Wednesday, January 8 : Saint Leo the Great

Taught then, dearly-beloved, by these mysteries of Divine grace, let us rejoice with spiritual joy in the day of our first-fruits and the first calling of the nations to faith, giving thanks to the merciful God “who made us fit,” as the apostle Paul says, “to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:12-13). For, as Isaiah prophesied: “the people of the nations who sat in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone” (Is 9:1)… “Abraham saw this day and was glad” (Jn 8:56) when he understood that the sons of his faith would be blessed in his descendant, that is in Christ, and foresaw that by believing he should be the father of all nations, “giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do” (Gal 3:16; Rm 4:18 – 21). This is the day David sang of in the psalms saying: “all the nations you have made shall come to bow before you, Lord and give honor to your name” (Ps 85[86]:9) and again: “The Lord has made his victory known: he has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations” (Ps 97[98]:2). All these things we know to have taken place ever since the three wise men, aroused in their far-off land, were led by a star to recognize and worship the King of heaven and earth. The responsiveness of that star exhorts us to imitate its obedience and, as much as we can, to make ourselves servants of that grace which invites us all to Christ. For whoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and “sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Col 3:2) resembles that heavenly light in a certain sense. So long as he maintains in himself the brightness of a holy life, he points out to many, like a star, the way that leads to God. All having this concern, dearly-beloved… you will shine in the Kingdom like children of light (Mt 13:43; Eph 5:8).

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team