Luke 16:14). Jesus spoke to the condition of their hearts - they were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). Love of money and wealth crowd out love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus makes clear that our heart must either be possessed by God's love or our heart will be possessed by the love of something else.

The Lord alone can satisfy our desires and give us generous hearts
There is one Master alone who has the power to set us free from greed and possessiveness. That Master is the Lord Jesus Christ who died to set us free and who rose to give us new abundant life. The Lord Jesus invites us to make him the Master and Lord of our lives. He alone can satisfy the desires of our heart and transform us in his love through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our money, time, and possessions are precious resources and gifts from God. We can guard them jealously for ourselves alone or allow the love of the Lord to guide us in making good use of them for the benefit of others - especially those in need - and for the work of the Lord in advancing his kingdom. Ask the Lord to fill your heart with a spirit of generosity and joy in sharing what you have with others.

"Lord Jesus, may the fire of your love burn in my heart that I may be wholly devoted to you above all else. Free me from greed and attachment to material things that I may be generous in using the gifts and resources you give me for your glory and for the good of my neighbor."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus recommends the foresight, prudence, and ingenuity of the steward, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Mammon is the Hebrew word for 'riches,' just as in Punic the word for 'profit' is mammon. What are we to do? What did the Lord command? 'Make yourselves friends with the mammon of iniquity, so that they too, when you begin to fail, may receive you into eternal shelters.' It is easy, of course, to understand that we must give alms and a helping hand to the needy, because Christ receives it in them... We can understand that we have to give alms and that we must not really pick and choose to whom we give them, because we are unable to sift through people's hearts. When you give alms to all different types of people, then you will reach a few who deserve them. You are hospitable, and you keep your house ready for strangers. Let in the unworthy, in case the worthy might be excluded. You cannot be a judge and sifter of hearts." (excerpt from Sermon 359A.11-12)

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, LUKE 16:9-15
(Philippians 4:10-19; Psalm 112)

KEY VERSE: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (v. 13).
TO KNOW: Jesus taught his disciples that material goods should be used to build up the kingdom of God on earth. The phrase to make friends with "mammon" (dishonest wealth) roughly means to do good works with material possessions. Jesus told his disciples to be faithful and honest in all their dealings, whether large or small. If they could not be trusted with material goods, how could they be trusted in the greater matters of spiritual wealth? Jesus rebuked those whose values were turned upside down. He warned them that worldly goods could possibly lead to dishonesty and greed. Then a person could end up being possessed by their possessions. One cannot be a servant of God and a slave to material goods at the same time.
TO LOVE: Which master do I serve, God or mammon?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to have a balanced attitude toward my earthly goods.​

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

Leo the Great was Pope from 440 to 461 during the time of the invasion of Attila the Hun. When Attila marched on Rome, Pope Leo went out to meet him and pleaded for the army to leave. As Leo spoke, Attila saw a vision of a man in priestly robes, carrying a sword, and threatening to kill the invader if he did not obey the pope. As Leo had a great devotion to Saint Peter, it is generally believed Peter was the visionary opponent to the Huns. When Genseric invaded Rome, Pope Leo's sanctity and eloquence saved the city again. Pope Leo called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn heresies of the day: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Manichaeism, and Pelagianism. He wrote letters and sermons, many of which survive today. It is for these writings that Leo was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1574. 
NOTE: Nestorianism is the doctrine emphasizing the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus. It was advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople (428–431).
Monophysitism is the position that, after the union of the divine and the human in the Incarnation, Jesus Christ, as the incarnation of the eternal Son or Word (Logos) of God, had only a single "nature" which was either divine or a synthesis of divine and human
Manichaeism was a major religion that was founded by the Iranian prophet Mani who taught an elaboratedualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness.
Pelagianism is the belief that original sin did not taint human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without Divine aid.​

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Saturday 10 November 2018

St Leo The Great.
Philippians 4:10-19. Psalm 111(112):1-2, 5-6, 8-9. Luke 16:9-15.

