Pope Leo was the Bishop of Rome in the 5 ^th century of the Church, he died on Nov 10, 461 and his feast day is celebrated on this day. I thought that we might discuss his life a little bit because he is considered to have been one of the more influential Popes in the history of the Church. He led the Church at a time when the Western Roman empire was disintegrating and the eastern empire was in the midst of a number of severe theological disagreements that almost tore the Church apart.

His chief aim was to sustain the unity of the Church. He did this in a way we might be surprised at. We often think of unity as coming from the willingness to tolerate others, even to the point of allowing them to hold views that are in disagreement with the Church. We think of this as generous and welcoming. But we make a great mistake if we consider that unity is found in any other way that faithful obedience to Jesus. This, Pope Leo understood, and so he brought about unity by disciplining heretics and banning them from Communion until they repented. He insisted that his priests always taught the truth and corrected those in error. This may seem uncharitable to us, but in fact it is the most loving response that the Church can have. False unity is no unity at all. We are all here together by virtue of acknowledging that we are sinners and having asked God for forgiveness.

As the barbarians continued to overtake Rome, law and order crumbled. Leo had the Church step into the vacuum and introduce stricter discipline, at least among the clergy. This discipline, or jurisdiction, of the Pope over all of the other clergy is vital for maintaining the freedom of the Church as local governments began to pressure the bishops to do what the politicians wanted. Perhaps we only think of the Pope as an unnecessary symbol of human power, but he is in fact the guarantor of our freedom. We do not belong to the American Church, or the Archdiocese of St. Louis, but to the universal, worldwide, Catholic Church. No matter what American politicians and judges would have us do, we have a greater allegiance that outstrips the authority of any nation. The Church is in the world but not of the world and Christ is our King. This, the presence of the Pope is a reminder of.

Leo put that allegiance to the proof when he refused to abandon Rome and the Church to Attila the Hun. Attila had devastated northern Italy and was threatening to attack Rome. Leo personally spoke with him at the gates of the city; we don't know what he said, but Attila turned around and never attacked Rome. To this day, we have had courageous Popes and bishops who have defended the universal Church against governments that wish to control them. Let us pray for them and appreciate the sacrifice they make for us as our shepherds. It is often easier to capitulate to popular culture or gain political favors by being pliable but this is not always what pleases God. They are the visible symbol of the unity of the Body of Christ with the Pope as their head. Without them, we are divided and we are vulnerable to the government of whatever nation we happen to live in.

None of this is about power or influence or wealth, it is all about protecting the truth of who Jesus Christ is, for we are his servants, and the greatest gift we can give to the world is to present him, unchanged, in all his challenging, sacrificial glory; for such is the call of the God who loves us and is not content to allow us to continue living in sin. Pope Leo says it well in a Christmas homily:

"Our Saviour, dearly-beloved, was born today: let us be glad. For there is no proper place for sadness, when we keep the birthday of the Life, which destroys the fear of mortality and brings to us the joy of promised eternity. No one is kept from sharing in this happiness. There is for all one common measure of joy, because as our Lord the destroyer of sin and death finds none free from charge, so is He come to free us all. Let the saint exult in that he draws near to victory. Let the sinner be glad in that he is invited to pardon. Let the gentile take courage in that he is called to life."

Pope St. Leo the Great, pray for us.