Leo the Great 'watching' in the Church

Wed 10th November

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

Watching in the Church - Lavra Netofa, Israel, Upper Galilea 

On Wednesday Fr. Raymond asked me to supply for he is suffering severe  ‘flu. Gospel of Luke 17:11-19.

During the time of the days of Fr. Luke’s wake we keep watch and offer this Mass for his soul.

At the same time we celebrate St. Leo the Great day.

A brief of the life of Leo is one of the proofs of the ‘watching’ in the Church for the Church.

‘Watching’ of the Church is not quiet but thrilling in influence.

Pope Benedict has just had two days in Spain, Compostello and Barcelona, the UK visit, again the vitality of the ‘watching’ in care of the Church.

Leo sets the stage of the Church at ‘watch’.

  
1. 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 bare sword, and threatening to kill the invader if he did not obey Pope Leo.

2. As Leo had a great devotion to St. Peter, it is generally believed Peter was the visionary opponent to the Huns.

3. When Genseric of the Vandals invaded Rome, Pope Leo's sanctity and eloquence saved the city again.

4. Pope Leo called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn heresies of the day: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Manichaeism, and Pelagianism.

5. He wrote letters and sermons encouraging and teaching his flock. Many of these writings survive today;
it is for these writings that Leo was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1574.

Leo’s ‘watching’ fulfilled mighty actions in the Church.

Hidden lives fulfilled that same service in God’s will.

As Fr. Luke’s life is hidden so we offer this Holy Mass in our own same hidden watching in the Church for all souls.