Happy are those who fear the Lord – Psalm 111(112):1-2, 5-6, 8-9.

‘As for me, I am full of joy in the Lord.’

Is it possible to give all to God? Is it possible to be God’s servant, God’s slave, as the Gospel says? Most of us experience the push and pull of so many other attractions. It may be money, or success, or some other influence on our lives. At such times, there is little room for God.

My God, you are my All. Yet you see how comparatively rarely I think of you, and how I ignore others in the pursuit of my own concerns. Touch my heart, Lord. Make me sensitive to the goodness around me: the goodness of sympathy, kindness, generosity. Give me your Spirit, so that I may be a person of sympathy, kindness and generosity.

www.pray.com.au

Saint Leo the Great

Saint of the Day for November 10

(d. November 10, 461)

 

The Meeting between Leo the Great (painted as a portrait of Leo X) and Attila | Raphael | photo by Art Renewal Center

Saint Leo the Great’s Story

With apparent strong conviction of the importance of the Bishop of Rome in the Church, and of the Church as the ongoing sign of Christ’s presence in the world, Leo the Great displayed endless dedication as pope. Elected in 440, he worked tirelessly as “Peter’s successor,” guiding his fellow bishops as “equals in the episcopacy and infirmities.”

Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church. His work branched into four main areas, indicative of his notion of the pope’s total responsibility for the flock of Christ. He worked at length to control the heresies of Pelagianism—overemphasizing human freedom—Manichaeism—seeing everything material as evil—and others, placing demands on their followers so as to secure true Christian beliefs.

A second major area of his concern was doctrinal controversy in the Church in the East, to which he responded with a classic letter setting down the Church’s teaching on the two natures of Christ. With strong faith, he also led the defense of Rome against barbarian attack, taking the role of peacemaker.

In these three areas, Leo’s work has been highly regarded. His growth to sainthood has its basis in the spiritual depth with which he approached the pastoral care of his people, which was the fourth focus of his work. He is known for his spiritually profound sermons. An instrument of the call to holiness, well-versed in Scripture and ecclesiastical awareness, Leo had the ability to reach the everyday needs and interests of his people. One of his sermons is used in the Office of Readings on Christmas.

It is said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the mysteries of Christ and the Church and in the supernatural charisms of the spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his Body, the Church. Thus Leo held firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration of the Church represented Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, and Saint Peter, in whose place Leo acted.

---

Reflection

At a time when there is widespread criticism of Church structures, we also hear criticism that bishops and priests—indeed, all of us—are too preoccupied with administration of temporal matters. Pope Leo is an example of a great administrator who used his talents in areas where spirit and structure are inseparably combined: doctrine, peace, and pastoral care. He avoided an “angelism” that tries to live without the body, as well as the “practicality” that deals only in externals.

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LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 16:9-15

Lectio Divina: 

 Saturday, November 10, 2018

Ordinary Time

1) Opening prayer

God of power and mercy,
only with your help
can we offer you fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel reading - Luke 16:9-15

Jesus said to His disciples: "And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.
Anyone who is trustworthy in little things is trustworthy in great; anyone who is dishonest in little things is dishonest in great.
If then you are not trustworthy with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches?
And if you are not trustworthy with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?”
"No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money."

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and jeered at him. He said to them, "You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as upright in people's sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed in human eyes is loathsome in the sight of God.”

