Memorial of Saint Leo the Great

Today's Mass Readings

Today we begin St. Paul’s letter to Titus. This is considered to be one of Paul’s pastoral letters because of his very practical advice; here it is in regard to the requirements and duties of Church leaders known as presbyters and bishops. Such a Church leader ought to live an upright life, as indicated by his personal conduct as well as his family’s. Indeed, every Christian should behave as described by Paul here, but for those who lead it is particularly important that they witness well to the Christian faith in the entirety of their lives. The last line describes well the task of such a leader, namely, that he hold fast to the true message in order both to refute opponents and to exhort the faithful (Tit 1:9). This is an appropriate first reading for the memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great, who is named a doctor of the Church. Leo, who was pope in the mid-5th century, is well-known for holding fast to the faith in order to refute opponents and exhort the faithful. At a time when important points of doctrine were still being worked out and debated, Leo thought through and articulated difficult theological concepts, such as the Incarnation. We remain indebted to his teaching and leadership today.

The focus of today’s gospel reading broadens the focus by speaking more generally of relationships within a community. Jesus notes the responsibility assigned to those who cause others to sin; it is a serious offense. Hence Jesus instructs his disciples to confront a brother who sins, while also forgiving him should he repent, even if it is multiple times in one day. The apostles seem to recognize this is a challenge put before them, and so they ask Jesus to increase their faith.

For us too, it is a daunting task to think about rebuking and forgiving our neighbors. At times, we’d probably prefer that all of this was simply left to our Church leaders. Part of our culture seems to be a denial of sin in our lives and in the lives of others. And yet, Jesus calls all of his disciples to live this as part of a Christian life. This is why “admonish the sinner” and “forgive all injuries” have long been considered among the seven spiritual works of mercy in the Catholic Church.

To sin is to offend God and to hurt our neighbor. While sin is inevitable in some sense, it is nonetheless something against which all Christians must fight. And we fight it best when we fight it together, under the leadership of those, like Leo, who dedicate their lives to the gospel. Today, let us take some time to reflect on how we might be causing those around us to sin or not aiding them in fighting against sin. Let us also consider where in our lives we need to extend forgiveness to others who have sinned against us. Let us pray for God’s grace to draw us closer to him in the midst of our failings and those of others!

- Maria Morrow