The Memorial of St Leo the Great

Tit. 2:1-8.11-14, Lk. 17:7-10. In today's first reading, Paul lists out attributes that characterise true believers. Paul urges us to be role model for the young members of the community by practicing reverence, integrity, dignity and sound speech as appreciation to God who created us out of His divine grace. To make us appreciate the divine grace, in today's Gospel, Jesus enjoins that we never expect special favour at the accomplishment of our duties. As Christians, we should recognise that the act of serving God gives our lives meaning and hope. We are therefore, bound to obedience out of our love, duty and loyalty to God and in gratitude for sending His Son, who by dying on the cross, saved us. Serving God does not mean that God owes us; what God bestows upon us is a gift of grace.

Salvation is a gift and grace of God, not something we can earn on earth through our corporal acts of mercy. Our faith must not be treated as an achievement or as a means to satisfy our own desires and wants. Today, we are challenged to imitate St Leo the Great whose memorial we celebrate. Leo the Great led the Church as the Pope and Successor of St Peter at the time the Church and the Roman Empire began to fall apart in its western regions, to the invasions from the barbarians that came and conquered many of its territories, wrecking a lot of havoc and confusion. Despite all these, Leo the Great led the Church and the faithful through this most difficult moment and was instrumental in strengthening the Church in standing up against the various heresies that also came up at that time.

May the Lord teach us to be grateful for the divine grace in us so that we can open our eyes to see that charity consists not in the quantity of what we have but in the quality of our hearts that reaches out to others for good! Amen!! Stay safe and have a glorious day!!!