3) Reflection

• The Gospel today presents some words of Jesus concerning goods. They are words and loose phrases, and we do not know in which context they were said. Luke puts them here to form a small unity around the correct use of the goods of this life and to help us to better understand the sense of the parable of the dishonest steward (Lk 16, 1-8).
• Luke 16, 9: Use well the unjust money. "Use money, tainted as it is, to win friends, and then make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.” Luke seeks    to show it is better to use money to win “friends” here, by using it towards the poor and God’s Kingdom, so that you will be welcomed into the Kingdom later. He generally viewed money as a corrupting influence both for the person and for the community as the communities grew beyond just the poor. In the Old Testament, the ancient word to indicate the poor (ani) means impoverished. It comes from the verb ana, to oppress, to lower. This affirmation recalls the parable of the dishonest steward whose riches were unjust. . Here we have the context of the communities at the time of Luke in the years of the 80’s after Christ. At the beginning, the Christian communities arose among the poor (cf. 1 Co 1, 26; Ga 2, 10). Little by little persons who were richer joined the communities. The entrance of the rich caused some problems which appear in the advice given in the Letter of James (Jm 2, 1-6;5, 1-6), in the Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1Cor 11, 20-21) and in the Gospel of Luke (Lk 6, 24). These problems became worse toward the end of the first century, as it is said in the Apocalypse in its letter to the community of Laodicea (Rev 3, 17-18). The phrases of Jesus kept by Luke are a help to clarify and solve this problem.
• Luke 16, 10-12: To be faithful in small as well as in great things. “Anyone who is trustworthy in little things is trustworthy in great, and anyone who is dishonest in little things is dishonest in great. If then you are not trustworthy with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you are not trustworthy with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?” This phrase clarifies the parable of the dishonest steward. He was not faithful. That is why he was taken away from the administration. This word of Jesus also suggests how to give life and to put into practice the advice regarding makin[1] g friends with unjust money. The advice moves from eschatological times to the present. One can “make friends” with unjust money by putting it to good use to help the poor. In this case, “unjust money” is not money gotten improperly, but riches that create an unjust “attachment” to it and corrupts. “Genuine riches” in this passage are grace and gifts from God. So this suggests that charity to the poor precedes being trusted with greater “genuine” riches. Sharing and giving to the poor is the beginning, and the opening up of self to be able to receive even greater gifts.

• Luke 16, 13: You cannot serve God and money. Jesus is very clear in His affirmation. No servant can be the slave of two masters. He will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be a slave to both God and money”. Both the Pharisees and the Saducees loved their wealth and positions, and Luke’s point is that money corrupts. Each one of us should make a choice, and ask himself/herself: “Whom do I put in the first place in my life, God or money?” In the place of the word money each one can put other words: automobile, employment, prestige, goods, house, image, etc. This choice will depend on understanding  Divine Providence  (Mt 6, 25-34). It is a matter of priority in life and trust. To build up these riches for their own sake, or as a form of protection, is to trust in them more than God’s providence. It can also lead to excesses, beyond what is sufficient. These are choices that show, by how one lives, where love and trust in God are placed.

• Luke 16, 14-15: Criticism of the Pharisees who like money. “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and jeered at him. He said to them, “You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as upright in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed in human eyes is loathsome in the sight of God”. On another occasion Jesus mentions the love of some Pharisees toward money: “You devour the property of widows, rob their houses and in appearance you make long prayers” (Mt 23, 14: Lk 20, 47; Mk 12, 40). They allowed themselves to be dragged by the wisdom of the world, of which Paul says: “Consider, brothers, how you were called; not many of you are wise by human standards, not many influential, not many from noble families. But God chose those who by human standards are fools to shame the wise. He chose those who by human standards are weak to shame the strong, those who by common standards are common and contemptible, indeed those who count for nothing - to reduce to nothing all those who do count for something” (1 Cor 1, 26-28). Some Pharisees liked money, just like today some priests like money. The advice of Jesus and of Paul is valid for them.

4) Personal questions

• You and money: what choice do you make?

• Faithful in small things. How do you speak of the Gospel and how do you live the Gospel?

5) Concluding prayer

How blessed is anyone who fears Yahweh,
who delights in His commandments!
His descendants shall be powerful on earth,
the race of the honest shall receive blessings. (Ps 112,1-2)

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