31st Friday in Ordinary time, November, 10, 2023 Memorial of St Leo the Great
Rom 15:14-21, PS 98:1-4, Lk 16:1-8
“I, myself, am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness.”
I am constantly amazed by St. Paul. His insights into all peoples and their behaviors are masterful. From his philosophies, I inherited that attitude as well, that all people have dignity and respect, and that all people have good in them. Our job is to bring that goodness out. St. Paul used these opportunities when he met people who had not heard about Christ. He treated them with dignity and respect and brought the Gospel message to all he met. Jesus even talks about goodness in the Gospel today. The crafty steward, who, when about to lose his own job, used his skill to bring good into the situation and was thus rewarded.
St. Leo the Great, whose feast day we celebrate today, was Pope from 440-461. During his papacy, he encountered many heresies and had to combat them with ferocity. He started his papacy by preaching 96 sermons against the heresies of that time. Not only that, was he combating the division between the East and the West and was trying to bring the papacy under the jurisdiction of the See of Rome. He finally triumphed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The following year, Attila the Hun marched on Italy. St. Leo went to meet him and averted an invasion of Rome. However, in 455 Geiseric and his Vandals plundered Rome, but St. Leo convinced them not to burn down the city of Rome. St. Leo is credited with advancing the papacy and stabilizing the Church during a critical time. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1754.
St. Leo also exhibited a trait that we all should, and that is to treat all human beings with dignity and respect, regardless of what they are doing or how they look. Yes, there are evil people in the world, and they will have to answer for their own actions someday. That does not mean, however, that we treat them with disrespect and hatred. Jesus says, “love your enemies.” That does not mean we like what they do, but we are still called to love them. As Christians, our job is to treat them with love and bring out the goodness in them that God gave them. I know, a tall order sometimes, but it is still important to treat them with dignity and respect.
So, the first time you meet someone, do not judge them based on how they look, act, or what they say, but look at them from Jesus’ eyes, with love and respect, and see the good God created in them. Just maybe, then they will listen to the good news from you, and God will show mercy on them as well.
Saint James Catholic Church 